Measure each area
For a rectangle, area = length × width. For a circle, area = π × (diameter ÷ 2)². Divide irregular shapes into separate areas without counting overlaps twice.
Tool Switcher: Topsoil
Project toolsTools
Different areas. One soil order.
Topsoil Calculator
Measure lawn patches and garden areas separately, then combine their topsoil volumes before choosing bags or bulk delivery.
- Up to 20 different areas
- Individual soil depths
- US and metric units
Multi-area soil planning
Topsoil Calculator
Combine different areas and depths into one topsoil order.
Methodology
Combine volumes before rounding bags
Use each area’s depth
Volume = area × depth. With feet and inches, divide depth by 12 to get feet; with meters and centimeters, divide depth by 100 to get meters. Add the exact volumes, keeping each area’s individual depth.
Apply one allowance
Planned volume = total exact volume × (1 + allowance ÷ 100). The starting allowance is 0%, not a recommended settling rate. Ask your supplier whether a loose-volume allowance is appropriate for your project.
Choose bags or bulk
Whole bags = planned volume ÷ volume per bag, rounded up once for the combined order. Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. Bulk volumes stay unrounded internally; confirm the supplier’s selling increments.
Worked example · illustrative inputs
A 12 × 8 ft lawn patch
96 ft²area
×4 inexample depth
=32 ft³exact volume
Choosing a 10% allowance gives 35.2 ft³, about 1.304 yd³ or 0.9968 m³. An example 2 ft³ bag requires 18 whole bags, providing 36 ft³. At a user-entered $4 per bag, material cost is $72. The depth, allowance, bag size and price are examples, not recommendations or current retail prices.
Why combining areas matters
A 1 × 1 ft patch at 6 in depth needs 0.5 ft³. A 2 × 1 ft patch at 3 in also needs 0.5 ft³. Combined, they need 1 ft³: one example 2 ft³ bag with no allowance. Rounding each area separately would suggest two bags.
Frequently asked questions
A second look at the estimate.
How much topsoil do I need for several different areas?
Add each area with its own shape and depth. The calculator adds the exact volumes, applies your allowance once and rounds the combined bag requirement up once.
Can I calculate topsoil in cubic meters?
Choose Metric to enter lengths in meters and depth in centimeters. Bag volume uses liters, bulk price uses dollars per cubic meter, and supplier density uses kilograms per cubic meter. Switching units preserves the same physical project.
Does this calculator include settling or compaction?
Only through the allowance you enter. The tool does not select a settling rate or convert a percentage of shrinkage into a loose-volume allowance. Confirm the volume basis with your supplier.
Why is topsoil weight optional?
Weight requires the density of the soil you are ordering. The displayed estimate is for planned volume with allowance, before whole-bag rounding; it does not establish delivery-truck payload or handling safety.
Does the material cost include delivery?
No. Bag cost uses the whole-bag count; bulk cost uses planned volume and your unit price. Delivery, tax, labor and supplier minimum charges are excluded.
How is this different from the Mulch & Gravel Calculator?
This tool combines differently sized areas and individual depths into one topsoil order. Use Mulch & Gravel for one area shape or repeated identical areas of mulch or gravel.
Sources and limitations
This is a volume and material-purchasing estimate for a single soil product. It does not choose a planting depth, soil mix, fertility treatment, drainage plan or structural fill specification. Density and price come from your supplier; no universal topsoil density or settling percentage is built in.
- University of Maryland Extension: Soil to Fill Raised Beds — buying topsoil
Supplier quality, soil origin and testing; not a universal density, depth, allowance or mix prescription.
- NIST: Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9
Length, volume and density conversions.
Last reviewed: October 4, 2026