How much fill dirt do I need?

Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for compacted cubic yards, then add 10–20% because loose dirt shrinks when compacted. A 20 × 10 ft area filled 12 in deep is 7.41 yd³ in place; with 15% for common fill that is 8.52 loose yards, about 9 tons of moist fill.

How much does a yard of fill dirt weigh?

Loose dry dirt is about 76 lb per cubic foot (2,052 lb per yard) and loose moist dirt about 78 lb (2,106 lb per yard), per The Engineering ToolBox. Clay is much heavier: about 100 lb per cubic foot dry and 110 lb wet, close to 1.5 tons a yard.

How much does fill dirt compact?

Common earth loses about 10–15% of its loose volume when compacted into fill, heavy clay 15–25% and sandy material 5–12%, according to earthwork estimating references. The calculator adds 15% for common fill, 10% for loam and 20% for clay.

How do I calculate fill dirt for a slope?

If the fill tapers from nothing at one end to full depth at the other, its average depth is half the deepest point. Choose the slope shape: a 20 × 10 ft area that is 0 in at one end and 24 in at the other averages 12 in, the same as a 12 in deep rectangle.

How many yards of fill dirt are in a dump truck?

A typical tandem dump truck carries about 10 to 14 cubic yards of dirt, and a single-axle truck 5 to 6. Because dirt is heavy, the legal weight limit often caps the load before the bed is full — ask the hauler how many yards they deliver per load.

Sand, Soil & Mulch

Fill Dirt Calculator

Fill dirt is ordered loose and shrinks when it is compacted in place. Pick the shape — a rectangle, a round hole or a wedge that levels a slope — enter the size and the finished depth, and the calculator returns the compacted volume, the loose cubic yards to order, the weight in tons for your soil type and the number of 10-yard truckloads.

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Worked example: 20 × 10 ft area filled 12 in deep

Step	Working	Result
Compacted volume	20 × 10 × 1 ÷ 27	7.41 yd³
Add 15% for compaction (common fill)	7.41 × 1.15	8.52 yd³ loose
Weight, moist fill at 78 lb/ft³	8.52 × 27 × 78 ÷ 2,000	8.97 tons
Truckloads	8.52 ÷ 10 yd³	1 load

Weights and shrinkage by soil

Soil	Weight	Per cubic yard	Compaction allowance
Loose dry dirt	76 lb/ft³	2,052 lb	15%
Loose moist dirt	78 lb/ft³	2,106 lb	15%
Loam / sandy fill	80 lb/ft³	2,160 lb	10%
Clay, dry	100 lb/ft³	2,700 lb	20%
Clay, wet	110 lb/ft³	2,970 lb	20%

Weights are from The Engineering ToolBox's dirt and mud densities. Earthwork estimators allow about 10–15% shrink for common earth compacted into fill, 15–25% for heavy clay and 5–12% for sand and gravel; the calculator uses the middle of each range. Your supplier's scale ticket is the final word on weight.

Placing fill dirt

Strip grass, roots and topsoil first — organic material rots and leaves hollows.
Spread and compact in 4–6 in layers; one thick dump settles for years.
Finish with 4–6 in of screened soil if the area will be planted — the topsoil calculator sizes it.

Get the Gravel & Stone Calculator app for Android

Estimate gravel, stone, sand, and mulch on the job site, save projects, and share quantities with your supplier.

Get it onGoogle Play

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Frequently asked questions

How much fill dirt do I need?: Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27 for compacted cubic yards, then add 10–20% because loose dirt shrinks when compacted. A 20 × 10 ft area filled 12 in deep is 7.41 yd³ in place; with 15% for common fill that is 8.52 loose yards, about 9 tons of moist fill.
How much does a yard of fill dirt weigh?: Loose dry dirt is about 76 lb per cubic foot (2,052 lb per yard) and loose moist dirt about 78 lb (2,106 lb per yard), per The Engineering ToolBox. Clay is much heavier: about 100 lb per cubic foot dry and 110 lb wet, close to 1.5 tons a yard.
How much does fill dirt compact?: Common earth loses about 10–15% of its loose volume when compacted into fill, heavy clay 15–25% and sandy material 5–12%, according to earthwork estimating references. The calculator adds 15% for common fill, 10% for loam and 20% for clay.
How do I calculate fill dirt for a slope?: If the fill tapers from nothing at one end to full depth at the other, its average depth is half the deepest point. Choose the slope shape: a 20 × 10 ft area that is 0 in at one end and 24 in at the other averages 12 in, the same as a 12 in deep rectangle.
How many yards of fill dirt are in a dump truck?: A typical tandem dump truck carries about 10 to 14 cubic yards of dirt, and a single-axle truck 5 to 6. Because dirt is heavy, the legal weight limit often caps the load before the bed is full — ask the hauler how many yards they deliver per load.