YardBatch field guide
Raised-bed soil volumes for common sizes
Use these worked examples to check your measurements, not as a substitute for them.
YardBatch · Published September 25, 2026
Raised-bed volume comes from its interior length, interior width, and the depth of soil you want to add. A bed described as “4 by 8” may have less usable space inside its frame. Measure the open soil area before using a chart or placing an order.
Volumes at a 12-inch fill depth
At a depth of 12 inches, the depth is exactly one foot. That makes cubic feet equal to the numerical value of the bed’s area in square feet. These examples assume rectangular interiors, no existing soil, and no extra allowance.
| Length × width | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 × 2 ft | 8 | 0.296 | 4 |
| 4 × 4 ft | 16 | 0.593 | 8 |
| 6 × 3 ft | 18 | 0.667 | 9 |
| 8 × 4 ft | 32 | 1.185 | 16 |
| 10 × 4 ft | 40 | 1.481 | 20 |
Change the fill depth
For 6 inches, halve the listed volume. For 18 inches, multiply it by 1.5. For any other depth, multiply the cubic feet shown by the actual depth in inches divided by 12. These are volume adjustments, not recommendations for how deeply a particular plant should be grown.
Example: topping up an 8 × 4 bed
If the bed needs only 3 inches of additional soil, calculate 8 × 4 × 3 ÷ 12 = 8 cubic feet. Four 2-cubic-foot bags supply that volume. Ordering the full 32 cubic feet from the chart would be four times the amount needed for this top-up.
Account for several beds
For identical beds, multiply the volume by the bed count. For different sizes or depths, calculate each bed separately, add the cubic feet, and round to whole bags at the end. Rounding each bed independently can overstate the total if leftover material can be shared.
Volume does not choose the soil mix
This chart does not determine the appropriate growing medium, drainage, amendments, or how much settling to expect. Obtain suitable guidance for your plants and product. If your supplier recommends an extra volume for a particular mix, enter that as a visible allowance in the calculator.
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