Topsoil strip & stockpile volume calculator.
Calculate topsoil strip volume and the stockpile footprint you'll need. Enter the area and strip depth for each row, & this topsoil calculator will find the total volume, then size however many conical stockpiles you choose using your angle of repose and bulking factor. A shallower angle needs a wider footprint for the same volume. This calculator assumes equal, simple conical piles, not a substitute for a site-specific stockpile plan. Convert bank volume to loose first with our Soil Bulking & Swell Factor calculator if you need to check the bulking factor.
Drop an Excel or CSV file or to replace the table below.
Column A: area description. Column B: area to strip for that row. Strip depth (column C) defaults to 150 mm if not supplied.
Parsed entirely in your browser — your file is never uploaded to our servers.
| Area | Area (m²) | Strip depth (mm) | Strip volume (m³) | Row actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | ||||
| — | ||||
| — |
How we calculate this.
Calculate topsoil strip volume and the stockpile footprint you'll need. Enter the area and strip depth for each row, & this topsoil calculator will find the total volume, then size however many conical stockpiles you choose using your angle of repose and bulking factor. A shallower angle needs a wider footprint for the same volume. This calculator assumes equal, simple conical piles, not a substitute for a site-specific stockpile plan. Convert bank volume to loose first with our Soil Bulking & Swell Factor calculator if you need to check the bulking factor.
For each row: strip volume = area × strip depth. Every row's volume is summed into a site total V, bulked to a loose volume V_loose = V × bulking factor, then split evenly across N stockpiles: V_pile = V_loose ÷ N. For a single conical stockpile of volume V_pile at a shared angle of repose θ: radius r = (3 × V_pile ÷ (π × tan θ))^(1/3), height h = r × tan θ, total footprint = N × π r².
| Assumption | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Default angle of repose | 35 degrees | Typical loose soil/topsoil range is roughly 30–45° depending on moisture content and material — general geotechnical materials-handling references. Confirm for large or unusual stockpiles. |
| Default bulking / swell factor | 1.25 ratio | Stripped topsoil settles looser than its in-situ (bank) volume; a typical loose swell factor is roughly 1.20–1.30 depending on moisture content and material — general earthworks materials-handling references. Confirm for your material. |
| Stockpile count | N equal conical stockpiles, default 1 | The site total strip volume is bulked by the swell factor, then divided evenly across N stockpiles — each sized as its own cone from that per-pile volume, not one pile per row. |
This is an early-appraisal planning estimate, not a quotation or a substitute for a surveyed takeoff. Last reviewed 5 Aug 2026.
It depends on the site — typical UK topsoil strip depths are commonly 150–300 mm, but always confirm against a site investigation, since depth varies by location.
This calculator sums every row's strip volume into one bulked site total, splits it evenly across your chosen number of stockpiles, then assumes each is a symmetric cone at your chosen angle of repose and solves the standard cone-volume formula for radius, then derives height and footprint from that radius.
A shallower angle (drier, more free-flowing material) needs a wider footprint for the same volume; a steeper angle needs less area but more height. 30–35° is a reasonable default for topsoil — adjust for your actual material if you know it.
Bulked (loose) volume — once stripped, topsoil no longer sits at its in-situ density and occupies more space, typically 20–30% more. Sizing a stockpile from the in-situ volume alone will undersize the footprint you actually need to book.
It splits the bulked total volume across every row evenly into however many stockpiles you set — not a separate pile per row. If your piles genuinely aren't equal in size, run this calculator once per pile with only the relevant rows.
Yes — click or drop an Excel (.xlsx/.xls) or CSV file onto the upload area. The first column should be an item name and the second the measurement for that row; extra columns this calculator uses are read too if present. The file is parsed entirely in your browser — it's never uploaded to our servers. Download the blank template first if you're not sure of the layout.
Yes — use the metric/imperial switch above the calculator. Values you've already entered convert automatically; nothing is lost switching back and forth.
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