Raised Garden Bed Soil Calculator
Cubic feet and bags of soil for a raised garden bed.
Enter your values
ⓘ Live results
Results
- Soil needed
- 32 cu ft
- Bags needed
- 22
- Cubic yards (for bulk order)
- 1.19 cu yd
Quick answer
Soil volume needed is bed length times width times depth, converted to bags based on bag size.
cu ft = length x width x depth; bags = cu ft / bag size
How to use the Raised Garden Bed Soil Calculator
- 1Measure the length and width of your raised bed and the fill depth you want.
- 2Check the cubic feet listed on your soil bag of choice.
- 3Buy bagged soil for small beds or order bulk soil by the cubic yard for larger beds.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Bed length8 ft
- Bed width4 ft
- Soil depth12 in
- Bag size1.5 cu ft
Results
- Soil needed32 cu ft
- Bags needed22
- Cubic yards (for bulk order)1.19 cu yd
Frequently asked questions
How deep should a raised bed be?
Most vegetables do well with 10-12 inches of soil depth; root crops may benefit from 12-18 inches.
Should I mix in compost?
Yes, a common mix is 60% topsoil, 30% compost and 10% aeration material like perlite for good drainage.
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by James Whitfield · How we build and test calculators
- Report an error
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.