A cubic yard is the standard unit of measurement for ordering landscaping materials in bulk, representing a volume equal to 27 cubic feet. This volume is equivalent to a cube three feet wide, long, and high. One cubic yard is often enough material to cover a 100 square foot area, like a small garden bed, with a depth of about three inches. The price of soil varies significantly depending on the quality of the material and the logistical cost of delivery.
Typical Price Ranges for Common Soil Types
The cost of a cubic yard is determined by the soil’s quality and composition, which correlates directly with the amount of processing it has undergone. The lowest-cost option is typically fill dirt, which is subsoil excavated from beneath the top layer. Fill dirt is often unscreened, containing rocks, clay, and minimal organic matter, making it suitable only for leveling ground or filling large holes. Prices generally range from $5 to $18 per cubic yard.
A step up in quality is screened topsoil, the dark, uppermost layer of the earth filtered to remove large debris, rocks, and sticks. This material is the standard choice for overseeding lawns or basic gardening. The screening process ensures a finer, uniform texture suitable for plant root development. Its cost is usually between $20 and $40 per cubic yard, though it can reach up to $55 depending on the region.
The highest price tier is reserved for premium soil blends, specialized mixes designed for optimal plant growth in specific applications like vegetable gardens or raised beds. These blends are nutrient-rich, often containing a mix of topsoil, compost, peat moss, and sand to improve drainage and aeration. Costs for these enriched materials start around $30 and can climb to $80 or more per cubic yard.
Key Factors Influencing the Final Cost
The price of the raw material is only one part of the final expense, as several external variables influence the cost of a cubic yard. Geographic location is a major factor, with prices higher in densely populated urban or remote areas where transportation costs are greater and local sourcing is limited. Regional availability of specific soil components, such as sandy loam or organic compost, also affects the base price.
Delivery fees are a significant and often overlooked expense, sometimes doubling the cost of the soil itself. Companies may charge a flat fee, which ranges from $50 to $150 per trip. Alternatively, they might use a tiered system that includes a base fee plus a per-mile charge for distances beyond a certain radius. These mileage fees can add $3 to $10 for every mile outside of the local delivery zone.
The choice of supplier also impacts the final price and quality of the material. Local landscape supply yards often offer lower bulk pricing and a wider selection of specialized soil blends. Big box stores, while convenient, tend to have higher per-cubic-yard prices for bulk orders. Soil prices can also experience seasonal fluctuation, peaking in the spring and early summer when high demand from construction and landscaping projects strains delivery and hauling capacity.
Buying Options: Bulk vs. Bagged
The two primary ways to purchase soil are in bulk by the cubic yard or in pre-packaged bags, and the difference in cost per unit is substantial. Buying in bulk from a landscape supplier is the most economical choice for projects requiring more than a few cubic yards of material. Bulk soil is delivered loose in a dump truck, resulting in a lower price because it bypasses labor and packaging costs.
Bagged soil offers convenience for small jobs, but the per-cubic-yard equivalent cost is much higher. A typical 40-pound bag of topsoil costs approximately $2 to $6, containing only a fraction of a cubic yard. Since it takes around 13 to 14 bags to equal one cubic yard of volume, the cost of the bagged equivalent can rise to $70 to over $80 per cubic yard. This makes bagged soil a costly choice for filling large areas like raised garden beds.
Calculating Your Soil Needs
Before ordering, accurately calculating the required volume ensures you do not overpay for excess material or under-order and incur additional delivery fees. The formula for calculating cubic yards is straightforward: multiply the length, width, and depth of your project area in feet, and then divide the result by 27. The division by 27 is necessary because there are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard.
For projects where the depth is measured in inches, that measurement must first be converted into a fraction of a foot. For example, a depth of 4 inches converts to approximately 0.33 feet before being entered into the calculation. For a garden bed 10 feet long by 10 feet wide requiring 4 inches of soil, the calculation is 10 x 10 x 0.33, equaling 33 cubic feet, or about 1.22 cubic yards. It is recommended to round up slightly when ordering to account for settling and minor measurement discrepancies.