Soil calculator for South Dakota
Get the right cubic-yard amount for garden beds, raised planters, and yard work by matching soil to the project.
Enter your project dimensions
A 4 x 8 raised bed at 12 inches deep needs 32 cubic feet of soil. That works out to 1.2 cubic yards, more than many first-time builders expect when planning on a few bags. Use this calculator for beds, planters, or other yard areas and select the soil type for the job. Garden soil weighs about 2,000 lb per cubic yard, screened topsoil weighs 2,200, and fill dirt weighs 2,400. Choose the material you plan to order for the right ton estimate.
Three steps for bed math
- Use feet to enter each bed or planter. Multiple-areas mode combines the entries into one running total.
- Match depth to the work: 4-6 inches for existing-bed improvement, 6 inches for a new in-ground bed, and 12 inches for an empty raised planter.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. Then multiply yards x 1.0 to 1.2 for tons based on soil type.
Tons = yards × 1.0 (garden soil) · 1.1 (topsoil) · 1.2 (fill dirt)
Coverage and weight
| Soil type | Weight per cubic yard | Tons per yard |
|---|---|---|
| Garden soil (blended with compost) | ≈ 2,000 lb | 1.00 |
| Topsoil (screened) | ≈ 2,200 lb | 1.10 |
| Fill dirt | ≈ 2,400 lb | 1.20 |
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 3 yards cover |
|---|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 486 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 243 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 12 inches, raised bed | 27 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
Choose soil for the job
- Use compost-blended garden soil for vegetable plots, flower beds, and planters.
- Screened topsoil works for lawn areas and final grading. Lawn depths and examples are in the Topsoil Calculator.
- Put fill dirt below for grade changes or hole repair, then use better soil only for the planting layer.
- For worn-out native ground, mix 2-3 inches of garden soil through the upper 6 inches instead of removing the whole bed. It uses less material, and roots can grow through the transition sooner.
Fill raised beds for less
A deep raised bed does not need garden blend from top to bottom. For beds above 18 inches, use fill dirt or coarse organic matter that composts in place for the lower third, then place 8-12 inches of garden soil where plants root. Run the calculator twice, once for each layer. In South Dakota, measure the full 12 inches before ordering rather than treating it as an estimate.
Example: three 4 x 8 beds
For a ninety-six-square-foot bed at 12 inches deep, 96 cubic feet is needed, equal to 3.6 cubic yards. That is around 3.6 tons for garden soil. Order 4 yards. In the first weeks, blended soil settles roughly 10% as the compost portion packs down. Use the extra material to bring the beds back up afterward.
Improve clay and sand in place
Clay holds water, while sand lets it drain away fast between waterings. For either one, till 2-3 inches of compost-blended garden soil into the upper 6 inches and repeat over a couple of seasons. That takes a third of the material and lifting compared with replacing the bed to full depth. Roots and worms keep carrying the blend farther down. Replace the full depth only if construction debris or contamination makes the native soil unusable.
Bulk soil or bags
At 40 lb each, a cubic yard comes to about 36 bags. A raised bed can use 43 bags, which means loading 43 bags twice. Bulk costs less by cubic foot, comes in one tipped load, and free delivery means no truck fee to recover. Bags are better suited to topping off one planter. Have the load tipped onto a tarp since soil can mark concrete, then pull and fold the tarp for cleanup.
Soil amounts for beds and bags
How much soil is needed for a 4 x 8 raised bed?
How do garden soil, topsoil, and fill dirt differ?
How many soil bags equal a cubic yard?
How many yards do my beds need?
Will bulk soil settle after filling?
Can delivered garden soil be planted in directly?
Other calculators
Beds measured? Order soil online.
Garden soil, topsoil, and fill dirt by the yard, with free delivery included.
