Gardener filling a new raised bed
Calculate inside geometric fill for a chosen planting depth.
Measure inside dimensions and use site/plant guidance to select depth and media.
Gets base and top-up volumes without a universal soil recipe.
Soil Calculator
Calculate measured bed fill, an explicit top-up allowance, and optional exact-package bags without assuming one soil recipe, settling rate, or bag size.
Built for Home1 documented formula2 guided projectsPrivate in your browser
Use this result well
A quick decision brief for this specific tool
Inputs that matter
Measured inside bed dimensions, planned fill depth, an explicit settling/top-up allowance, optional exact bag volume, and entered bulk/bag prices
Output to expect
Base geometric fill, allowance-adjusted order fill, optional exact-package bag count, and scoped entered-price comparisons
How it works
Convert the entered depth to feet, calculate rectangular fill, apply only the entered top-up allowance, and divide by the exact package volume only when supplied
- Choose depth and media/blend for the plants, bed, underlying surface and tested site; the arithmetic does not prescribe a universal soil recipe or settling percentage.
- Verify drainage, contamination, compost/fertility, compaction, supplier units, delivery minimums and future top-ups before purchase and planting.
Choose your path
Built around the job you need to finish
Calculate measured bed fill and optional exact-package quantities while leaving soil recipe, planting depth, settling, drainage and contamination decisions explicit.
Shopper comparing bagged and bulk media
Use the exact labeled bag volume and current quote.
Enter exact bag volume/price or zero to skip bags, plus the comparable bulk price.
Gets whole-package and bulk costs on auditable units.
Urban gardener checking site suitability
Keep drainage and contamination outside arithmetic.
Use the volume result only after underlying surface, source quality and soil-test/contamination checks.
Does not interpret cubic yards as evidence that the media or site is safe or suitable.
Authoritative checks for this tool
Outputs and checklists are planning aids. Review the linked current authorities and the records, terms, instructions, and requirements that apply to your exact situation before a consequential decision.
- Raised Bed GardensUniversity of Minnesota Extension · Extension guidance on inside bed design, suitable topsoil/compost media, bulk versus bag purchasing, underlying surfaces and future top-ups for decomposing layered fills.
- Soil Health in Raised BedsPenn State Extension · March 2026 guidance tying raised-bed media composition, pore structure, disturbance, compaction and management to soil health rather than one universal fill recipe.
- Soil Quality Physical Indicator — Bulk DensityUSDA Natural Resources Conservation Service · Official explanation that bulk density depends on texture, organic matter and packing and is used for mass-volume conversion, so density/settling cannot be assumed universally.
Was this tool helpful?
Projects using Soil Calculator
This tool is part of these guided projects. Each project provides step-by-step instructions with checklists and all the tools you need in one place.
Landscape Site Decision Record
Coordinate one authorized landscape change through people, property, utilities, site evidence, approved planting and hardscape sources, bounded quantity scenarios, controlled work, monitoring, and named acceptance.
6 steps4 toolsStart project
Garden Start Decision Record
Coordinate one authorized garden from people, site and food/use goals through soil and climate evidence, approved beds/plants/products, bounded quantity and irrigation scenarios, controlled care, harvest, and named acceptance.
6 steps5 toolsStart project
Related Tools
Tools you might need next
Lawn Seed Calculator
Apply an exact selected grass-seed rate to measured net lawn area, explicit allowance, and exact package weight without a universal preset.
Recommended next stepHome
Mulch Calculator
Calculate measured mulch volume, an explicit order allowance, and optional exact-package bags without assuming one depth, material, bag size, or waste factor.
Recommended next stepHome
Topsoil Calculator
Calculate topsoil volume, explicit loose allowance, matching stock and exact supplier sale units without assuming density, bag size or product suitability.
Recommended next stepLandscaping
Reference & details
How it works
Updated August 2026
How it works
Updated August 2026Measured geometric fill
Inside length and width are multiplied by fill depth converted from inches to feet.
Base cubic feet = length ft × width ft × depth in ÷ 12Explicit top-up allowance
Only the percentage entered by the user is applied; no default soil-settling claim is hidden in the arithmetic.
Order fill = base fill × (1 + entered top-up% ÷ 100)Exact package conversion
Whole bag count is calculated only when a positive exact package volume is entered; otherwise the package comparison is skipped.
Bags = ceil(order cubic feet ÷ exact bag cubic feet)Updated: August 2026
Example Scenarios
A gardener measures the inside bed, chooses an appropriate depth/media, and calculates fill with an explicitly documented top-up allowance.
A shopper copies a 1.5-cu-ft package label and current price, then compares that whole-bag cost with a scoped bulk quote.
An urban gardener uses the volume only after checking drainage, underlying surface, media source and contamination risk.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Assuming one bag size or settling rate
Copy the exact package volume and enter a justified site/supplier top-up allowance.
Treating fill volume as a soil recommendation
Select tested, suitable media, depth and drainage for the actual planting and site.
FAQ
No. Depth depends on the plants, root zone, bed construction and underlying surface. Use responsible local guidance for the actual site.
No. Media texture, organic matter, drainage, nutrients and contaminants need site- and material-specific evaluation. The tool only calculates entered fill volume.
Enter a top-up allowance from your supplier, material behavior or field plan. The calculator does not apply one universal settling percentage.
Yes. Enter zero for exact bag volume. If comparing packages, copy the labeled volume for the exact product; bag sizes are not universal.
Check inside dimensions, drainage, underlying surface, source quality, contamination risk, media suitability, compost/fertility, delivery minimums and future maintenance.
About Soil Calculator
Measure the bed’s inside fill dimensions, choose depth and media for the actual planting/site, and enter any supplier- or site-specific top-up allowance. Bag conversion uses only the exact labeled package volume.