How Many Bags of Soil for a 4x8 Raised Bed?
A 4x8 raised bed filled 1 ft deep holds 32 ft³ of soil, which is 22 × 1.5 ft³ bags at the bag size in the calculator's assumptions.
Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.
Work it out for your own sizes
Work out the soil for your own raised bed sizeSoil for a 4x8 and a 4x4 raised bed by depth and bag size
Cubic feet, cubic yards and whole bags of soil for two bed sizes at three fill depths, with no waste allowance
| Bed and fill depth | Cubic feet | Cubic yards | Bags of 1 ft³ | Bags of 1.5 ft³ | Bags of 2 ft³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 ft × 4 ft bed, 6 in deep | 8 ft³ | 0.3 yd³ | 8 bags | 6 bags | 4 bags |
| 4 ft × 4 ft bed, 8 in deep | 10.67 ft³ | 0.4 yd³ | 11 bags | 8 bags | 6 bags |
| 4 ft × 4 ft bed, 12 in deep | 16 ft³ | 0.59 yd³ | 16 bags | 11 bags | 8 bags |
| 8 ft × 4 ft bed, 6 in deep | 16 ft³ | 0.59 yd³ | 16 bags | 11 bags | 8 bags |
| 8 ft × 4 ft bed, 8 in deep | 21.33 ft³ | 0.79 yd³ | 22 bags | 15 bags | 11 bags |
| 8 ft × 4 ft bed, 12 in deep | 32 ft³ | 1.19 yd³ | 32 bags | 22 bags | 16 bags |
Estimate for planning, from what you entered and the product data shown. Check product labels and your supplier before you buy.
Each row is worked out on its own: length times width times depth, then one round-up to whole bags of each size.
What changes at other sizes
A deeper fill takes more soil for the same bed: the volume grows in step with the depth. Beds that are not four by eight take their own length and width, which the raised bed calculator works out.
How deep a fill the extensions describe
The depth can vary between gardeners, but 6 inches is the recommended minimum.
A cubic yard will cover 162 square feet 2 inches deep ... This creates a soil-and-organic mix about 8 inches deep, sufficient for adequate rooting of most vegetable plants.
Questions
How many bags of soil for a 4x8 raised bed?
The table gives whole bags at three bag sizes for three fill depths. The count changes with the bag size on your label, so pick yours in the calculator.
How many cubic feet of soil is a 4x4 bed?
The table lists the cubic feet of a 4x4 bed at three depths, worked out as length times width times the depth.
How much soil is in a bag?
The size is printed on the bag in cubic feet, and it differs by product. The calculator takes your bag size and rounds the count up once.
Calculate it for your project
Enter your own sizes to get the amount to buy or the layout figures, with the working shown and a page to print.
Raised Bed Soil CalculatorSources (2)
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Constructing Raised Beds for the Mississippi Gardener (P3087) (opens in new tab), Mississippi State University Extension, web page, no date shown (code POD-07-25).
Code or government.
“The depth can vary between gardeners, but 6 inches is the recommended minimum.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 1) -
Raised Bed Gardening (FS 270) (opens in new tab), Oregon State University Extension Service, revised September 2020, reviewed 2024.
Code or government.
“A cubic yard will cover 162 square feet 2 inches deep ... This creates a soil-and-organic mix about 8 inches deep, sufficient for adequate rooting of most vegetable plants.”
Checked November 12, 2026. Figures and codes change; verify with the source. Back to where this is used (Source 2)
These are summaries of what the sources say, not professional advice. Codes and product data change. Check with your building department and the product label about your own project.