Measure Twice › Landscaping & yard
Topsoil Calculator
Enter your lawn or garden bed's size and depth to see how much topsoil to order, in bulk or bags.
Worked example
- Area length 20 ft
- Area width 10 ft
- Depth 4 in
- Material Topsoil / garden soil
Result:
- Topsoil / garden soil needed
- 2.47 yd³
- Approximate weight
- 2.27 tonnes
- In 2 ft³ (56.6 L) bags
- 34 bags
- Area covered
- 200 ft²
Price either bulk or bags, not both — leave the other price blank.
Load this example into the calculator
How much soil, and how deep?
- New lawn (sod or seed): 4–6 in (10–15 cm) of good topsoil.
- Topdressing an existing lawn: about ¼–½ in (0.5–1 cm), raked in.
- New vegetable or flower bed: 8–12 in (20–30 cm) of garden soil mix.
- Raised bed: the full height of the bed. Measure it inside the boards.
volume = length × width × depth
weight ≈ volume × 1.2 t/m³
bags = volume ÷ 2 ft³ (56.6 L)
One cubic yard covers about 81 ft² at 4 in deep, or 108 ft² at 3 in deep.
Tips
- Bulk is much cheaper than bags once you need more than about a yard. Ask whether the price includes delivery, and have a tarp ready if it’s dumped on the driveway.
- Soil settles, often 10–20% after watering. Fill slightly above your target height.
- Ask what’s in it. “Topsoil” varies a lot between suppliers. For lawns, a screened sandy loam is ideal; for gardens, look for a mix with compost.
Tools and materials
- Landscape rake at Amazon.ca
Spreads gravel, soil or mulch to an even depth.
- Hand tamper at Amazon.ca
For small areas; rent a plate compactor for bigger ones.
Where to buy in Metro Vancouver
Local suppliers we've checked. Nobody pays to be listed. Call ahead for prices, minimums and delivery to your area.
Gravel, sand and soil (bulk)
- Meadows Landscape Supply in Pitt Meadows
Topsoil, bark mulch, gravel, sand, pavers and wall block, delivered across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
- North Shore Landscape Supply Centre in North Vancouver
Road base, clear crush, soils and mulch, plus Belgard, Barkman and other wall block. Flat-fee delivery.
Related calculators
- Sod Calculator
Enter your lawn's size to get the number of sod rolls and the topsoil to go under them.
- Mulch Calculator
Enter your garden bed's size and depth to see how much mulch to buy in bulk or bags.
- Gravel Calculator
Enter the area and depth to see how much gravel, sand, soil or mulch to order, in bulk or bags.
Last updated October 28, 2026