Raised Bed Soil Calculator
Built by Johnny Alto · free, no sign-up · updated July 26, 2026
Enter your raised bed's dimensions to find how much soil it takes to fill. You get the volume in cubic feet, cubic yards, and liters, plus how many standard bags to buy, so you can decide between bagged mix and cheaper bulk soil by the yard.
Soil needed0cubic feet
0cubic yards
0liters
Or buy0bags (1.5 cu ft)
Or buy0bags (2 cu ft)
Bulk soil is sold by the cubic yard and is far cheaper once you need more than about a dozen bags. Buy a little extra, since fresh soil settles a few inches in the first season.
How much soil to fill a raised bed
Filling a raised bed is a simple volume calculation: length times width times depth. Keeping everything in feet gives you cubic feet directly, which is how bagged soil is labeled. A classic eight foot by four foot bed filled twelve inches deep needs 32 cubic feet, or about one and a fifth cubic yards.
Bagged garden soil and raised bed mix usually come in 1.5 or 2 cubic foot bags, so the calculator shows how many of each you would need. Once you are past roughly a dozen bags it is almost always cheaper to order bulk soil by the cubic yard from a landscape supplier.
Fill it without breaking the bank
You do not have to fill a deep bed entirely with premium mix. Many gardeners fill the bottom third with cheaper material such as compost, leaves, or coarse organic matter, then top with quality raised bed soil where the roots live. Add a little extra volume either way, because fresh soil settles a few inches in its first season and you will want to top it up.
Recommended gear
Set up the bed
Frequently asked questions
How much soil do I need for a raised bed?
Multiply the bed's length by width by depth in feet to get cubic feet. An 8 by 4 foot bed that is 12 inches deep needs 32 cubic feet, or about 1.2 cubic yards.
How many bags of soil for a raised bed?
Divide the cubic feet by the bag size. That 32 cubic foot bed takes about 22 bags of 1.5 cubic feet, or 16 bags of 2 cubic feet.
Is it cheaper to buy soil in bags or bulk?
Bulk soil by the cubic yard is much cheaper once you need more than about a dozen bags, though bagged mix is convenient for one small bed.
How deep should a raised bed be?
Six to twelve inches suits most vegetables, and deeper beds hold moisture better. Deeper beds can be part-filled with cheaper organic matter below the root zone.
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This calculator gives estimates for planning only; always confirm against your own measurements and species research. Some links are to our buying guides, which contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
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