Estimate fill dirt in cubic yards, tons and dump truck loads. Enter your dimensions, pick the material, and get the three numbers suppliers actually quote.
Truckloads assume a 14-yard tandem dump truck. Add 10% for waste and up to 20% for compaction on deep fills.
The formula is length times width times depth in feet, divided by 27:
Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards
For example, a 20 by 15 foot area filled 6 inches deep is 20 × 15 × 0.5 ÷ 27 = 5.56 cubic yards. Convert the depth from inches to feet first by dividing by 12, so 6 inches becomes 0.5 feet.
The number you calculate is the raw hole you need to fill. The number you actually order should be bigger, for two reasons:
Waste and spreading: plan on about 10% extra for material that spills, blows away or stays stuck in the truck. Compaction: loose fill dirt settles as it compacts and absorbs water — add 15% to 25% for anything deeper than a few inches, especially if you will drive or build on it. For a 5.56-yard raw number, order 7 yards rather than 6.
Tons measure weight and cubic yards measure volume, so the conversion depends on the material. Use these figures to estimate the tonnage for ordering:
| Material | Tons per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| Fill dirt (dry) | 1.2 – 1.3 |
| Select fill | 1.2 – 1.4 |
| Topsoil | 1.0 – 1.2 |
| Sand (dry) | 1.3 – 1.4 |
A yard of dirt is not equal to a ton. One cubic yard of fill dirt weighs roughly 1.2 to 1.3 tons, so a ton is only about 0.75 to 0.8 of a yard.
Coverage depends on how thick you spread it. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so the thinner the layer, the more area it covers:
| Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
| 8 inches | 40 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft |
Dump trucks come in different sizes, and suppliers usually have a minimum delivery. Here is what each truck hauls:
| Truck Type | Cubic Yards per Load |
|---|---|
| Single axle | 10 yards |
| Tandem axle | 14 yards |
| Tri-axle | 16 yards |
Most residential fill dirt deliveries use a 10 or 14 yard truck. If your project is only 2 or 3 yards, ask about a "short load" or split a delivery with a neighbor — you still pay for the full trip.
They are different materials for different jobs. Fill dirt is the subsoil below the surface with little organic matter — use it for raising, leveling and backfilling. Topsoil is the dark organic top layer plants grow in — use it as the finished surface on lawns and beds. The rule is simple: fill dirt underneath, topsoil on top. If you are filling a garden bed, see the soil calculator instead.
10 × 10 patio base, 6 inches deep: 10 × 10 × 0.5 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards. Order 2 yards of fill dirt.
40 × 20 backyard, 6 inches deep: 40 × 20 × 0.5 ÷ 27 = 14.8 cubic yards, or about 1 tandem truckload.
40 × 20 sloped yard, 18 inches at the low end: average the depth to 9 inches, so 40 × 20 × 0.75 ÷ 27 = 22.2 cubic yards. Order 25 yards with compaction.
Foundation backfill, 30-foot wall: measure the trench as a box, add 20% for compaction, and round up to the next full truckload.
Multiply length by width by depth in feet, then divide by 27. Convert the depth from inches to feet first by dividing by 12.
No. A cubic yard of fill dirt weighs roughly 1.2 to 1.3 tons, so a ton is only about 0.75 to 0.8 of a cubic yard.
At 4 inches deep, one cubic yard covers 81 square feet. At 6 inches it covers 54 square feet, and at 12 inches it covers 27 square feet.
Divide your cubic yards by the truck size. A tandem dump truck hauls 14 yards, so 28 yards is exactly 2 truckloads. Round up for partial loads.