Calculators · Dirt Calculator
LandscapingDirt Calculator
Measure an area, trench or hole to get the cubic yards, cubic feet and tons of dirt or fill dirt, with optional swell and compaction.
Dirt needed
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How to calculate how much dirt you need
Dirt is ordered by volume, in cubic yards. Work out the volume in cubic feet, then divide by 27, because one cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft. If you measure the depth in inches, divide it by 12 to get feet first. You can also type a measurement like 10'6" or 10 ft 6 in in any box.
| Shape | Volume in cubic feet |
|---|---|
| Area or rectangular hole | length × width × depth |
| Trench | length × width × depth × number of trenches |
| Round hole or circular area | π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth |
| Area you already know | area in square feet × depth |
Odd-shaped spots are easiest in pieces. In the “Area × depth” tab, add one area for each rectangle or circle. Each area has its own depth, so a deep corner and a shallow slope can go in the same calculation.
Examples: common holes, trenches and areas
| Job | Operation | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Square hole, 4 ft × 4 ft, 3 ft deep | 4 × 4 × 3 | 48 ft³ = 1.78 yd³ |
| Round hole, 3 ft across, 3 ft deep | π × 1.5² × 3 | 21.21 ft³ = 0.79 yd³ |
| Hole, 10 ft × 10 ft, 2 ft deep | 10 × 10 × 2 | 200 ft³ = 7.41 yd³ |
| Trench, 50 ft long, 2 ft wide, 3 ft deep | 50 × 2 × 3 | 300 ft³ = 11.11 yd³ |
| Low spot, 20 ft × 10 ft, 6 in deep | 20 × 10 × 0.5 | 100 ft³ = 3.70 yd³ |
Bank, loose and compacted dirt: swell and shrink
The same dirt takes up different room depending on its state. Bank yards are the soil in the ground, before it is dug. A hole is measured in bank yards. Once dug, the soil is loose and swells, because digging adds air between the particles. Loose yards are what a truck carries. When you pack that soil down as fill, it is compacted and can take up less room than it did in the ground.
The calculator can apply this if you choose a soil type under “Swell and compaction”. The factors come from the US Army field manual FM 5-434, Earthmoving Operations (June 2000, table 1-1, checked October 2026). Swell is the bank-to-loose factor minus 1, and shrink is 1 minus the bank-to-compacted factor. Both boxes stay editable, and empty means no adjustment.
| Soil | 1 bank yd³ becomes loose | 1 bank yd³ becomes compacted | 1 compacted yd³ becomes loose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sand or gravel | 1.11 (swell 11%) | 0.95 (shrink 5%) | 1.17 |
| Loam (common earth) | 1.25 (swell 25%) | 0.90 (shrink 10%) | 1.39 |
| Clay | 1.43 (swell 43%) | 0.90 (shrink 10%) | 1.59 |
These are averages for common materials. The manual calls these average factors, and its weight table says an exact weight needs a test on a sample. That weight table (table 1-2) lists a swell of 15 to 35 percent for dry loam or silt and 40 percent for clay, so its two tables do not match to the digit. For fill that must be compacted, the right factor is whatever your engineer or supplier specifies. One supplier, Soil Depot, says roughly 15 to 25 percent extra loose material for structural fill compacted in lifts.
Example: dig and refill a 10 ft by 10 ft hole, 2 feet deep
The hole is 200 cubic feet, or 7.41 cubic yards. The soil is loam, so use the loam factors: swell 25 percent and shrink 10 percent. Weight is 2,200 pounds per loose cubic yard. The factors and the weight are examples to show the steps. Use your own.
| Question | Operation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| How much dirt do I haul away? | 7.4074 yd³ in place × 1.25 | 9.26 loose yd³ |
| What does that weigh? | 9.2593 × 2,200 lb ÷ 2,000 | 10.19 tons |
| How much room does it take as compacted fill? | 7.4074 × 0.90 | 6.67 compacted yd³ |
| How much loose dirt to refill it compacted? | 7.4074 × 1.25 ÷ 0.90 | 10.29 loose yd³ |
| What does that weigh? | 10.2881 × 2,200 lb ÷ 2,000 | 11.32 tons |
The refill line uses the second option under “My measured volume is”. The calculator divides by the shrink factor to get the bank volume that fills the space once compacted, then multiplies by the swell factor to get the loose volume a truck delivers.
How much does dirt weigh?
