Soil
Garden Soil Calculator
Calculate garden soil needed for new beds, planting holes, and vegetable gardens.
Inputs
Live estimate
Material needed
9.26 cu yd
- Area
- 500 sq ft
- Cubic feet
- 250
- Cubic yards
- 9.26
- Estimated tons
- 9.26 tons
- Estimated truckloads
- 0.93
You will likely need
- •9.26 cu yd — material needed
- •Schedule 1 truck load
- •Approximate delivered weight: 9.26 tons
Diagram
Live estimate
- Mathematical quantity
- 9 cu yd
- Blend settlement (initial order not auto-inflated)
- Informational
- Field conditions
- Not applied
- Adjusted requirement
- 9 cu yd
- Ordering rule
- Round up to whole cubic yard
- Suggested order
- 10 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 composition — Peat-heavy blends settle further than mineral blends.
- Bed depth accuracy — A ½-inch depth change moves the volume noticeably.
- Amend with compost at planting rather than buying pre-blended if quality varies locally.
- Bulk delivery is cheaper than bagged past ~1 cubic yard.
- Test pH and nutrient content before ordering large volumes for vegetable production.
- Assuming garden soil equals topsoil — the blend and quality differ.
- Filling raised beds with only garden soil and no compost amendment.
- Ordering the exact volume and short-changing settling.
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) × 1.
Truckloads = cubic yards (with waste) ÷ truck capacity.
Total cost = cubic yards (with waste) × price per cubic yard + delivery.
Professional guidance
When to use garden soil
Filling planting beds, planting holes, and topping vegetable gardens. It's richer than topsoil.
Recommended depth
6 inches for annuals and perennials; 12 inches for vegetables; 18+ inches for root crops.
Pro tip
Amend on delivery — mix in compost before spreading. Save labor by ordering a pre-blended mix.
Common mistakes
Confusing garden soil with topsoil or fill dirt. Garden soil is amended and screened; fill dirt is not.
Material assumptions
- Garden soil density: about 1.0 tons per cubic yard.
- Depth: 6 inches minimum for beds; 12+ inches for vegetables.
- Amend with 25–30% compost for new beds.
Frequently asked questions
Related calculators
Related articles
Deeper guidance from the Learn library — sizing, depth, waste, and ordering for this material.
- How Much Mulch Do I Need?A step-by-step method for turning a bed's square footage into an accurate mulch order — depth, waste, and delivery included.
- 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.
These results are estimates only. Confirm quantities, compaction, waste, and delivery requirements with your supplier or project professional before ordering materials.