Which layer are you adding?
Measure the thickness of new topsoil, not the entire soil profile. This rectangle assumes a uniform depth; it does not model a slope or an excavation.
Topsoil Calculator
Turn your measurements into a clear topsoil order plan.
Measure the area and the soil layer you need. Then use your supplier’s selling increment and confirmed costs to prepare your order.
Enter Your Measurements →Free to use · No account or email required
YOUR MEASUREMENTS
Topsoil Order Planner
Choose the depth you want to add. We won’t assume supplier details; enter them when you have them.
- 1 Measure
- 2 Plan Order
- 3 Supplier Details
- 4 Review Project Sheet
1 Measure
Measure the rectangular project area in feet. Enter depth in inches.
Measure the distance along the project area in feet.
Measure across the project area in feet.
Enter the finished thickness of the new soil layer, in inches—not the total depth of existing soil. Choose the depth for your project.
Measured Volume
yd³
Calculated from your measurements—not the quantity to order
ft³ m³
2 Plan Order
Add extra material only when your plan calls for it. The default is 0%. Extra allowance is separate from a loose-to-finished adjustment.
Loose-to-finished
No loose-to-finished adjustment applied. This is separate from extra allowance; no supplier factor is assumed.
There is no universal factor. Ask your supplier or check the product information for your material and finished condition. The factor multiplies volume after extra allowance to estimate loose material.
Enter a multiplier of 1 or more, not a percentage. No factor is assumed.
Planning Volume
yd³
ft³ · m³
Planning Volume includes only the choices you made before supplier rounding.
Review planning inputs →3 Supplier Details
Enter how your supplier sells and prices bulk material by the cubic yard.
Enter the quantity interval your supplier uses for bulk sales.
What is a selling increment?
For example, a supplier may sell in 0.5 yd³ increments. This is only an example. Purchase Quantity rounds up to a whole selling increment.
Supplier Costs Optional if you only need Purchase Quantity
Enter the actual price your supplier charges per cubic yard. No price is assumed.
How do I record delivery?
Leave delivery blank if the cost is unknown. Confirm $0 only when your supplier has confirmed there is no delivery charge. Customer pickup means delivery does not apply; it is different from free delivery.
Delivery
Which fees should I include?
Enter only fees you have confirmed. Leave unknown fees blank, and confirm $0 or no additional fees only when that applies.
Additional fees
HOW MUCH TO ORDER
Purchase Quantity
yd³
Planning Volume is what your project needs. Purchase Quantity is what to order based on your supplier’s selling increments.
Add or check Supplier Selling Increment →Material Subtotal
USD
Delivery, additional fees and taxes are not included.
Add or check material price →PRE-TAX TOTAL
USD
Material Subtotal plus confirmed delivery and fees. Taxes are not included. Confirm final pricing with your supplier; this is not a guaranteed final cost.
Review supplier costs →4 Review your Project Sheet
Use this sheet to review your measurements, quantities, supplier information and anything still needing confirmation.
PlanHousin / Topsoil Project
Project Sheet
Your current measurements, planning decisions and order details. Review any open items before ordering.
Cost: . Taxes are not included.
Before you order
All calculation inputs are complete for this bulk-by-volume plan.
Before you add the soil layer
Is this soil right for the job?
Confirm the product’s intended use and composition with the supplier. A volume calculation cannot assess soil quality or whether amendments are needed.
Does your supplier quote tons?
This route orders cubic yards. Do not treat a yard as a fixed weight: conversion requires density for the supplied soil and its condition, which is outside this tool.
DEFINE THE SOIL LAYER
Measure the topsoil you are adding
Start with the rectangular area to receive new soil. Measure its length and width, then choose the finished thickness of the added layer. Existing soil below it is not part of the volume you are purchasing.
Depth is a project decision
A uniform six-inch layer and a shallow top-up are different projects. Determine the intended finish before using the calculator. Uneven ground, a graded slope or variable fill depths cannot be represented accurately by a single uniform rectangle.
Example: a 20 ft × 10 ft soil layer
Using an illustrative new depth of 6 inches, 200 square feet × 0.5 feet gives 100.0 ft³. That displays as 3.70 yd³ or 2.832 m³. Six inches is an example, not a recommended depth for all soil projects.
Finished volume and delivered volume are different
Measured Volume describes the target layer. Extra allowance is a separate planning choice, starting at 0%. An optional loose-to-finished factor must be applicable to your soil and finish, with its basis recorded. The planner does not add either one automatically. If a factor is incomplete or invalid, Measured Volume remains available while the dependent order plan is blocked.
With no adjustments, an example supplier increment of 0.5 yd³ would round 3.703… yd³ up to 4 yd³. Use the supplier’s actual increment, not this example, when preparing an order.
Why this calculator does not estimate tons
Volume does not establish weight. A conversion would need a valid density for the particular soil and its supplied condition. No density is assumed here, and a price per ton cannot be entered as a price per cubic yard.
Questions for the soil supplier
- Is this topsoil suitable for the intended use, and what does it contain?
- Are the quoted yards loose, and is a supported loose-to-finished factor applicable?
- What selling increments and minimum-order requirements apply? Confirm each one separately.
- What are the price per yard, delivery arrangements and additional fees?
Method and limits
The shared engine calculates a rectangular volume, applies only entered adjustments and rounds upward only after a valid selling increment. It does not assess soil composition, structural fill suitability, drainage, weight or site grading. The Topsoil Project Sheet records the information you provide and the questions that remain. It does not certify the material or confirm an order.