Topsoil and Fill Dirt Calculator: Free Cubic Yards Estimator

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Estimate cubic yards and tons of topsoil or fill for a garden bed, lawn or low spot.

Topsoil and Fill Dirt Calculator

Area and depth

Length (feet)

Width (feet)

Depth (inches)

Extra material allowance (%)10% is our example added-volume allowance, not a measured shrinkage or compaction rate.

Tons per cubic yardUS mode uses short tons per cubic yard; metric uses tonnes per cubic meter. The default density is an example; replace it with your supplier value.

Volume and example-density estimate only. Added allowance is not a geotechnical shrinkage factor. Confirm material suitability, loose delivery volume and density with the supplier; this is not a structural fill or vehicle-load plan.

How the topsoil and fill dirt calculator works

A 20 x 10-foot area filled 4 inches deep needs 2.4691 cubic yards before extra. Add our 10% example allowance and the estimate becomes 2.7160 cubic yards, displayed as 2.72. At an entered example density of 1.1 US short tons per cubic yard, it weighs 2.9877 US short tons, displayed as 2.99. Weight is calculated from unrounded volume.

Cubic yards = length in feet x width in feet x depth in inches / 324.
Order-volume estimate = base cubic yards x (1 + extra percent / 100).
US short tons = order-volume estimate x entered US short tons per cubic yard. The factor 324 comes from 12 inches per foot and 27 cubic feet per cubic yard. CalculatorSoup documents the cubic-yard conversion and rectangular volume method.¹

Free coverage and volume chart

Our calculations below give base volume, before any allowance. Depth is the average layer depth over the stated rectangular area. Uneven holes, slopes and multiple sections need separate measurements.

Area	2 inches deep	4 inches deep	6 inches deep	12 inches deep
100 sq ft	0.617 cu yd	1.235 cu yd	1.852 cu yd	3.704 cu yd
200 sq ft	1.235 cu yd	2.469 cu yd	3.704 cu yd	7.407 cu yd
500 sq ft	3.086 cu yd	6.173 cu yd	9.259 cu yd	18.519 cu yd
1000 sq ft	6.173 cu yd	12.346 cu yd	18.519 cu yd	37.037 cu yd

One cubic yard covers 162 square feet at 2 inches, 81 at 4 inches, 54 at 6 inches or 27 at 12 inches, before extra. These are geometry results, not recommended garden or lawn depths. Choose the appropriate material and depth for the project separately.

Three checked examples

1. A 20 x 10-foot bed at 4 inches

20 x 10 x 4 / 12 = 66.6667 cubic feet. Divide by 27 = 2.4691358 cubic yards. At 10% example extra: 2.4691358 x 1.10 = 2.7160494 cubic yards. At example density 1.1: 2.7160494 x 1.1 = 2.9876543 US short tons. Do not multiply the already rounded 2.72 if you want the more accurate weight.

2. A 1,000-square-foot lawn layer at 2 inches

For a 40 x 25-foot rectangle: 40 x 25 x 2 / 324 = 6.1728395 cubic yards before extra. At a 5% example allowance: 6.1728395 x 1.05 = 6.4814815 cubic yards. The depth and percentage are selected example inputs, not a universal lawn specification.

3. A 10 x 8-foot low area averaging 12 inches

10 x 8 x 12 / 324 = 2.9629630 cubic yards before extra. At 10% example extra: 2.9629630 x 1.10 = 3.2592593 cubic yards. At an entered 1.2 US short tons per cubic yard, that is 3.9111111 US short tons. This is a volume example only; filling a low area can require drainage and soil-suitability advice.

Extra allowance is not percent shrinkage

The extra field adds a percentage to calculated volume. At 10%, it multiplies by 1.10. That is not the same as saying delivered soil loses 10% of its loose volume. If a supplier says a material retains 90% of loose volume after placement, the conversion would be target / 0.90, or 1.1111 times the target. Our input does not automatically perform that conversion.

Use a supplier-provided loose-to-placed volume estimate where settling matters. The default 10% is our planning example, not a measured compaction coefficient. Structural fill, foundations and grading work may need project-specific soil selection and compaction requirements; this calculator does not design them.

Weight depends on the material you actually buy

Ottr Landscape Supply lists different example weights for dry, moist and wet topsoil, fill dirt and clay-heavy soil, and explains that moisture changes the delivered weight.² Its typical moist-soil example is about 2,200 pounds per cubic yard, equivalent to 1.1 US short tons. We use 1.1 as an editable example, not a guaranteed national density. Ask the supplier for the density of the exact material and moisture condition.

A US short ton is not a metric tonne. In US mode, the density input is US short tons per cubic yard. The metric switch converts it to tonnes per cubic meter along with dimensions, and the output labels metric tonnes. Do not enter a supplier’s pounds-per-yard figure directly into a tons-per-yard field. For example, 2,400 pounds per cubic yard is 1.2 US short tons per cubic yard.

An estimated total weight is not permission to load a truck or trailer. Actual soil density can differ, and the vehicle’s payload and axle limits are separate. Confirm actual load weight and rated capacity rather than using a generic density as a safety limit.

Topsoil, fill dirt and raised-bed mix are different choices

This tool calculates geometry for the area you enter. It does not determine whether topsoil, screened soil, fill dirt or a blended growing mix is suitable. Use the fill dirt guide for the volume distinction, raised-bed soil guide for bed takeoffs and topsoil bag guide for packaged volume math. Do not infer material quality from matching cubic yards.

FAQ

How many cubic yards for 1,000 square feet?

At 2 inches: 1,000 x 2 / 324 = 6.1728 cubic yards before extra. At 4 inches: 12.3457. At 6 inches: 18.5185. Area alone is not enough; depth changes volume directly.

Can I use metric measurements?

Yes. Enter meters for length and width and centimeters for depth after switching to metric. Density changes to tonnes per cubic meter. Equivalent inputs should leave the physical volume and mass unchanged. Read the active labels rather than mixing unit systems.

Does the 10% field mean the soil shrinks 10%?

No. It means add 10% to the geometric volume. A true loose-to-placed shrinkage calculation uses a different factor. Confirm the supplier’s conversion and enter an appropriate added-volume allowance instead of treating the default as an engineering value.

Does the calculator include delivery or price?

No. It estimates volume and mass only. Confirm the supplier’s ordering increments, material price, delivery charge and exact density before comparing quotes. No national average cost is built into this result.