Cost, Soil, Sand & Mulch · Contractor Estimation Tool

Topsoil & Garden Loam Calculator

Calculate cubic yards, cubic feet, and tons of screened topsoil and garden loam for lawns, raised beds, and grading.

Found this free aggregate calculator helpful for your project?

Support our free contractor tools & engineering guides with a coffee!

How the Topsoil & Garden Loam Calculator Works

Screened nutrient-rich topsoil and sandy loam blend for lawn grading, sod installation, raised garden beds, and landscape berms. Our Topsoil & Garden Loam Calculator computes exact geometric volume in cubic feet and cubic yards, then converts volume into US short tons (2,000 lbs) using the typical bulk density of Screened Topsoil & Garden Loam (2,160 lb/yd³ or 1.08 tons/yd³).

Mathematical Formula for Topsoil Calculator:
1. Area (sq ft) = Length (ft) × Width (ft)
2. Volume (cu ft) = Area (sq ft) × [Depth (inches) ÷ 12]
3. Volume (cu yd) = Volume (cu ft) ÷ 27
4. Recommended Volume = Base Volume × (1 + 10% Ordering Adjustment)
5. Estimated Tons = Recommended Cubic Yards × 1.08 tons/yd³

Step-by-Step Worked Example

Example Project: 40 ft × 25 ft Area at 4 Inches Depth (+10% Adjustment)

Surface Area: 40 ft × 25 ft = 1,000 sq ft.
Base Volume: 1,000 sq ft × (4 ÷ 12) = 333.3 cu ft (12.35 cubic yards).
With +10% Ordering Adjustment: 12.35 yd³ × 1.10 = 13.58 cubic yards.
Weight in US Short Tons: 13.58 yd³ × 1.08 tons/yd³ = 14.67 tons (29,333 lbs).

Primary Applications & Contractor Best Practices

New lawn seeding and sod bed preparation: Engineered for reliable coverage, drainage stability, and long-term performance.
Raised vegetable and flower garden beds: Engineered for reliable coverage, drainage stability, and long-term performance.
Final grade leveling around foundations: Engineered for reliable coverage, drainage stability, and long-term performance.
Low-spot lawn repair and overseeding: Engineered for reliable coverage, drainage stability, and long-term performance.

Coverage & Tonnage Quick Reference Table (Screened Topsoil & Garden Loam)

Estimated cubic yards and US short tons (including +10% ordering adjustment) across common project square footages:

Project Area	2" Depth	3" Depth	4" Depth	6" Depth
100 sq ft	0.73 t (0.68 yd³)	1.10 t (1.02 yd³)	1.47 t (1.36 yd³)	2.20 t (2.04 yd³)
250 sq ft	1.83 t (1.70 yd³)	2.75 t (2.55 yd³)	3.67 t (3.40 yd³)	5.50 t (5.09 yd³)
500 sq ft	3.67 t (3.40 yd³)	5.50 t (5.09 yd³)	7.33 t (6.79 yd³)	11.00 t (10.19 yd³)
1,000 sq ft	7.33 t (6.79 yd³)	11.00 t (10.19 yd³)	14.67 t (13.58 yd³)	22.00 t (20.37 yd³)
1,500 sq ft	11.00 t (10.19 yd³)	16.50 t (15.28 yd³)	22.00 t (20.37 yd³)	33.00 t (30.56 yd³)

Frequently Asked Questions

Multiply your project length (40 ft) by width (25 ft) to get area (1000 sq ft). Multiply by depth in feet (4 in ÷ 12 = 0.33 ft) to get 333.3 cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get 12.35 base cubic yards. Adding a 10% ordering adjustment gives 13.58 yd³, which equals 14.67 US short tons at 2160 lb/yd³.

One cubic yard (27 cubic feet) of Screened Topsoil & Garden Loam weighs approximately 2,160 pounds, or 1.08 US short tons (80 lbs per cubic foot). Typical regional quarry densities range between 1,900 and 2,400 lb/yd³.

For most topsoil calculator installations, a typical compacted depth is 4 inches (our default preset uses 4 inches). Always excavate soft organic topsoil and install woven or non-woven geotextile fabric before spreading aggregate.

At 1.08 tons per cubic yard, 1 US short ton equals 0.93 cubic yards (25.0 cu ft). That covers approximately 150 sq ft at 2" deep, 100 sq ft at 3" deep, and 75 sq ft at 4" deep.