Soil Volume Calculator

How to Calculate Soil Volume

The formula for calculating soil volume depends on the shape of the area:

1. Rectangular Area
   • Formula: \text{Volume} = \text{Length} \times \text{Width} \times \text{Depth (in feet)}
     Example: A garden bed of 10 ft (length) × 5 ft (width) × 0.5 ft (6 inches) depth will require 25 cubic feet of soil.
2. Circular Area
   • Formula: \text{Volume} = \pi \times (\text{Radius})^2 \times \text{Depth (in feet)}
     Example: A circular area with a 4 ft radius and 0.5 ft (6 inches) depth will require approximately 25.13 cubic feet of soil.

Additionally, soil volume can be converted to cubic yards by dividing cubic feet by 27:

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

Example

Suppose you have a rectangular garden bed with the following dimensions:

• Length: 12 feet
• Width: 8 feet
• Depth: 6 inches (0.5 feet)

Using the formula:

\text{Volume} = 12 \times 8 \times 0.5 = 48 \, \text{cubic feet}

To convert to cubic yards:

\text{Cubic Yards} = \frac{48}{27} \approx 1.78 \, \text{cubic yards}

You would need approximately 1.78 cubic yards of soil for your garden bed.