Online Free Topsoil Calculator
Calculate exactly how much topsoil you need for your gardening or landscaping project
Calculate Your Topsoil Requirements
Enter your project dimensions below to calculate how much topsoil you'll need:
Your Topsoil Calculation Results
About This Topsoil Calculator
Our free online topsoil calculator helps you determine exactly how much topsoil you need, whether you're laying new turf, creating garden beds, or leveling your lawn.
This tool calculates topsoil requirements in various units including cubic yards, tons, cubic meters, and litres. Knowing exactly how much topsoil to purchase saves you time, money, and ensures your gardening project is successful from the start.
How Our Topsoil Calculator Works
Our topsoil calculator uses a simple mathematical formula to determine the volume of topsoil needed based on your input dimensions:
- Input your area dimensions: Enter the length, width, and depth of the area you need to cover with topsoil.
- Select your measurement units: Choose whether you're working in feet, meters, or yards.
- Choose your preferred output unit: Select whether you want results in cubic yards, tons, cubic meters, or litres.
- Get accurate results: Our calculator instantly computes how much topsoil you need to purchase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Topsoil is the upper layer of soil that contains the most organic matter and microorganisms. It's used for creating new garden beds, leveling lawns, establishing new turf, and improving soil quality in existing gardens.
For 1,000 square feet at a depth of 1 inch, you would need approximately 3.1 cubic yards of topsoil. For a 2-inch depth, you'd need about 6.2 cubic yards, and for a 3-inch depth, approximately 9.3 cubic yards.
Topsoil is the natural soil found on the earth's surface, while garden soil is typically topsoil that has been enriched with compost and other organic materials.
On average, 1 cubic yard of topsoil weighs about 1.0 to 1.3 tons. Therefore, 1 ton of topsoil is approximately 0.75 to 1.0 cubic yards.
For establishing a new lawn, a depth of 4-6 inches of quality topsoil is recommended. For overseeding or repairing existing lawns, ¼ to ½ inch of topsoil is usually sufficient.
Yes, you can add a thin layer (up to ½ inch) of topsoil over existing grass to help level low spots or improve soil quality. However, adding too much can smother the existing grass.
One cubic yard of topsoil covers 100 square feet at 3-inch depth, 75 square feet at 4-inch depth, or 50 square feet at 6-inch depth.
For vegetable gardens, look for topsoil labeled as "screened" or "premium" that has been mixed with compost or other organic matter.
For irregular shapes, break the area down into smaller regular shapes (rectangles, triangles, circles), calculate the area of each, then sum them together.
Topsoil doesn't "expire" but its quality can diminish over time if not properly maintained. Nutrient levels may decrease, and compaction can occur.
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Created by the Team TheEducationistHub | Reviewed by Sadiq Saleem