Garden Soil Volume
Calculate how many cubic meters of soil you need to fill a rectangular garden bed to the desired depth.
Educational purposes only. Not professional advice.
Examples
- 4 × 2 × 0.3 m bed ⇒ 2.40 m³ of soil
- 3.5 × 1.2 × 0.25 m bed ⇒ 1.05 m³ of soil
- 2 × 2 × 0.4 m bed ⇒ 1.60 m³ of soil
FAQ
Can I input feet or inches?
Yes, but all three inputs must use the same unit. The result will be in that unit cubed.
Does the calculator handle irregular shapes?
Estimate by breaking complex beds into rectangles or convert the area to an equivalent rectangle before using this tool.
How much soil should I order?
Order slightly more than the calculated volume to compensate for compaction, settling, and trimming.
Can I change the output units?
Multiply the cubic meters result by 35.3147 to get cubic feet, or divide by 0.7646 for cubic yards.
Additional Information
- Volume equals length × width × depth, so doubling the depth doubles the soil requirement.
- Convert to cubic yards by multiplying cubic meters by 1.308; convert to liters by multiplying by 1,000.
- Add 10–15% extra soil to account for settling, especially when using loose compost or mulch blends.
- Measure inside dimensions of the bed to avoid over-ordering bulk soil or bagged mixes.