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Precise Yard Planning

Raised Bed Soil Calculator

How much soil a raised bed actually takes — split across topsoil, compost and whatever else goes in the mix, priced by the bag and by the cubic yard.

Any Shape

Rectangle, circle, oval

Any Soil Mix

Topsoil, compost, more

Bags or Bulk

Priced side by side

Before You Order

Why a Bed Takes More Than You Think

Bags are smaller than they look

A 2 cu ft bag spreads 24 square feet one inch deep. A 4 by 8 ft bed filled 10 inches deep needs 26.7 cubic feet — about 14 of those bags, or 27 of the 1 cu ft compost bags.

It settles, then it sinks

Fresh mix packs down the moment it is watered in, and anything organic you bury in the bottom keeps breaking down for a season or two. Order a little over, and expect to top the bed up next spring.

Always Verify

Measure the Inside of the Bed

Measure the inside of the frame, not the outside. A bed built from 2x lumber loses about 3 inches off each dimension to the boards. And compressed peat and coco coir expand when you break them up — the bag’s expanded volume is the number to enter.