Some suppliers sell dirt by the ton, so the calculator also gives the weight. It uses the short ton of 2,000 pounds and a weight per loose cubic yard. Pick the value closest to your supplier's figure or type your own.
| Material | Pounds per cubic yard | Source (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt | about 2,200 | Hello Gravel, supplier product page |
| Fill dirt | 2,300 to 2,700 (1.15 to 1.35 tons) | Soil Depot, supplier, loose delivered |
| Earth (loam or silt), dry, loose | 1,900 to 2,200 | FM 5-434, table 1-2 |
| Earth (loam or silt), wet, loose | 2,800 to 3,200 | |
| Clay, dry, loose | 1,700 to 2,000 | |
| Clay, wet, loose | 2,400 to 3,000 |
Moisture matters a lot, as the wet and dry rows show. The same manual lists the in-place (bank) weight of dry loam or silt as 2,180 to 2,980 pounds per cubic yard, which is higher than the loose weight because the soil is packed tighter before it is dug. That is why the calculator weighs the loose volume when you use the swell factor. For lawns and planting beds, see the topsoil calculator, and to convert a weight you already have into yards, use the tons to cubic yards calculator.
How many truckloads of dirt?
Type the capacity of your truck in the “Truck capacity” box and the calculator divides the loose volume by it and rounds up. No capacity is filled in on purpose. The sources we checked give different numbers for a standard tandem dump truck. Soil Depot says about 10 to 18 cubic yards, and SubcontractorHub, the calculator of a contractor software company, says 10 to 14. The second site also notes that a load of heavy or wet soil can reach the legal weight limit before the bed is full. Ask the hauler for the capacity and the weight they will carry.
Dirt, fill dirt and topsoil
Suppliers describe fill dirt as native subsoil that varies by location, used for grading, backfill and raising low spots. Topsoil is listed as screened natural soil for grading and landscaping. If you are filling a hole or building up a pad, this calculator is the one to use. For gravel and stone under a pad, use the gravel calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate how much dirt I need?
Multiply length by width by depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet. Then divide by 27 to get cubic yards, because one cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. If the depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first. A round hole uses π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth instead.
How much dirt do I need to fill a hole 10 feet by 10 feet and 2 feet deep?
The hole is 10 × 10 × 2 = 200 cubic feet, which is 7.41 cubic yards. That is the volume of the empty space. If you refill it with loose dirt that will be compacted, you need more than that, so see the swell and compaction section.
How much does a cubic yard of dirt weigh?
It depends on the soil and its moisture. Hello Gravel lists about 2,200 pounds per cubic yard for fill dirt, and Soil Depot gives 1.15 to 1.35 tons. The US Army field manual FM 5-434 lists 1,900 to 2,200 pounds for dry loam or silt in the loose state and 2,800 to 3,200 pounds for wet. Use the figure on your supplier ticket.
What is the difference between bank, loose and compacted cubic yards?
Bank yards are the soil in the ground, before it is dug. Loose yards are the same soil after it is dug, which takes up more room, and it is what a truck carries. Compacted yards are the soil packed down as fill, which takes up less room than it did in the ground. FM 5-434 gives 1.25 loose and 0.90 compacted cubic yards for each bank cubic yard of loam.
How much extra fill dirt should I order for compaction?
There is no single standard. Soil Depot says roughly 15 to 25 percent extra for fill compacted in lifts, and SubcontractorHub, the calculator of a contractor software company, says 20 to 25 percent for structural fill. The Army table for loam is 1.39 loose cubic yards for each compacted cubic yard. Your engineer or supplier knows the compaction your job needs, so ask them and type the factors in the calculator.
How many cubic yards of dirt fit in a dump truck?
It varies by truck, and the sources we checked disagree. Soil Depot says a standard tandem carries about 10 to 18 cubic yards and SubcontractorHub, the calculator of a contractor software company, says 10 to 14. SubcontractorHub also points out that the weight limit can be reached before the bed is full. Ask your hauler for the capacity and the legal load, then type it into the truck box.
Should I use the dirt calculator or the topsoil calculator?
Use this calculator to fill a low spot, backfill a trench or haul away what you dig. Use the topsoil calculator for a new lawn or a planting bed, where you want a layer of topsoil at a set depth. The volume formula is the same.
More calculators
- Topsoil Calculator Calculate the cubic yards and tons of topsoil for a lawn, raised bed or garden.
- Tons to Cubic Yards Calculator Convert tons to cubic yards (and back) for gravel, topsoil, asphalt and your own density.
- Gravel Calculator Calculate the cubic yards and tons of gravel for a driveway, path or base.