How much topsoil for 500 sq ft, 6 inches deep?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

500 sq ft of topsoil 6 in deep is 9.26 cu yd — order about 10.2 cu yd (11.2 tons) with 10% for settling.

Volume: 500 sq ft × 6 in ÷ 12 = 250 cu ft ÷ 27 = 9.26 cu yd.
Weight: screened topsoil runs 2,000–2,200 lb per yard dry (Roseville Rock Supply), so about 11.2 tons — 1 tandem load.
Cost: about $507 delivered at $42.45/yd (screened topsoil runs $32.95–$51.95) versus $784 for 275 bags of 1 cu ft.
Depth: Roseville recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn; 6 in is the top of that range, worth it over poor subsoil.
Hauling it yourself would take 23 trips in a half-ton pickup — this is a delivery job.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you filling?

Job

Project

Roseville Rock Supply recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn.

Size & depth

Shape

Total area

sq ft

Add up the beds: length × width for each rectangle.

Depth

Exact depth

Material & bags

Material

For new lawns, regrading and filling low spots. Roseville recommends 4–6 in under new lawn.

Bag size

How you'll buy it

You need

10.19cu yd of topsoil

10.19 cu yd (275 cu ft) of topsoil · or 275 × 1 cu ft bags · incl. 10% for settling

Cubic yards: 10.19cu yd9.26 before settling
Cubic feet: 275cu ft
Weight: 11.2 tonsdry; wet soil weighs more
Area: 500 sq ft

Every bag size

Bags needed by bag size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
0.75 cu ft	367	≈ $785
1 cu ft	275	$784
1.5 cu ft	184	≈ $788
2 cu ft	138	≈ $787

Bags or bulk?

275 × 1 cu ft bags

$784

materials, before tax

10.19 cu yd delivered

$507

Cheaper ✓ · incl. 1 delivery fee

Bulk becomes cheaper from about 2.2 cu yd (59 bags of 1 cu ft). Bagged topsoil works out to $76.95 per cubic yard. Your plan: $507.

Getting it home

Total weight: 11.2 tons · 22,407 lb
Dump truck: 1 tandem load
Your pickup: 23 trips at 1,000 lb payload · about 4% of the order per trip

Pickup payload

Payload is on the Tire & Loading sticker in the driver's door jamb. Single-axle dump trucks carry about 5 tons; bigger orders come on a tandem (up to 18 tons).

Spread it over loosened ground

Roseville Rock Supply recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn. Loosen the subsoil first so the layers knit together, and order screened topsoil — unscreened material carries rocks and roots.

Shopping list

10.2 cu yd Screened topsoil, bulk$432
1 load Delivery$75.00

Estimated total$507

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

topsoil, bulk
10.2 cu yd × $
$433
Delivery
1 load × $
$75.00

Materials total$508

Bag prices from the Mulch Pros (GA) list of Oct 22, 2026; bulk prices from Mulch Pros and Roseville Rock Supply. Tap any price to use your store's.

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Compare

500 sq ft of topsoil at other depths (10% for settling)

Depth	Cu yd	Tons	Truck	Bulk delivered
2 in	3.4	3.7	1 single-axle	$219
3 in	5.1	5.6	1 tandem	$291
4 in	6.8	7.5	1 tandem	$363
6 in	10.2	11.2	1 tandem	$507

How this was worked out

500 × 0.5 ft = 250 cu ft = 9.26 cu yd; × 1.10 for settling = 10.19 cu yd; × 1.1 t/yd³ = 11.2 tons.

At 11.2 tons the order is over a single-axle truck's ~5 tons, so expect a tandem and ask whether the yard charges more for it. Have it dumped as close to the work as the ground allows — a cubic yard is a lot of wheelbarrow trips.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main topsoil & raised bed soil calculator page.

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

How much topsoil for 1,000 sq ft of new lawn, 4 inches deep?

