Soil calculator
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 6 inches deep needs 1.85 cubic yards of soil, about 1.88 tons at 2,025 lb per cubic yard. The calculator uses 2,025 lb per cubic yard (Los Angeles County Public Works).
0 uses the published 2,025 lb/yd³
Optional; 0 leaves cost out
A 10 ft by 10 ft area covered 6 inches deep needs 1.85 cubic yards of soil, about 1.88 tons at 2,025 lb per cubic yard.
- Cubic yards
- 1.85
- Cubic feet
- 50
- Tons
- 1.88
- Pounds
- 3,750
- Tons at the published range, same condition
- 1.88–2.21
- Rounded up to the next half yard
- 2 yd³
How it is calculated
- Area = 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft.
- Volume = 100 sq ft × 6 in ÷ 12 = 50 cu ft.
- Cubic yards = 50 ÷ 27 = 1.852 yd³.
- Weight = 1.852 yd³ × 2,025 lb/yd³ = 3,750 lb; ÷ 2,000 lb per ton = 1.88 tons.
How to calculate soil in cubic yards and tons
The worked numbers use the calculator's defaults: a 10 ft by 10 ft area 6 inches deep, the calculator's default depth for soil.
Step 1: area in square feet
Rectangle: length × width
Circle: π × diameter² ÷ 4
Triangle: base × height ÷ 2
Example 10 ft × 10 ft = 100 sq ft
Split an irregular area into rectangles, circles and triangles and add their areas.
Step 2: cubic feet from area and depth
Cubic feet = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 12
Example 100 × 6 ÷ 12 = 50 cu ft
Step 3: cubic yards from cubic feet
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
Example 50 ÷ 27 = 1.852 cubic yards
Step 4: tons from cubic yards
Tons = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard ÷ 2,000
Example Soil at 2,025 lb per cubic yard (Los Angeles County Public Works): 1.852 × 2,025 ÷ 2,000 = 1.88 tons
Soil for common areas
| Area, sq ft | 6 inches deep | 12 inches deep |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 0.93 yd³ · 0.94 t | 1.85 yd³ · 1.88 t |
| 100 | 1.85 yd³ · 1.88 t | 3.7 yd³ · 3.75 t |
| 200 | 3.7 yd³ · 3.75 t | 7.41 yd³ · 7.5 t |
| 500 | 9.26 yd³ · 9.38 t | 18.52 yd³ · 18.75 t |
| 1,000 | 18.52 yd³ · 18.75 t | 37.04 yd³ · 37.5 t |
How much does a yard of soil cover?
One cubic yard of soil covers 54 sq ft at 6 inches deep; one ton at 2,025 lb per cubic yard covers 53 sq ft at the same depth.
| Depth, in | 1 cubic yard covers, sq ft | 1 ton covers, sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 108 | 107 |
| 4 | 81 | 80 |
| 6 | 54 | 53 |
| 8 | 41 | 40 |
| 12 | 27 | 27 |
- 1 cubic yard
- 1 ton
Recommended soil depth by use
Published depths for soil run from 6 inches to 12 inches, depending on the use; each row names its document.
| Use | Depth, in | 1 cubic yard covers, sq ft | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevated or tabletop planter, soil most plants need for rooting (at least) | 6–12 | 27–54 | Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Yard and Garden |
Soil weight per cubic yard
A cubic yard of dry soil weighs about 2,025 lb (1.01 tons) (Los Angeles County Public Works). One ton of soil is about 0.99 cubic yards.
| Pounds per cubic yard | 2,025 |
|---|---|
| Published as | “Soil, dry”, 2,025 lb/yd³, Los Angeles County Public Works; condition: dry, compaction not stated. |
| Published range, same condition, lb | 2,025–2,392 |
| Tons per cubic yard | 1.01 |
| Cubic yards per ton | 0.99 |
Soil compared with other soil and dirt
| Material | Condition | Pounds per cubic yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dirt | dry, compaction not stated | 2,025 | 0.99 |
| Soil | dry, compaction not stated | 2,025 | 0.99 |
| Topsoil | not stated | 1,600 | 1.25 |
Why the soil you need can differ from the result
The weight of soil changes with the source, the moisture and how tightly it is packed, so published values differ (here from 2,025 to 2,392 lb per cubic yard across all conditions). Before ordering, ask the supplier for the weight per yard of their own material and enter it as your own density under More options.