Dirt Calculator (Metric)
Enter your area and depth to get the cubic feet, cubic yards, and tons of topsoil you need.
What your result means
Cubic yards is what bulk suppliers sell by, so that's your order figure; tons helps if they price by weight. Topsoil is loose, about 75 lbs a cubic foot, so a yard is roughly a ton. Add 10% for settling, and figure 4 to 15.2 cm deep for lawns and garden beds.
How to use this calculator
- Measure area length and width in feet.
- Choose depth (4-15.2 cm for topsoil, 12+ for fill).
- Read cubic feet, yards, and tons.
- Order in cubic yards from bulk supplier.
- Add 10% for settling.
The formula
Volume in cubic feet is length times width times depth in feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. Topsoil weighs about 75 lbs a cubic foot, so multiply by 75 over 2,000 for tons.
Worked example
Say you've got a 20 by 3 m bed at 10.2 cm deep. That's 1.89 m³, 1.89 m³, or about 2.5 tons. Order by the yard and add 10% for settling.
Topsoil quick reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Density | 75 lb/cf |
| 0.76 m³ | 27 cf (~1 ton) |
| Lawn / garden depth | 4 – 15.2 cm |
| Bulk topsoil price | $20 – $80 / yd |
Tips & gotchas
- Density runs about 75 lbs a cubic foot.
- One cubic yard is 0.76 m³.
- Bulk dirt runs $10 to $50 a yard delivered.
- Add 10% for settling.
- Compact structural fill in 10.2 cm lifts.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a yard of dirt weigh?
About a ton, give or take with moisture.
How deep should topsoil be?
4 to 15.2 cm for lawns and gardens.
What's the difference between topsoil and fill dirt?
Topsoil is rich and fertile; fill is any earth used for grading.
How much does dirt cost?
$10 to $50 a yard for fill, $20 to $80 for topsoil.
How do I figure dirt for raised beds?
Length times width times depth in the same units, then convert to cubic yards.
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