If you're browsing the middle of your garden center wondering how many bags is a yard of soil , the particular short answer is it almost always depends on the size of the particular bag you're getting. It's one of those classic DIY math problems that will feels like it must be simple, but after that you're staring in three different sizes of plastic bags and wanting to keep in mind high school angles while a teenager on a forklift waits for you to move.
The magic quantity you need in order to keep in your mind is 27 . That's because there are usually 27 cubic ft in one cubic yard. Most soil you buy with a big-box store is measured within cubic feet, so the math is essentially just dividing 27 by whatever amount is printed within the front of that heavy plastic bag.
Let's breakdown the bag dimensions
Since its not all brand uses the same packaging, you're likely to see a several common sizes around the shelves. Here is how the mathematics shakes out regarding the most popular options you'll encounter at places like Home Depot or Lowe's.
The standard 1 cu foot bag
If you're buying the smaller, more manageable bags that are usually defined as "topsoil" or "garden soil, " they're often 1 cu foot. This math is the easiest of all. Since a yard is 27 cubic feet, you're going to need exactly twenty-seven bags to make a full yard. These are great if a person have a bad back because they will aren't too heavy, but man, opening 27 individual bags is likely to get a minute.
The 1. 5 cubic foot handbag
A lot of premium potting mixes or organic garden soils arrive in this middle-of-the-road size. If you're using these, you'll need 18 bags to strike that one-yard tag. It's a bit more efficient than the small bags, and you won't have quite as much plastic waste at the particular end of the day.
The two cubic foot bag
These are usually the big males. Usually, these are the bags of mulch or the larger "value size" garden soils. When you go this particular route, you'll want 13. 5 bags . Since most shops won't let a person rip a bag in two and pay for 50%, you're better off buying 14 bags. Having a little additional soil is by no means a bad thing anyway; it constantly seems to vanish as soon as you start sowing.
Is it actually cheaper to buy bags?
This is where things get fascinating. Most people imagine buying in bulk—like having a remove truck drop a pile in your driveway—is always less expensive. But that's not always the case in the event that you only require one or two yards.
When you buy a yard of soil within bags, you're paying for the convenience. You can throw them in the back of your SUV, drive them right up towards the garden bed, plus drop them where they need to go. If you buy mass, you're often spending a delivery charge that can range from $50 to $150. If you only need one yard, that delivery fee might actually make the "cheap" bulk soil more expensive than just grabbing 14 big bags through the store.
However, once you get into the three-yard or four-yard territory, bulk is almost usually the winner . The price for each yard drops considerably, and you don't suffer from forty or fifty empty plastic bags cluttering up your trash can.
Measuring your space therefore you don't overbuy
Before you go loading up your cart, you really need in order to know how very much space you're in fact seeking to fill. It's easy to look with a raised mattress and think, "Yeah, five bags ought to do it, " only to recognize you've barely covered the underside.
The standard formula is Length x Width times Depth . But here is the particular trick: you have to do the math in foot. If your backyard bed is twelve inches deep, that's 1 foot. If it's only 6 inches deep, that's 0. 5 ft.
Let's say you possess a raised mattress that is 6 feet long, four feet wide, plus 1 foot heavy. 8 x four x 1 = 32 cubic feet. Considering that a yard is 27 cubic feet, a person need a little over one yard. If you're buying 2 cubic foot bags, you'd require 16 bags for your specific project.
Honestly, I usually tell people in order to add about 10% to whatever number they calculate . Soil settles. When a person first pour it out, it's all fluffy and full of air. Following the first big rain or after you give it a great soak with the particular hose, it's going to sink down an inch or two. There is nothing more frustrating than finishing a project and realizing you're two bags short of a level surface.
The physical actuality of moving a yard of soil
We need to probably talk regarding your car regarding a second. When you've decided that are needed 27 bags of soil to get your yard, don't try to force them all in your own trunk at once.
A single cubic foot of soil can weigh any where from 40 to 60 pounds depending on how much moisture is in it. When you're picking upward 27 bags, you're looking at over 1, 500 pounds of weight . Unless of course you're driving a heavy-duty pickup vehicle, that's going to absolutely wreck your suspension. Do your self a favor plus make two journeys, or better however, borrow a friend's truck.
Also, consider the "mess factor. " Even the greatest plastic bags normally have little tiny atmosphere holes in them, and a few of that dirt will leak out in to your carpet. If you're using the loved ones minivan, lie down a tarp first. Confidence me on this particular one; vacuuming potting soil out of car upholstery is a special kind of nightmare.
When should you skip the bags entirely?
While we've spent a lot of period figuring out how many bags is a yard of soil, there are times when you should just walk apart in the bagged aisle.
If you are filling multiple large raised beds, or in the event that you're trying in order to level out a huge low spot in your backyard, bags are going to be a massive pain. Not just is it a lot of bodily labor to lift, carry, and slice open 50+ bags, but the high quality of bagged soil can be hit or miss. Sometimes the "cheap" bagged topsoil is mostly just uncomposted wood chips and sand.
When you buy from a local landscape source yard, you can generally go go through the soil first. You can view in the event that it's dark plus crumbly or in case it looks such as literal dirt from a construction site. Plus, many locations offer a "garden mix" which is a blend of soil, compost, and maybe some sand for drainage. It's often higher high quality than the generic bags you'll find at the grocery store.
Final ideas on the handbag count
By the end of the day time, knowing how many bags is a yard of soil is just about remembering that will number 27.
- 1 cubic foot bags: 27 bags
- 1. 5 cubic foot bags: 18 bags
- two cubic foot bags: thirteen. 5 bags
If you're doing a small flower box or leading off a couple of pots, a few bags are usually perfect. If you're redoing your entire front yard, conserve your back and your own wallet and appear in to bulk delivery. Either way, just make sure you use gloves—nothing ruins a Saturday like a giant splinter through a bag of mulch or a blister from a shovel. Happy horticulture!