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Compost Calculator — How Much Compost You Need

~15 seconds

Enter your garden area and the depth of compost you want to apply. The calculator returns the compost volume in cubic feet and cubic yards.

What this calculator determines

It calculates the compost volume needed to cover a garden area at the depth you choose, returning cubic feet, cubic yards, and liters.

Related calculators

Examples

150 sq ft, 2 in deep

150 sq ft × 2 in

Calculation

  1. Depth: 2 ÷ 12 = 0.167 ft
  2. Volume: 150 × 0.167 = 25 cu ft
  3. Cubic yards: 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93

25 cu ft (0.93 cu yd)

Assumptions & Conventions

Volume basis
Volume = area × depth, with depth entered in inches and converted to feet.
Unit conversions
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; 1 cubic foot = 28.3168 liters.
Application rate
The right depth depends on your soil and goals — enter the depth you have decided to apply, not a universal rate.

Frequently asked questions