Ordering the right amount of topsoil can be tricky. Order too little and you're making a second trip. Order too much and you've got a pile sitting in your driveway. This guide will help you calculate exactly what you need — no waste, no guesswork.
What Is a Cubic Yard?
Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard. One cubic yard is a block of material that measures 3 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet tall. That's 27 cubic feet of material.
One cubic yard weighs approximately 2,000 lbs (1 ton) depending on moisture content.
To give you a real-world sense: one cubic yard of topsoil will cover about 100 square feet at 3 inches deep — roughly the size of a 10' × 10' patio area.
The Simple Formula
Here's the formula to figure out how many cubic yards you need:
Length × Width = Square FeetStep 2: Decide your depth (in inches)
Step 3:
Square Feet × Depth (inches) ÷ 324 = Cubic Yards
That magic number 324 comes from: 27 cubic feet per yard × 12 inches per foot = 324. It converts everything neatly so you can plug in feet for area and inches for depth.
Interactive Calculator
Topsoil Calculator
Common Project Examples
Here are some typical projects and how much topsoil they usually require:
| Project | Typical Size | Depth | Yards Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New lawn (small yard) | 1,000 sq ft | 4 inches | ~12 yards |
| Garden bed | 100 sq ft | 6 inches | ~2 yards |
| Raised bed (4' × 8') | 32 sq ft | 12 inches | ~1 yard |
| Lawn leveling/topdressing | 2,000 sq ft | 1 inch | ~6 yards |
| Large landscaping project | 5,000 sq ft | 4 inches | ~62 yards |
How Deep Should You Go?
Depth depends on what you're using the topsoil for:
Garden beds and flowers: 6–8 inches for healthy root growth.
Raised beds: Fill to the top — usually 10–12 inches.
Topdressing existing lawns: Just 0.5–1 inch spread evenly.
Grading and leveling: Varies — measure the low spots and average them out.
Pro Tips for Ordering
Always round up
It's better to have a little extra than to run short. We recommend adding 10% to your calculated amount. Leftover topsoil is easy to spread elsewhere or save for future projects.
Consider access
Make sure a delivery truck can reach where you want the topsoil dumped. Most dump trucks need about 10 feet of width and overhead clearance. If access is tight, let us know — we can work with you on placement.
Irregular shapes?
For L-shaped areas, circles, or odd layouts, break the area into rectangles and add them together. For circles, use: radius × radius × 3.14 = square feet.
Which blend is right for you?
If you're in Utah County, our Drought Resistant Biochar blend is perfect for any planting — it holds moisture far longer than standard topsoil, which means less watering through our dry summers. For general fill and grading, our Regular Top Soil is the most economical choice.
Still Not Sure?
No worries — drop us an email at trulightslc@gmail.com with your project details and we'll help you figure out exactly what you need. We're happy to help!