Topsoil Calculator
Estimate topsoil volume in cubic metres and feet, weight and cost for lawns, gardens and raised beds. Works in feet and inches.
6 in for a lawn, 12 in for a vegetable bed.
Topsoil required
0.85 m³
30 cubic feet
Weight
1.27 tonnes
1,274 kg
Estimated cost
₹1,274
Weight uses the selected soil density. Soil settles after watering — add 10% if you are filling beds that will compact.
Topsoil Calculator on True Calculator gives you an instant, accurate answer with no sign-up and no app install. Estimate topsoil volume in cubic metres and feet, weight and cost for lawns, gardens and raised beds. Works in feet and inches. Every result shows the formula and a worked example so you can verify the calculation yourself, and all values are computed in your own browser — your numbers never leave your device.
Popular uses: topsoil calculator · soil calculator · how much topsoil do i need
Reviewed by the True Calculator team · Last updated: August 2026
How We Calculate
This calculator uses standard construction and engineering formulas verified by our team. All calculations are performed instantly in your browser using JavaScript — no data is sent to any server.
Material quantities follow common construction practice and standard mix ratios. Always confirm with a professional before purchasing materials.
When to Use This Calculator
Buying garden soil is one of the most confusing purchases for Indian home gardeners because rates appear per tonne, per cubic foot, per bag and per lorry load. This calculator turns a simple tape-measure job — length, width, depth of the bed or lawn — into the three numbers every supplier quote uses: cubic metres, tonnes and cubic feet. It serves terrace gardeners in Mumbai filling raised beds, landscaping firms levelling a lawn in Hyderabad, and nurseries in Delhi quoting for a weekend's worth of kitchen-garden soil. Whatever the seller's unit, the volume and weight here stay constant, so the best rate wins on a like-for-like comparison.
How to Use This Calculator
- Step 1: Enter the garden or bed length and width in feet.
- Step 2: Enter the soil depth in inches — 6 in for lawns, 10–12 in for beds.
- Step 3: Choose dry or moist soil, and enter the price per tonne.
- Step 4: Read the volume in m³ and cubic feet, the weight in tonnes, and the cost.
Worked Example
A terrace gardener in Bengaluru wants to fill a 10 ft × 6 ft raised bed with 6 inches of topsoil. The volume is 10 × 6 × 0.5 = 30 cubic feet, exactly 0.85 m³. Dry topsoil at 1,500 kg/m³ weighs 0.85 × 1500 = 1,274 kg, about 1.27 tonnes. At ₹1,000 per tonne delivered, the soil costs 1.27 × 1000 = ₹1,274. If the nursery quotes by the cubic foot instead, the same order is 30 cubic feet — the calculator shows both so quotes are comparable.
Tips and Common Mistakes
- •Tip 1: Beds settle after watering — add 10% if the soil must stay level after the first few rains.
- •Tip 2: Check whether the supplier's price includes delivery; lorry charges often exceed the soil value in metros.
- •Tip 3: Moist soil weighs about 6% more than dry, so ask which moisture state the quote assumes.
- ✗Mistake 1: Filling the entire bed at the brim — soil settles, so plan 10% extra or refill later.
- ✗Mistake 2: Comparing a per-tonne quote with a per-cubic-foot quote directly; convert both to the same unit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much topsoil do I need for a lawn?
Measure the garden length and width in feet and the soil depth in inches. 10 ft × 6 ft at 6 inches deep is about 30 cubic feet — roughly 0.85 m³ or 1.27 tonnes.
What depth of topsoil is right for plants?
6 inches supports a lawn, while vegetable beds and shrubs prefer 10–12 inches so roots can spread. Deeper fill means proportionally more soil by volume.
Why does topsoil weight vary?
Dry soil is about 1,500 kg/m³ and moist soil about 1,600 kg/m³ because of the water held in it. The calculator lets you pick either depending on what you are buying.
How is topsoil sold in India?
Garden soil is often sold per tonne or per cubic foot, sometimes by the lorry load. Check with the nursery — the calculator shows volume, weight and cost side by side.
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