Estimate soil volume, weight, and cost from bed dimensions, bulk density, and a price per kilogram or metric ton.
Enter bed dimensions, density, price basis, and currency.
Bulk density changes with soil blend, moisture, and compaction; confirm delivery units with the supplier.
This soil calculator estimates rectangular area, soil volume, material mass, and purchase cost. It converts dimensions to metres, multiplies volume by bulk density, and applies a price per kilogram or metric tonne.
Actual soil needs vary with contours, settling, compaction, moisture, stones, organic content, and delivery conditions. Use measured bulk density or supplier data for the chosen material and add an allowance suited to the project.
For irregular beds, split the plan into rectangles and sum them. Measure depth in several places when the grade varies.
Area = length × width
Volume = area × depth
Mass kg = volume × bulk density kg/m³
Mass tonnes = mass kg ÷ 1,000. Cost equals mass kg × price/kg or mass tonnes × price/tonne according to the menu.
| Entry or result | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Length and width | Plan dimensions converted to metres. |
| Depth | Layer thickness converted to metres. |
| Bulk density | Dry or field bulk mass per volume, including pore space, in kg/m³. |
| Mass | Ideal volume multiplied by entered density. |
| Unit price | Price for one kilogram or one metric tonne. |
| Cost | Estimated material cost before delivery and other charges. |
Enter 5 m length, 4 m width, 10 cm depth, density 1,200 kg/m³, and 50 USD per tonne. Area is 20 m². Depth is 0.1 m, so volume is 2 m³.
Mass is 2 × 1,200 = 2,400 kg or 2.4 tonnes. Cost is 2.4 × 50 = 120 USD. The corrected soil page now sends this form to its own calculation and respects the selected mass pricing unit.
Area helps describe coverage, volume describes space to fill, and mass links that space to supplier weight. Cost covers only entered material price. Delivery, minimum load, tax, spreading, testing, and disposal may be additional.
USDA NRCS describes bulk density as dry soil mass divided by bulk volume. Compacted mineral soil can differ greatly from loose amended topsoil. If the project specifies a finished compacted depth, supplier advice may be needed to translate it into delivered loose volume. Structural fills, drainage, contaminated soil, and load-sensitive sites require professional specifications.
Two density concepts are often confused. Particle density concerns the solid mineral particles, while bulk density includes pore space in a soil volume. This calculator needs bulk density because the project volume includes pores. Using a typical mineral particle density near 2,650 kg/m³ would often overstate delivered mass.
Cost comparison should put quotations on the same basis. A supplier selling by cubic metre can be compared with a tonne quotation only after applying an appropriate bulk density, and delivery or minimum-load charges should be added separately. Moisture can change weighed mass without adding dry soil solids.
For raised beds, subtract large permanent objects and account for existing fill. For excavation replacement, side slopes and over-excavation may increase the space. Topsoil depth recommendations depend on plants and site conditions, so this calculator does not prescribe a layer.
Rounding each geometry step can accumulate error. The page calculates with converted values before rounding outputs; use the original measurements when checking manually.
If price is quoted per bag, convert bag mass to a price per kilogram or tonne first. Divide bag price by labelled kilograms for price/kg. Do not treat bag volume and bag mass as interchangeable without product data.
Use measured data or a supplier value for the actual material and moisture or compaction condition. A generic figure is only approximate.
No. It calculates rectangular geometry. Apply an appropriate loose-to-finished allowance from the specification or supplier.
Yes. Select kg and cost uses calculated kilograms; select tonne and it uses metric tonnes.
No. It labels the entered price and result. Convert prices before calculation if comparison requires another currency.
Yes. Select the unit beside every dimension and each is converted separately to metres.
It is 1,000 kilograms. Confirm a quotation does not use a short or long ton.
Divide it into measurable sections, calculate each, and add volumes, or use a surveyed area for complex contours.