How many 40 lb bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?

A cubic yard of topsoil takes 27 bags of 40 lb when the bag holds 1 cu ft, or 18 bags of 40 lb when the bag holds 1.5 cu ft. Read the cubic feet on the bag; the weight does not tell you the volume.

Topsoil Calculator

Topsoil weighs 1,600–2,200 lb per cubic yard dry and loose. Enter the lawn's length, width and depth below to get cubic yards, tons, bags and cost for a new lawn.

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

7.5 cubic yards to order

rounded up to the nearest ¼ yd³

Solid: exact 7.41 yd³. Dashed: what you order, 7.5 yd³ (rounded up). Person: 6 ft, for scale.

Weight: 6–8.25 tons (dry, loose)
Bags: Order bulk — bags would be 267 × 0.75 cu ft
Cost: $150–$338

Dirt packs down: loam loses 20–28% of its loose volume (U.S. Army FM 5-434). Packing or tamping it? Order 9.5–10.5 yd³ loose to end with 7.5 yd³ firm.

Details: exact volume, bags vs bulk, order sheet

Exact 7.41 yd³ · 200 ft³ · 5.66 m³

At 4 in deep, 1 yd³ covers 81 ft².

You need 7.5 cubic yards of topsoil ≈ 6–8.25 tons (dry, loose).

Bags vs bulk: price per 0.75 cu ft bag, $

Order sheet for your supplier

Topsoil weight: dry, loose (Caterpillar, U.S. Army). Cost: reference range, screened, before delivery (Lawn Love, Topsoil.com, 2026); local prices vary.

Result looks wrong? Tell us

Topsoil depth for a new lawn

Topsoil for a new lawn needs a minimum of 4–6 inches of settled depth, per Penn State Extension.

Settled depth is measured after rain or watering firms the topsoil, so order more loose topsoil than the settled depth. To improve an existing yard with clay or eroded soil, Clemson Extension adds up to 3 inches.

A 30 × 20 ft new lawn at 4 inches takes 7.5 cubic yards of topsoil.

Area30 ft × 20 ft600 ft²
Volume600 ft² × 4 in ÷ 12200 ft³
Cubic yards200 ft³ ÷ 277.41 yd³
Ordernext ¼ yard up7.5 yd³
At 6 insame lawn, 6 in settled11.25 yd³

Topsoil bags: count by cubic feet, not pounds

Topsoil bags are counted by the cubic feet printed on the bag, because bag weight and bag volume do not match across brands.

Bag	Weight	Cubic feet	Bags per yd³
Scotts Premium Topsoil	14 lb	0.75	36
Timberline Top Soil	40 lb	1	27
Garden Magic Top Soil	40 lb	1.5	18

A 40 lb topsoil bag holds 1 cu ft from one brand and about 1.5 cu ft from another, and a 0.75 cu ft bag weighs 14 lb. Enter the lawn above and read the bag count for your bag size.

Topsoil weight per cubic yard

Topsoil weighs 1,600–2,200 lb per cubic yard dry and loose, and roughly 2,600–3,200 lb wet, a figure from earthmoving tables for wet earth.

Topsoil with more organic matter sits at the light end of the range.

Topsoil: weight, bags and price per cubic yard
Material	lb per yd³	tons per yd³	Bags	$ per yd³
Topsoil	1,600–2,200	0.8–1.1	0.75 cu ft, 1 cu ft, 1.5 cu ft	$20–$45

Weight basis: topsoil dry, loose. Prices are reference ranges from dated cost guides and supplier lists (updated September 2026); local prices vary. Sources: Caterpillar; U.S. Army; Do it Best; Shell Lumber; Graf's Garden Shop; Penn State Extension; Lawn Love; Topsoil.com.

Topsoil calculator FAQ

How many 40 lb bags of topsoil are in a cubic yard?: A cubic yard of topsoil takes 27 bags of 40 lb when the bag holds 1 cu ft, or 18 bags of 40 lb when the bag holds 1.5 cu ft. Read the cubic feet on the bag; the weight does not tell you the volume.
How much does a yard of topsoil cost?: A yard of topsoil costs about $20–$45 screened, before delivery (Lawn Love, Topsoil.com, 2026). Delivery is extra and local prices vary.