Soil Calculator

Use it when your task matches one of these common needs: Estimate soil for raised beds or garden top-offs. Convert square feet and inches deep into cubic yards. It works best when you already know the measurements, amounts, units, or options the page asks for.

In plain language: Cubic feet = square feet x depth inches / 12 x (1 + extra percent / 100). Cubic yards = cubic feet / 27. Bag counts round up cubic feet divided by 1.5 and 2 cubic feet. The examples on the page are there so you can compare your inputs with a worked example before copying the answer.

Bed area: the final square footage of the garden bed, raised bed, planter, or lawn patch. Add separate shapes together before entering the number. Soil depth: the added soil depth in inches, not the full bed height if part of the bed is already filled. Extra percent: extra soil for settling, uneven beds, spreading loss, moisture differences, and a small ordering cushion.

Read the headline estimate first, then check the material, waste, coverage, and unit lines. For project tools, the supporting lines are often the difference between a rough idea and a list you can actually shop from.

Soil settles and bag fill varies. Existing bed depth, compost or potting mix, moisture, raised-bed shape, drainage, plant needs, delivery minimums, and product labels can change the amount to buy. Also check the unit, scale, mode, and result limit because small input changes can change the answer.

Measure the area in square feet, choose the added soil depth in inches, then multiply square feet by depth divided by 12. Add any extra percent for settling, then divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards.

Enter the raised bed square footage and only the depth you still need to fill. A bed that is already partly filled should use the top-off depth, not the full bed height.

Use the cubic feet result, then compare it with the bag label. This calculator rounds up estimates for 1.5-cubic-foot bags and 2-cubic-foot bags.

Use cubic yards for bulk soil orders and delivery quotes. Use cubic feet and bag counts when you are comparing retail bags at a garden center.

Enter the depth you want to add. A thin lawn topdress might be under 1 inch, a garden top-off might be 3 to 6 inches, and a new raised bed can be much deeper.

Yes for rough volume planning if you know the planter area and fill depth. Potting mixes are often sold by bag volume, so check the product label before buying.

Yes after you calculate the bed area first. Find the square footage of the triangle, circle, or combined shapes, then enter that total area here.

For many small garden jobs, 5% to 15% is a reasonable planning cushion. Use more if the bed is uneven, loose soil may settle, or spreading loss is likely.

Retail bags can use different volumes, fill levels, moisture, and product mixes. Treat the bag count as a planning estimate and read the label on the exact product.

No. It estimates total added soil volume. If you plan separate compost, fill, drainage, or soil layers, calculate each layer separately.

No. The calculator runs in your browser tab. Your recent answers stay only on the page while you use it, and they are not sent to a server.