Raised Bed Soil Calculator

Last updated: 28 Oct 2025 | Author: Brij | Review By: Irshad

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Use our Raised Bed Soil Calculator to quickly determine how much soil you need to fill your raised garden beds. Simply enter the length, width, and depth of your bed — and get accurate soil volume and cost instantly!

Bed Length:

Bed Width:

Bed Depth:

Number of Beds:

beds

Soil Cost:

Soil Calculation Results

Soil Volume per Bed:

cu ft

Total Soil Volume Required:

cu ft

Total Soil Cost:

A Raised Bed Soil Calculator helps gardeners and landscapers determine the total volume of soil required to fill raised beds. This ensures you purchase just the right amount of soil — saving both time and money.

Formula to Calculate Soil Volume

The basic formula to calculate soil volume is:

$\text{Soil Volume} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Depth}$

Step 1: Convert Depth to Feet or Meters

If your bed depth is in inches or centimeters, convert it to feet or meters before calculating.

$\text{Depth (ft)} = \frac{\text{Depth (in)}}{12}$

or in metric units:

$\text{Depth (m)} = \frac{\text{Depth (cm)}}{100}$

Step 2: Calculate Soil Volume per Bed

Once all measurements are in the same unit:

$\text{Volume per Bed} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Depth}$

Step 3: Calculate Total Soil Volume for All Beds

$\text{Total Volume} = \text{Volume per Bed} \times \text{Number of Beds}$

Step 4: Calculate Total Soil Cost (Optional)

If you know the soil cost per cubic foot or cubic meter:

$\text{Total Cost} = \text{Total Volume} \times \text{Soil Cost per Unit}$

Example Calculation

Example:

You have 2 raised beds, each 4 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 12 inches deep. The soil costs $0.08 per cubic foot.

Convert depth to feet:

$\text{Depth (ft)} = \frac{12}{12} = 1 \, \text{ft}$

1. Volume per bed:

$\text{Volume per Bed} = 4 \times 3 \times 1 = 12 \, \text{cu ft}$

2. Total volume for 2 beds:

$\text{Total Volume} = 12 \times 2 = 24 \, \text{cu ft}$

3.Total soil cost:

$\text{Total Cost} = 24 \times 0.08 = \$1.92$

Result: You need 24 cubic feet of soil for 2 raised beds, costing approximately $1.92.

FAQs

1. How much soil do I need for a 4x8 raised bed?

A 4x8 bed with 1-foot depth needs approximately 32 cubic feet of soil.

2. How do I calculate soil volume in cubic yards?

Divide the total cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.

$\text{Cubic Yards} = \frac{\text{Cubic Feet}}{27}$

3. Should I add extra soil for settling?

Yes, add 10–15% extra soil to account for settling over time.

4. How deep should a raised garden bed be?

For most vegetables, a 12-inch depth works well. For deep-rooted plants, consider 18–24 inches.

5. Can I mix compost and topsoil?

Yes! A good raised bed mix is 60% topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% perlite or sand for drainage.

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