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UK calculators/calculators/Topsoil calculator UK
MATERIAL CALCULATOR

Topsoil calculator UK.

Work out how much new topsoil to buy in cubic metres, litres, tonnes or full bags. Compare bagged soil with loose delivery.

KEEP YOUR PLAN

Give your project a name.

Save your measurements and quotes on this device. No account needed.

My saved projects

YOUR MEASUREMENTS

Enter only the depth of new soil you need. Do not include existing soil you are keeping.

Bag sizes, weight & pricing +

Bag counts and prices apply to the main material only. Enter your supplier’s density to calculate weight.

Compare bags with loose delivery +

Use the bag size and units above. Compare the same product at your supplier’s quoted prices. Enter small-bag or bulk-bag contents above and its price below. Include each delivery charge below. Use prices including VAT throughout.

Bulk-bag quote · optional third option

Compare small bags, bulk bags and a loose load side by side. Each price is optional; include delivery once for each option.

Minimum and increment use the bulk quote unit. For half-tonne orders, enter 0.5 as the increment. Zero uses the exact estimate. VAT is not added automatically. If delivery is included in a quote, enter zero for that charge. Check unloading and access separately. Weight quotes need your supplier’s bulk density.

Your soil blend +

Enter two materials and their percentages if you want to calculate a blend. Choose the proportions for your planting plan.

Gouache illustration of a timber raised bed with soil, leafy plants and terracotta pots.
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a completed project.
BEFORE YOU ORDER

Getting a useful estimate

Use the units your supplier quotes for delivery. Ask them whether the soil is suitable for your planting plan.

Measure the space you need to fill. Rectangles use length and width; circles use diameter. For several sections, choose combined areas and add rectangles, then subtract exclusions. The final area must be greater than zero.

Measure the space still to fill

Enter the remaining depth for new soil, leaving out existing soil you will keep. Split uneven areas into separate calculations if their fill depths differ. A 5 m by 3 m area with 100 mm left to fill needs 1.5 m³ before allowance.

That is an arithmetic example, not a planting-depth recommendation. Choose the soil depth and any blend proportions for your planting plan.

National Institute of Standards and Technology: NIST SI conversion factors

Check the soil before buying

The RHS distinguishes premium, general-purpose and economy topsoil. Choose a specification suitable for the intended use rather than comparing price alone.

Inspect a sample for stones, roots, weeds and contaminants. Ask about its origin and request available soil analysis. The RHS buying guide explains these checks; a quantity result does not establish soil quality.

Royal Horticultural Society: Topsoil: buying

Compare litres with a delivered load

A bag labelled in litres can be calculated without density: 1,000 litres equals 1 m³. A bag sold by weight needs the supplier’s loose bulk density, as does a tonne-priced load.

Use matching soil specifications and VAT-inclusive prices. Add each delivery charge and the loose-order minimum. A bulk bag’s name does not tell you its contents; use its labelled volume or weight.

National Institute of Standards and Technology: NIST SI conversion factorsRoyal Horticultural Society: Topsoil: buying

Volume formula

Volume = area × depth × (1 + allowance ÷ 100)

Allowance applies once to each volume layer. No density or compaction factor is assumed. If buying by weight, enter the density for your supplier’s product in the units shown.

Sources & what they cover

  • NIST SI conversion factorsNational Institute of Standards and Technology

    Exact US customary and SI conversion factors; no material or installation recommendations.

    Source checked
  • Topsoil: buyingRoyal Horticultural Society

    Topsoil grades, inspection and supplier analysis. No planting depth or blend prescription imported.

    Source checked

We check what each reference covers. A source check does not mean a specialist has reviewed this tool. You supply the depths, densities, prices and blend proportions.

Operated by Pete CallaghanUpdated Not yet independently reviewedHow we check our toolsReport a correction