Topsoil is sold by the cubic yard, and there is one shortcut that converts any area straight into an order: multiply the square footage by the depth in inches, then divide by 324. A 200 square foot bed at 4 inches deep comes to 200 x 4 / 324, about 2.5 cubic yards.
That single number, 324, is just 12 inches per foot times 27 cubic feet per yard. Here is where it comes from, the coverage per yard at every depth, the amounts by project, and the weight that decides whether you haul it yourself.
Coverage per cubic yard, by depth
How far one cubic yard goes depends entirely on depth. Divide your area by the coverage below, or use the divide-by-324 shortcut, whichever is quicker:
| Depth | One cubic yard covers |
|---|---|
| 0.5 in (topdressing) | 648 sq ft |
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in (new lawn) | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in (beds) | 54 sq ft |
The topsoil calculator runs your exact area and depth and returns the cubic yards, the bag equivalent, and the approximate delivered weight, which is the number that decides pickup versus delivery.
Topsoil by project
The right depth follows the job, not the plant. Topdressing wants a thin skim, a new lawn wants a rooting layer, and beds want real depth:
| Project | Area | Depth | Cubic yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawn topdressing | 1,000 sq ft | 0.5 in | 1.5 cu yd |
| New lawn from seed | 500 sq ft | 4 in | 6.2 cu yd |
| Garden bed | 10 x 10 ft | 6 in | 1.9 cu yd |
| 4 x 8 ft raised bed | 32 sq ft | 10 in | 1.0 cu yd |
A note on raised beds: most gardeners fill them with a blend, roughly half topsoil and half compost, rather than pure topsoil, which drains poorly in a container. Use the total volume above, then split it between the two materials.
Bags or bulk
A cubic yard equals 36 of the common 0.75 cubic foot bags. Bagged soil typically costs three to five times more per yard than bulk, so bags only pay off for jobs under about half a yard, or where a delivery truck simply cannot reach the spot.
Everything else goes bulk. The crossover is low here because topsoil is heavy and cheap by volume, so the per-bag markup adds up fast. Above roughly two cubic yards, delivery is almost always cheaper than the bags plus your time loading them.
Weight, and why you probably will not haul it
This is the step people underestimate. Screened topsoil weighs about 2,000 to 2,400 lb per cubic yard, and more when wet.
- One yard is at or over a half-ton pickup's payload. Loading a full yard into a light truck overloads the springs and brakes. Plan on one yard per trip at most.
- The new-lawn job above is 6 cubic yards. That is roughly 13,000 lb, six or more trips in a pickup, versus one delivery. The delivery fee is almost always less than the fuel and hours those trips cost.
- Wet soil is worse. Rain adds weight and turns loose soil into a sticky load that is far harder to shovel and rake.
For anything past a yard or two, price the delivery. The math tips toward it quickly once weight enters the picture.
Do not float new soil over hard clay
One placement rule matters more than the quantity: do not spread a thin layer of good topsoil over compacted or clay ground and expect roots to thrive. Water and roots both stop at the boundary between the loose soil and the hard pan beneath.
Loosen the existing surface first, then till the bottom inch or two of new topsoil into it so the two layers blend. This is the difference between a lawn that roots deeply and one that sits on a shelf and dries out in the first hot week.
Building the beds these fill? The mulch calculator tops them off after planting, and the gravel calculator handles the drainage layer under a raised bed on soggy ground.