Gardening
Compost Calculator
Calculate compost needed to amend soil, top-dress lawns, or fill garden beds. Volume, weight, and cost included.
Inputs
Live estimate
Material needed
3.09 cu yd
- Area
- 500 sq ft
- Cubic feet
- 83.33
- Cubic yards
- 3.09
- Estimated tons
- 1.85 tons
- Estimated truckloads
- 0.31
You will likely need
- •3.09 cu yd — material needed
- •Schedule 1 truck load
- •Approximate delivered weight: 1.85 tons
Diagram
Live estimate
- Mathematical quantity
- 3 cu yd
- Blend settlement (initial order not auto-inflated)
- Informational
- Field conditions
- Not applied
- Adjusted requirement
- 3 cu yd
- Ordering rule
- Round up to whole cubic yard
- Suggested order
- 4 cu yd
Compost-rich blends settle further than mineral soil, but timing and magnitude vary. The initial order stays at geometric volume; plan for seasonal top-off separately.
What you actually need in the field, before rounding to a supplier-friendly ordering unit.
Estimator confidence
HighScreened topsoil settles after watering and may compact further over the first season. Yardexa does not automatically add a blanket settlement percentage to the initial order; plan a small future top-off rather than over-ordering up front.
Improve confidence: For beds where finish grade must hold immediately, order slightly high and plan a small top-off after the first watering.
Why this behavior applies: Settlement is real but timing-dependent. A single blanket default hides that distinction; the initial order stays at the geometric volume.
- Blend and moisture — Wetter or hotter compost settles more once tilled in.
- Whether compost is tilled in or top-dressed — Tilling loses visible depth immediately.
- Buy cured, dark, earthy-smelling product — fresh compost can burn young roots.
- For lawns, top-dress ¼–½ inch and rake in; more than that smothers turf.
- Ask the supplier for a recent compost test if you're using it on a large project.
- Assuming compost and topsoil are interchangeable — compost alone drains too fast.
- Ordering by volume without accounting for moisture and settling.
- Applying uncured compost near seedlings.
Smart tips
- Ordering 5–10% extra is standard on irregular layouts. Running short costs more than the excess.
How it's calculated
Area is derived from your shape inputs and converted to sq ft.
Depth is converted to feet; cubic feet = area × depth.
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27, then × (1 + waste %) × (1 + compaction %).
Estimated tons = cubic yards (with waste) × 0.6.
Truckloads = cubic yards (with waste) ÷ truck capacity.
Total cost = cubic yards (with waste) × price per cubic yard + delivery.
Professional guidance
When to use compost
Amend planting beds, top-dress lawns, feed established gardens, and improve soil structure over time.
Recommended depth
¼–½ inch on lawns each spring; 2–4 inches tilled into new beds; 1–2 inches annual top-dress on gardens.
Pro tip
Buy compost by weight when possible — bulk density varies wildly between suppliers.
Common mistakes
Applying fresh (uncured) compost near seedlings — it can burn young roots. Look for dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling product.
Material assumptions
- Compost density: about 0.6 tons per cubic yard.
- Top-dress lawns at ¼–½ inch. Garden beds: 2–4 inches worked in.
- Compost shrinks 20–30% as it breaks down further.
Frequently asked questions
Related calculators
Related articles
Deeper guidance from the Learn library — sizing, depth, waste, and ordering for this material.
- How Much Topsoil Do I Need?New lawns want 4–6 inches. Vegetable beds want 12 inches. Here's how to translate those depths into an accurate topsoil order.
- Raised Bed Soil Calculator GuideThe right raised-bed fill isn't just topsoil — it's a blend that drains, holds moisture, and doesn't collapse in year two.
- Potting Soil Bag Size GuidePotting soil bags come in six or seven common sizes. Here's how much each fills, and how to pick the cheapest combination for your job.
- How Much Topsoil Do You Need for a Lawn?New lawns want 4–6 inches. Overseeding gets by with 1–2 inches. Topsoil settles ~15%.
These results are estimates only. Confirm quantities, compaction, waste, and delivery requirements with your supplier or project professional before ordering materials.