Calculating Soil Amount

Figuring out how much soil you need for your yard doesn't have to be complicated.

We sell our bulk soils by the cubic yard. For those who like the math done for them, here's a good source for just that. However, if you're curious about the magic behind the calculator, read on!

The Formula

(L ft x W ft x D ft)/27=cu yd

Here's another way to look at it:

Length in feet x Width in feet x Depth or Height in feet = cubic foot
Since we sell our product by the cubic yard, not the foot, divide your total cubic feet by 27 to get the cubic yard.

Examples:

Raised Garden Beds

One of the easiest structures to measure for soil amount since they're above ground and only require a quick tape measure.

The raised garden beds Farmington Gardens sells are 4'x4'x11". The depth here is measured in inches since it isn't quite a full foot. We could be exact with this measurement by dividing 11 by 12 to get the foot measure (0.9166 ft), or we can round up, which may be the better option. It's always good to have a little too much soil than too little.

Let's math:

4ft x 4ft x 1ft = 16 cu ft

If you're planning to buy bulk soil by the yard, then 16 cu ft / 27 = 0.5926 cu yard.

Yard Beds

Yard beds can be a little more challenging to calculate, especially if you have odd areas, but don't fret! We can break it down into something simple to give you the easiest and best estimate possible.

Most spaces in our yards aren't exact squares or rectangles, but we can still estimate the amount of soil we'll need for a project by using them. Measuring from the widest length and width of your space will give you the maximum amount of soil you'll need for that area with some extra to spare. Don't worry about that extra soil, it can be used to level the space out more if there are lower areas compared to others within the bed, or use it for extra plant pots around the yard.

If there are multiple areas apart from one another, use the same method as above by calculating the areas separately then add the cubic yards together for the total.

Circle Spaces

The Formula

(R ft x R ft x D ft x pi)/27=cu yd

Radius in feet x Radius in feet x Depth in feet x pi (3.14). Take the total and divide by 27 to get the total cubic yard.

The radius is found by measuring from the middle of the circle to the outer edge.

If you have planters around the edge of a circle space, the best way to find the cubic yards for only the bed area is by finding the cubic yard for the larger circle and subtract the cubic yard of the smaller circle.