Topsoil Calculator
Find the cubic yards of topsoil to fill a bed or level a lawn.
weight = 2.5 cu yd × 1.08 tons/yd³ = 2.67 tons
Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard, so the calculation starts with volume: length times width gives the area of the bed, and multiplying by the depth turns that area into a volume. Because depth is entered in inches while the bed is measured in feet, the depth is divided by twelve first, giving cubic feet; dividing by twenty-seven converts to the cubic yards a supplier quotes.
The tool also reports a delivery weight in tons using a screened-topsoil density of about 1.08 tons per cubic yard. Soil weight is far less predictable than volume — wet soil and high-organic mixes can weigh noticeably more — so order by the yard and treat the ton figure as a rough guide to how heavy the load will be.
Most beds want three to six inches of new soil; a lawn top-dressing is a thin quarter to half inch. Because coverage changes directly with depth, the depth field is the input worth double-checking before you place an order.
volume = 20 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 66.7 cu ft = 2.47 cu yd → order 2.5 cu yd
delivery weight ≈ 2.47 × 1.08 = 2.67 tons