Raised Bed & Topsoil Calculator

For raised beds, enter the inside dimensions and fill height. For topsoil, use one area and the depth you want to add.

Tapeline — Raised Bed & Topsoil Calculator

Printed September 29, 2026

Number of identical beds or areas2
Length8 ft
Width4 ft
Fill depth or bed height12 in
Extra for settling10 %
Bag size1.5 cu ft

Results update as you type.

%

How it’s calculated

  • Volume = beds × length × width × depth × (1 + settling %)

Worked example

Two 8 × 4 ft beds, 12 in deep, 10% settling, 1.5 cu ft bags.

Inputs

Number of identical beds or areas
2
Length
8 ft
Width
4 ft
Fill depth or bed height
12 in
Extra for settling
10 %
Bag size
1.5 cu ft

Results

Soil needed
2.61 cu yd
Or bags
47 bags

Load this example into the calculator

Assumptions and limits

  • Soil settles 10–20% in the first season; many gardeners overfill slightly.

Verify the result against the applicable local code, adopted code edition, manufacturer instructions and project requirements. See our methodology.

Questions

How much soil for a 4×8 raised bed?

A 4 × 8 ft bed 12 in deep holds 32 cu ft, about 1.2 cubic yards. Add about 10% for settling.

Bags or bulk?

Bulk soil by the yard is usually cheaper beyond about one cubic yard, but you need a place to dump it.