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Soil calculator for Vermont

Find the cubic yards needed for beds, raised planters, and landscape work, then select soil suited to the task.

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Enter a depth between 0.25 and 24 inches

An empty 4 x 8 raised bed filled to 12 inches needs 32 cubic feet of soil. That works out to 1.2 cubic yards, more than many new bed builders expect when planning for a few bags. Use this calculator to size soil for any planter, bed, or yard area from the three available soil types. Material weights vary: garden soil is about 2,000 lb per cubic yard, screened topsoil is 2,200, and fill dirt is 2,400. Choose the material you intend to order for an accurate ton total.

Three steps for bed math

  1. Enter the dimensions of every planter or bed in feet. Multiple-areas mode combines the totals as you go.
  2. Match depth to the work: use 4-6 inches for existing-bed improvement, 6 inches for a new in-ground bed, or 12 inches for an empty raised planter.
  3. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Then multiply yards x 1.0 to 1.2 for tons, according to soil type.
Cubic yards = (Area sq ft × Depth in ÷ 12) ÷ 27
Tons = yards × 1.0 (garden soil) · 1.1 (topsoil) · 1.2 (fill dirt)

Coverage and weight

Soil typeWeight per cubic yardTons per yard
Garden soil (blended with compost)≈ 2,000 lb1.00
Topsoil (screened)≈ 2,200 lb1.10
Fill dirt≈ 2,400 lb1.20
Depth1 cubic yard covers3 yards cover
2 inches162 sq ft486 sq ft
4 inches81 sq ft243 sq ft
6 inches54 sq ft162 sq ft
12 inches, raised bed27 sq ft81 sq ft

Choose soil for the work

  • For vegetable beds, flowers, and planters, select garden soil with compost blended in for planting.
  • Screened topsoil works for lawn coverage and final grading. See the Topsoil Calculator for lawn-depth examples and guidance.
  • Use fill dirt as the lower layer for grade adjustments and hole repairs, then put good soil in the planting layer.
  • Rather than replacing an entire bed of tired native ground, work 2-3 inches of garden soil into the upper 6 inches. It takes less material and lets roots adjust to the existing soil more gradually.

Filling deep raised beds for less

Beds taller than 18 inches do not need garden blend from top to bottom. Use a lower layer of less costly fill dirt or coarse organic material that breaks down in place, then add 8-12 inches of garden soil for the root zone. Calculate the two layers separately. April is a practical time to prepare raised beds, and measuring the 12 inches is more reliable than estimating it.

Example: three 4 x 8 beds

Three beds total Ninety-six square feet, and at 12 inches deep they hold 96 cubic feet: 3.6 cubic yards, or about 3.6 tons of garden soil. Order 4 yards. The compost portion of blended soil settles roughly 10% during the first weeks, leaving extra material to refill the beds after the initial settling.

Improving clay and sand in place

Champlain Valley clay can hold water, while sandy ground drains away moisture quickly between waterings. In either case, till 2-3 inches of compost-blended garden soil through the top 6 inches, then repeat for a couple of seasons. That approach uses a third of the material and lifting needed for full replacement, while roots and worms gradually carry the blend farther down. Replace soil to full depth only where debris or contamination makes native ground unsuitable.

Bulk soil or bags

At 40 lb each, a cubic yard comes to about 36 bags. One raised bed can already mean 43 bags, and moving 43 bags twice is a lot of handling. Bulk soil costs less per cubic foot, arrives as one tipped load, and includes free delivery. Bags are still useful for topping off a single planter. Put the load on a tarp because soil can stain concrete, and the tarp can be pulled and folded for cleanup.

Soil amounts for beds and bags

What soil volume is needed for a 4x8 raised bed?
A 12 inches deep bed contains 32 cubic feet, or about 1.2 cubic yards and roughly 1.2 tons of garden soil. At 18-inch depth, it needs 1.8 yards. Plan to order slightly more because blends can settle about 10% at the start.
How do garden soil, topsoil, and fill dirt differ?
For planting, garden soil combines topsoil with compost. Screened topsoil is natural soil for lawns and finish grading, and fill dirt is compactable subsoil for structural use. Weight and price rise along that progression, from 2,000 to 2,400 lb per yard.
How many bags equal one cubic yard of soil?
Expect about 36 bags weighing 40-lb each per cubic yard, with roughly 0.75 cubic feet in each bag. Twelve bags equal a third of a yard, where bulk can reduce both cost and lifting.
How many yards of dirt are required for beds?
Take the combined square footage of the beds, multiply by depth in feet, and divide by 27. Six inches over 200 square feet of bed space needs 3.7 cubic yards. Add each bed above to have the calculator combine the total.
Will bulk soil settle after it is placed?
As compost settles, organic-rich blends can shrink 10-20%. Start with soil slightly above the rim, water it well, and top up once. Heavily planted beds can need another inch or two each spring.
Can delivered garden soil be planted in directly?
Yes. In-ground beds benefit from mixing a few inches into the native soil instead of leaving a separate imported layer. Roots move through a gradual transition more readily than across a sharp boundary.
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