Enter the area and depth — get cubic yards, the bag equivalent, and whether your job is a delivery or a car trunk.
The topsoil math
cubic yards = sq ft × depth (inches) ÷ 324
one yard ≈ 54 forty-lb bags ≈ one heaping pickup load
Same ÷324 formula as every soil product — only the depth changes by job. The bag math is the eye-opener: at roughly 0.75 cubic feet per 40-lb bag, "I'll just grab bags" turns a modest leveling job into a dozen store trips. Half a yard is the sensible bags-to-bulk line.
A worked example
Leveling 500 sq ft of bumpy lawn at half an inch: 0.8 yards — about 42 bags, or one small bulk delivery (~$40–60). Same area prepped 2 inches deep for new seed: 3.1 yards, three tons — definitely the truck.
Leveling a lawn without killing it
Mow short first, dump small piles across the area, rake with the back of a landscape rake until grass tips show through everywhere, then water. Repeat next season rather than burying deeper in one pass. Overseeding the same week — theseed calculator doses it — turns a leveling job into a renovation; themulch calculator runs the same math for the beds.
Frequently asked questions
How much topsoil do I need?
Square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324 = cubic yards. Common depths: half an inch to level low spots over grass, 2 inches under new seed, 4–6 inches for new beds or fixing grades. A cubic yard covers 162 sq ft at 2 inches.
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Around 2,000–2,700 lbs (a literal ton), more when wet — which is why bulk delivery exists and why the 40-lb bags feel like such slow progress: a yard is about 54 of them. Order bulk for anything past half a yard.
Can I put topsoil over my existing lawn?
Thin layers, yes — up to half an inch at a time, raked in so grass tips stay visible ('topdressing'), and the lawn grows through it. Burying grass under an inch or more kills it; for deep fills, strip the grass or plan to reseed on top.
Topsoil, garden soil, or compost — which do I need?
Topsoil is the bulk filler for grade and holes. Compost is concentrated organic matter — the improver you mix in or topdress thinly (a quarter to half inch on lawns). Bagged 'garden soil' is a premixed blend of the two priced at a premium. Filling and leveling: topsoil. Enriching what's there: compost.