How to Measure a Yard of Topsoil for a Backyard
A "yard of topsoil" technically refers to a cubic yard, an expression of volume equivalent to 27 cubic feet. In order to measure a yard of topsoil for your backyard, you will need to know the area and depth of the space you wish to cover. Take all measurements in feet. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Measuring an Area with no Curvature
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1
Take your tape measure or yard stick and measure one side of the area you wish to cover.
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2
Take your tape measure or yard stick and measure the other side of the area.
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3
Multiply the two measurements to get the area in square feet.
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4
Take the area you just calculated and multiply it by the desired depth (3 feet). This will give you the number of cubic feet you will need to cover.
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5
Divide the number of cubic feet you will need by 27 to determine how many cubic yards of topsoil you will need to cover the area.
Measuring a Circular Area
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6
Take your wooden post and place it in the middle of the circular area.
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7
Take a piece of string and tie one end of it to the wooden post. Take the other end of the string to the edge of the circle and measure the length of the string. This will give you the radius of the circle.
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Square the measurement of the radius by multiplying the measurement of the radius by itself. Then, multiply that number by pi (3.14) to determine the area of the circle.
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9
Multiply the area of the circle by the desired depth of the topsoil to determine how many cubic feet you will need.
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10
Divide the area by 27 to determine how many cubic yards of topsoil you will need to cover that area.
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Tips & Warnings
Topsoil will settle, so it's best to overestimate the depth you will need to accommodate. If you have an area that is sloped you will need to accommodate for varying depths. This can be easily accomplished by dividing the area you intend to measure into smaller, more manageable, sections and adding them together at the end.
If you plan on picking up the topsoil yourself, you will need to be conscious of your vehicle's maximum weight capacity. A yard of topsoil can weigh anywhere from half a ton to almost a full ton depending on its moisture content.
