Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
What Is a Cubic Yard of Soil?
What Is a Cubic Yard of Soil?. Soil, especially topsoil, is a valuable commodity. It is bought and sold by volume rather than by weight. The standard units of volume are the cubic yard and the cubic foot. Builders may refer to a cubic yard as a "yard of soil."
Soil, especially topsoil, is a valuable commodity. It is bought and sold by volume rather than by weight. The standard units of volume are the cubic yard and the cubic foot. Builders may refer to a cubic yard as a "yard of soil."
Volume
One cubic yard is the volume contained within a cube with sides 3 feet long. It is equivalent to 27 cubic feet. One scoop of an excavator bucket contains half a cubic yard, so a cubic yard is also known as "two scoops."
Weight
Moisture content, stones and the type of rock from which the soil is made influence the weight of soil. A cubic yard of topsoil weighs an average of 2,700 lbs. -- dry sand weighs the same -- but compact wet sandy soil weighs about 3,200 lbs. per cubic yard, according to data provided by the Department of Ecology in Washington state.
Coverage
Vegetable gardens require a minimum depth of 10 to 12 inches of topsoil. One cubic yard of topsoil is enough to create a vegetable patch measuring 27 to 33 square feet. It is also enough soil to support a lawn measuring 81 square feet.
