Topsoil calculator guide

Topsoil is usually bought for one of three jobs: leveling a low spot in an existing lawn, building up grade before laying new sod or seed, or filling in after excavation work like removing a tree stump or an old structure. Each of these has a slightly different typical depth, which is the main variable to get right before calculating volume.

Screened versus unscreened topsoil

Screened topsoil has had large rocks, roots, and construction debris removed and is the right choice for a lawn or planting area, since it spreads evenly and does not leave hidden obstacles under new grass. Unscreened fill dirt is cheaper and is meant for building up grade under a structure, driveway, or area that will not be planted, not for a finished lawn surface. Confirming which type a supplier is quoting matters more for topsoil than for most other materials, since the two look similar in a photo but perform very differently once in place.

How much topsoil for common jobs

Leveling a low spot typically uses 1 to 3 inches of topsoil, feathered out from the deepest point so the transition to the surrounding lawn is not abrupt. Preparing a new lawn area before seed or sod usually calls for 4 to 6 inches over the existing grade, enough for roots to establish without hitting compacted subsoil right away. Filling a hole from stump removal or similar work depends entirely on the hole's depth, but the same coverage math applies once you know the volume of the void: at 6 inches deep, one cubic yard covers about 54 square feet.

Worked example

A low spot 8 feet by 8 feet, filled 2 inches deep, is 64 square feet of area. At 2 inches deep, one cubic yard covers about 162 square feet, so 64 divided by 162 comes out to roughly 0.4 cubic yards, which most suppliers round up to a half yard minimum order.

Weight and delivery

Topsoil weighs close to a ton per cubic yard, more when wet, so a delivery of even a few cubic yards can be several tons total. Confirm truck access to the drop point before scheduling delivery, and have a tarp or a clear section of driveway ready, since a bulk topsoil pile left directly on grass for more than a day or two can smother it.

Get your exact figures

The gravel and mulch calculator lets you enter your specific area and depth and choose topsoil as the material, returning cubic yards, cubic feet, and estimated weight in one step, which is faster and more accurate than working the conversion by hand for an odd shaped area.

Topsoil Coverage by Depth

Use this quick reference to estimate how far 1 cubic yard of topsoil spreads at common lawn depths.

Depth	Coverage	Common use
1 inch	324 sq ft	Light leveling
2 inches	162 sq ft	Low spots
3 inches	108 sq ft	Deep leveling
4 inches	81 sq ft	New lawn
6 inches	54 sq ft	Sod or fill

Divide your square feet by the coverage at your depth, then round up to the supplier minimum or next practical delivery size.