How many 2 cu ft bags of raised bed soil fill a 4 × 8 bed?

A 4 × 8 ft raised bed filled 12 inches deep takes 16 bags of 2 cu ft (32 cu ft of raised bed soil).

What mix goes in a raised bed?

University of Maryland Extension fills raised beds over poor soil with compost and topsoil at 1:2 or 1:1 (compost:topsoil). Bagged raised bed mixes are sold ready to use.

Raised Bed Soil Calculator

A 4 × 8 ft raised bed filled 12 inches deep holds 32 cubic feet (1.19 cubic yards) of raised bed soil. Enter your bed's length, width and depth below to get cubic yards, bags and cost.

Shape

Area

Length ft

Width ft

Count

Depth in

Tape readings work: 10' 6", 10½. Sloped? Type the depth as 2-6. Other material? Use the cubic yard calculator.

Order Estimate

1.25 cubic yards to order

rounded up to the nearest ¼ yd³

Solid: exact 1.19 yd³. Dashed: what you order, 1.25 yd³ (rounded up). Person: 6 ft, for scale.

Weight: 1–1.13 tons (bulk blend)
Bags: 22 × 1.5 cu ft
Cost: $50–$88

Round up to your supplier's step. It settles as it waters in — no published rate, so plan a top-up.

Details: exact volume, bags vs bulk, order sheet

Exact 1.19 yd³ · 32 ft³ · 0.91 m³

At 12 in deep, 1 yd³ covers 27 ft².

You need 1.25 cubic yards of raised bed soil ≈ 1–1.13 tons (bulk blend) ≈ 22 bags of 1.5 cu ft.

Other bag sizes: 16 × 2 cu ft

Bags vs bulk: price per 1.5 cu ft bag, $

Order sheet for your supplier

Raised bed soil weight: bulk blend (Bags and Bulk Landscape Supply (WI), Yard Works Landscape Supply). Cost: reference range, bulk blend, before delivery (Topsoil.com, 2026); local prices vary.

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Raised bed soil depth for vegetables

Raised bed soil needs to be at least 8 inches deep, and 12–18 inches for most vegetables (University of Maryland Extension; Texas A&M AgriLife).

Leafy greens, beans and cucumbers grow in 8 inches. Peppers, tomatoes and squash need 12–24 inches, per Maryland.

Raised bed soil for common bed sizes

Raised bed soil for three common bed sizes is listed below at 8, 12 and 18 inches deep.

Bed	Depth	Cubic feet	Cubic yards	2 cu ft bags
4 × 4 ft	8 in	10.67	0.4	6
4 × 4 ft	12 in	16	0.59	8
4 × 4 ft	18 in	24	0.89	12
4 × 8 ft	8 in	21.33	0.79	11
4 × 8 ft	12 in	32	1.19	16
4 × 8 ft	18 in	48	1.78	24
3 × 6 ft	8 in	12	0.44	6
3 × 6 ft	12 in	18	0.67	9
3 × 6 ft	18 in	27	1	14

One cubic yard of raised bed soil equals 14 bags of 2 cu ft, rounded up. Kellogg rates one 2 cu ft bag to fill 4 square feet of bed about 6 inches deep.

Raised bed soil weight and price

Raised bed soil weighs about 1,600–1,800 lb per cubic yard as a bulk blend, an estimate from supplier specifications.

Raised bed soil: weight, bags and price per cubic yard
Material	lb per yd³	tons per yd³	Bags	$ per yd³
Raised bed soil^*	1,600–1,800	0.8–0.9	1.5 cu ft, 2 cu ft	$40–$70

Weight basis: raised bed soil bulk blend. * Estimate: supplier data or one source only. Prices are reference ranges from dated cost guides and supplier lists (updated September 2026); local prices vary. Sources: Bags and Bulk Landscape Supply (WI); Yard Works Landscape Supply; Kellogg Garden Organics; University of Maryland Extension; Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Topsoil.com.

Raised bed soil calculator FAQ

How many 2 cu ft bags of raised bed soil fill a 4 × 8 bed?: A 4 × 8 ft raised bed filled 12 inches deep takes 16 bags of 2 cu ft (32 cu ft of raised bed soil).
What mix goes in a raised bed?: University of Maryland Extension fills raised beds over poor soil with compost and topsoil at 1:2 or 1:1 (compost:topsoil). Bagged raised bed mixes are sold ready to use.