{
  "slug": "topsoil-calculator",
  "title": "Topsoil Calculator",
  "heading": "Topsoil & Garden Soil Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/topsoil-calculator",
  "summary": "Cubic yards and bags of soil for beds and lawns.",
  "description": "New lawns want 4 to 6 inches of topsoil; raised beds want the full bed depth. Bagged soil is convenient but costs three to five times bulk delivery.",
  "formula": "Cubic yards = area × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=topsoil-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "length",
      "label": "Length",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 20,
      "unit": "ft",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "width",
      "label": "Width",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 10,
      "unit": "ft",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "depth",
      "label": "Depth",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6,
      "unit": "in",
      "min": 1,
      "max": 36
    },
    {
      "id": "bag",
      "label": "Bag size",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1.5,
      "unit": "cu ft",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "bulk",
      "label": "Bulk price per cubic yard",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 38,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "bagPrice",
      "label": "Price per bag",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 5.5,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cy",
      "label": "Cubic yards of soil",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "cf",
      "label": "Cubic feet",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bags",
      "label": "Bags if buying bagged",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bulkCost",
      "label": "Bulk delivered cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bagCost",
      "label": "Bagged cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "savings",
      "label": "Savings buying bulk",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Length: 20 ft",
      "Width: 10 ft",
      "Depth: 6 in",
      "Bag size: 1.5 cu ft",
      "Bulk price per cubic yard: 38 $",
      "Price per bag: 5.5 $"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Cubic yards of soil: 3.7",
      "Cubic feet: 100",
      "Bags if buying bagged: 67",
      "Bulk delivered cost: $141",
      "Bagged cost: $369",
      "Savings buying bulk: $228"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter length (ft).",
      "Enter width (ft).",
      "Enter depth (in).",
      "Enter bag size (cu ft).",
      "Enter bulk price per cubic yard ($).",
      "Enter price per bag ($).",
      "Read your cubic yards of soil on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "length": 12,
        "width": 6,
        "depth": 3.5999999999999996,
        "bag": 0.8999999999999999,
        "bulk": 23,
        "bagPrice": 3.3
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "length": 20,
        "width": 10,
        "depth": 6,
        "bag": 1.5,
        "bulk": 38,
        "bagPrice": 5.5
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "length": 32,
        "width": 16,
        "depth": 9.600000000000001,
        "bag": 2.4000000000000004,
        "bulk": 61,
        "bagPrice": 8.8
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the topsoil & garden soil calculator work?",
      "a": "New lawns want 4 to 6 inches of topsoil; raised beds want the full bed depth. Bagged soil is convenient but costs three to five times bulk delivery. The underlying maths is: Cubic yards = area × depth ÷ 12 ÷ 27."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "6 values: length, width, depth, bag size, bulk price per cubic yard, and price per bag. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the cubic yards of soil result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a decimal number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/gravel-driveway",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/mulch-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Topsoil Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/topsoil-calculator)"
}