Multiply the area in square feet by depth in feet and divide by 27 for cubic yards, then multiply by 1.1 for tons. A 20 × 10 ft bed at 4 inches of topsoil needs about 2.5 cubic yards, or roughly 2.7 tons; a new 1,000 sq ft lawn at the same depth takes about 12.3 yards.
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Topsoil Calculator Guide
Topsoil is priced like dirt and treated like an afterthought, yet it is the only material on this site that has to perform biologically. A lawn or bed is only as good as the depth of soil beneath it, so the estimating question is really an agronomy question: how many inches does this planting need, and how many yards does that translate to? At about 1.1 tons per cubic yard, topsoil is light enough that even big lawn projects stay within a couple of truckloads.
Enter the area and target depth and the calculator returns cubic yards and tons. For lawns, measure generously — running short mid-spread leaves a visible seam where the new soil stops.
How Much Topsoil Per 1,000 Square Feet?
| Application | Depth | Yd³ per 1,000 sq ft | Tons per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topdressing / overseeding | 1 in | 3.1 | 3.4 |
| Bed refresh | 2 in | 6.2 | 6.8 |
| New lawn (seed or sod) | 4 in | 12.3 | 13.6 |
| New garden bed | 6 in | 18.5 | 20.4 |
Four inches is the floor for a lawn that survives August; six gives roots a real reservoir. Below whatever you spread, the existing ground still matters — roots will eventually reach it, and water must pass through it.
Buying Screened Topsoil Without Getting Burned
- Insist on screened. Screening removes rocks, roots, and clay clods; unscreened loads save a few dollars a yard and cost an afternoon of picking debris.
- Inspect before it tips. Good topsoil is dark, crumbles in the hand, and smells earthy. Gray color, sour smell, or slick clay texture means subsoil sold under a better name.
- Buy dry if you can. Weight-based pricing penalizes wet loads, since water can add 20% to the scale ticket without adding a single cubic foot of soil.
- Break the boundary. Loosen the existing grade and blend the first inch of new soil into it. A hard interface between layers sheds water and stops roots as effectively as plastic sheeting.
Spread with the back of a landscape rake, firm lightly, and let a rain settle it before seeding. Where you are building up more than 6 inches of grade, put cheap structural material underneath first — the fill dirt calculator sizes that layer — and reserve topsoil for the top where it earns its price. For sand-heavy topdressing mixes on lawns, the sand calculator covers the other half of the blend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much topsoil do I need for a new lawn?
Seed and sod both want at least 4 inches of quality topsoil, which works out to 12.3 cubic yards — about 13.6 tons — per 1,000 square feet. For overseeding an existing lawn, a 1-inch topdressing needs just 3.1 yards per 1,000 square feet.
How many tons is a cubic yard of topsoil?
Screened topsoil averages about 1.1 tons per cubic yard when moderately moist. It is one of the lighter bulk materials — compare crusher run at 1.55 tons — but a saturated load after heavy rain can weigh noticeably more.
What is the difference between screened and unscreened topsoil?
Screened topsoil has been passed through a mesh to remove rocks, roots, and clods, leaving a consistent, rake-ready product. Unscreened soil is cheaper but arrives with debris you will pick out by hand — worth it only for rough fill under a screened cap.
Should I till new topsoil into the existing ground?
Blend the bottom inch or two of new soil into the loosened existing grade rather than laying it like carpet on a compacted surface. A sharp boundary between layers stops water and roots, which leaves lawns shallow-rooted and quick to brown.