Topsoil Weight Calculator

Why Weight Matters When Ordering Topsoil for Gardens

While topsoil volume in cubic yards is most commonly used for estimating garden needs, ordering loads based on weight in tons can also be helpful depending on the situation. Here's why:

Consistent Pricing: Weight allows apples-to-apples cost comparisons between varying soil densities from different suppliers.

Compaction Variability: The same volume of heavy compacted clay weighs more per truckload than light loose soil.

Load Optimization: Ordering by exact weight allows fully optimized truck loading up to road legal limits.

Reduced Settlement: Dense, heavy soils settle less after spreading compared to fluffy light types.

Moisture Content: Wet soil weighs significantly more than the same volume of dry soil.

I sometimes use a topsoil weight calculator to convert my garden's volume needs to tons for optimized delivery. Here's my process:

Step 1: Cubic Yards Required

First calculate total cubic yards of topsoil needed using my coverage topsoil calculator.

Step 2: Density Range

Look up the average density range for the specific soil type, measured in lbs per cubic ft.

Step 3: Convert Density

Use the soil's density value and convert it to tons per cubic yard.

Step 4: Input Data

Input the garden Area(sq ft) size, Thickness(in) and Density(lbs per cubic ft) and you will get the weight of topsoil in lbs unit.

Step 5: Buffer

I add 5% extra as a buffer for moisture and handling losses.

Step 6: Order in Tons

The output provides the optimized weight in lbs to order for your garden.