Sources

Data behind this answer

Roseville Rock Supply — calculator & reference table — DG ~3,000 lb/yd³, mulch 400–800 lb, topsoil 2,000–2,200 lb; order 5–10% extra; base materials up to 15% for compaction · checked October 2026
Roseville Rock Supply — aggregates, sands, topsoil & delivery rates — DG $106.95/yd³, concrete sand $68.95/yd³, screened topsoil $51.95/yd³; free delivery from 4 yd within 14 mi · checked October 2026
Mulch Pros price list (October 22, 2026) — bag and bulk prices for mulch, soil, compost, #57, crush & run, pea gravel, sand; delivery $7/mi ($60 min) · checked October 2026
Mississippi State University Extension P2301 — Mulches for the Landscape — depths by mulch type (bark 2–3 in, shredded wood 2–4, pine straw 6–8, compost 2–3, rubber 2–4); rake off after 3 years · checked October 2026
Mulch Pros — material weight & coverage (scale weights) — 2,600–2,900 lb per yd³ of stone; 1 yd³ covers 162 sq ft at 2 in and 108 at 3 in; pine straw bale ≈ 40 sq ft; single-axle ≈ 5 t, tandem up to 18 t · checked October 2026
LawnStarter — mulch prices (updated Oct 5, 2026) — bulk $30–$135 per yd³; delivery $70–$140; 2 cu ft bags $3.25–$6.50 · checked October 2026

Short answer

500 sq ft of topsoil 6 in deep is 9.26 cu yd — order about 10.2 cu yd (11.2 tons) with 10% for settling.

Volume: 500 sq ft × 6 in ÷ 12 = 250 cu ft ÷ 27 = 9.26 cu yd.

Weight: screened topsoil runs 2,000–2,200 lb per yard dry (Roseville Rock Supply), so about 11.2 tons — 1 tandem load.

Cost: about $507 delivered at $42.45/yd (screened topsoil runs $32.95–$51.95) versus $784 for 275 bags of 1 cu ft.

Depth: Roseville recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn; 6 in is the top of that range, worth it over poor subsoil.

Hauling it yourself would take 23 trips in a half-ton pickup — this is a delivery job.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you filling?

Job

Project

Roseville Rock Supply recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn.

Size & depth

Shape

Total area

sq ft

Add up the beds: length × width for each rectangle.

Depth

Exact depth

Material & bags

Material

For new lawns, regrading and filling low spots. Roseville recommends 4–6 in under new lawn.

Bag size

How you'll buy it

You need

10.19cu yd of topsoil

10.19 cu yd (275 cu ft) of topsoil · or 275 × 1 cu ft bags · incl. 10% for settling

Cubic yards: 10.19cu yd9.26 before settling
Cubic feet: 275cu ft
Weight: 11.2 tonsdry; wet soil weighs more
Area: 500 sq ft

Every bag size

Bags needed by bag size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
0.75 cu ft	367	≈ $785
1 cu ft	275	$784
1.5 cu ft	184	≈ $788
2 cu ft	138	≈ $787

Bags or bulk?

275 × 1 cu ft bags

$784

materials, before tax

10.19 cu yd delivered

$507

Cheaper ✓ · incl. 1 delivery fee

Bulk becomes cheaper from about 2.2 cu yd (59 bags of 1 cu ft). Bagged topsoil works out to $76.95 per cubic yard. Your plan: $507.

Getting it home

Total weight: 11.2 tons · 22,407 lb
Dump truck: 1 tandem load
Your pickup: 23 trips at 1,000 lb payload · about 4% of the order per trip

Pickup payload

Payload is on the Tire & Loading sticker in the driver's door jamb. Single-axle dump trucks carry about 5 tons; bigger orders come on a tandem (up to 18 tons).

Spread it over loosened ground

Roseville Rock Supply recommends 4–6 in of topsoil under new lawn. Loosen the subsoil first so the layers knit together, and order screened topsoil — unscreened material carries rocks and roots.

Shopping list

10.2 cu yd Screened topsoil, bulk$432
1 load Delivery$75.00

Estimated total$507

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

topsoil, bulk
10.2 cu yd × $
$433
Delivery
1 load × $
$75.00

Materials total$508

Bag prices from the Mulch Pros (GA) list of Oct 22, 2026; bulk prices from Mulch Pros and Roseville Rock Supply. Tap any price to use your store's.

Depth

Cu yd

Tons

Truck

Bulk delivered

2 in

3.4

3.7

1 single-axle

$219

3 in

5.1

5.6

1 tandem

$291

4 in

6.8

7.5

1 tandem

$363

6 in

10.2

11.2

1 tandem

$507

How this was worked out

500 × 0.5 ft = 250 cu ft = 9.26 cu yd; × 1.10 for settling = 10.19 cu yd; × 1.1 t/yd³ = 11.2 tons.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main topsoil & raised bed soil calculator page.