Skip to content
Calculator Tools
Gardening Calculators

Soil Volume Calculator

Topsoil or compost needed for a bed or area, in cubic metres, bags and tonnes.

Enter values

Results update as you type.

Result

Soil needed

1.656 m³

In litres
1,656
40 litre bags
42
Bulk bags (0.7 m³)
3
Weight
2,153 kg
Area covered
4.8 m²
Cost
$74.52

About the Soil Volume Calculator

Topsoil or compost needed for a bed or area, in cubic metres, bags and tonnes.

Also known as: topsoil calculator, how much soil do i need, garden soil volume, compost quantity.

How to use this calculator

  1. Enter area shape, depth, settlement allowance, price per m³ and the other fields.
  2. The result updates instantly as you type — press Calculate (or Enter) at any time.
  3. Review the breakdown shown under the main result.
  4. Use Copy result or Share to save the answer or send a link with your inputs.

Formula

volume = area × depth × (1 + settlement)

Worked example

Using the values pre-filled in the calculator above:

  • Area shape: Rectangular
  • Length = 4 m
  • Width = 1.2 m
  • Depth = 300 mm
  • Settlement allowance = 15 %
  • Price per m³ = 45

the calculator returns:

  • Soil needed: 1.656 m³
  • In litres: 1,656
  • 40 litre bags: 42
  • Bulk bags (0.7 m³): 3