Free Backfill Dirt Calculator – Estimate Cost & Volume

This Backfill Dirt Calculator helps you estimate how much fill material you’ll need—accurately and instantly.

Whether you’re filling a trench, backfilling around a foundation, leveling a yard, or pouring a patio base, ordering the correct amount of soil or gravel is critical. Order too little and you’ll face delays and expensive second deliveries. Order too much and you’ve paid for material you didn’t need. This calculator solves that problem by converting your project dimensions into cubic yards, tons, loose yardage, and even estimated material and delivery cost.

Why Backfill Volume Really Matters

Anytime you dig soil out of the ground, it expands and becomes aerated. Then, when you place that soil back into the hole—or replace it with gravel, sand, clay, or fill dirt—it settles and compacts. That means the amount of loose material you need is NOT the same as the final compacted volume.

A small mistake of just 10–15% can mean:

• A second delivery (and a second delivery charge)
• Project delays
• Wheelbarrow hauling or machine rental the next day
• Uneven settling after rain or weight load
• Structural problems for patios, driveways, retaining walls, or footings

This is why professional estimators calculate:
✅ Final compacted volume
✅ Loose material needed before compaction
✅ Material weight in tons
✅ Truckloads needed to move it

Our calculator does all of that automatically.

How Backfill Volume Is Measured

Backfill is typically measured in three different ways:

Measurement Type	Used For	Why It Matters
Cubic Feet	Raw excavation or hole size	Good for measuring small projects
Cubic Yards	Ordering bulk material	Most suppliers sell by cubic yard
Tons	Gravel, crushed stone, clay, sand	Weight determines pricing & truck limits

✅ Converting Units

Most backfill questions start like this:

“How many cubic yards do I need?”

To find that, you convert cubic feet to cubic yards:

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet

So if your hole has 270 cubic feet of volume:

270 ÷ 27 = 10 cubic yards

But that’s only the compacted amount. When you add compaction, loose volume becomes larger.

Example with 20% compaction factor:

Compacted Volume: 10 cubic yards
Loose Volume: 10 × 1.20 = 12 cubic yards

Order 12 cubic yards, not 10 — otherwise the surface will sink after the soil settles.

This is where most DIYers underestimate their material needs. Our calculator prevents that by applying a compaction factor automatically.

Backfill Materials and Their Densities

Not all fill weighs the same. One cubic yard of fluffy topsoil weighs far less than one cubic yard of gravel or clay. This matters when pricing material and calculating truck capacity.

Here are common backfill materials and their approximate densities:

Material	Typical Use	Approx. Weight (tons per cubic yard)
Fill Dirt	General backfill, leveling	1.3
Compacted Dirt	Base layers, under structures	1.6
Topsoil	Landscaping, gardens	1.1 – 1.3
Sand	Drainage, pavers, pipes	1.35
Gravel	Driveways, retaining walls, foundations	1.5
Crushed Stone	Road bases, structural support	1.6
Clay	Pond lining, sealing, retaining	1.65

Because your supplier may quote prices per cubic yard or per ton, our Backfill Dirt Calculator shows both.

Example:
If you need 14 loose cubic yards of gravel:

14 yd³ × 1.5 tons/yd³ = 21 tons

If gravel costs $40 per ton, that’s:

21 tons × $40 = $840 in material

And if delivery is $75, total becomes $915.

With our calculator, you don’t need to do any of this math by hand.

Why Compaction Changes Everything

Here’s the part most people don’t realize:

When dirt comes out of the ground, it’s compact and dense.
When you put it back, it contains air pockets—and it settles.

That’s why you always need MORE loose soil than the final compacted volume.

Typical compaction factors:

Compaction Level	Multiplier	When It’s Used
Light (1.10)	Grass areas, light traffic	Topsoil, garden fill
Medium (1.20)	Most construction sites	Fill dirt, sand, loose soil
Heavy (1.30)	Load-bearing areas	Driveways, patios, foundations

Example:
You’re backfilling a trench that needs 10 compacted cubic yards.

• Light compaction → order 11 yards
• Medium compaction → order 12 yards
• Heavy compaction → order 13 yards

A one-yard difference might not sound like much—but if a dump truck costs $200–$500 per delivery, a miscalculation becomes expensive fast.

This is why we added compaction factors directly into the calculator.

How to Use the Backfill Dirt Calculator (Step-by-Step)

One of the advantages of this Backfill Dirt Calculator is that it works for nearly any project and doesn’t require any math on your part. Just enter the dimensions you know, select your material, and the calculator does the rest.

Here’s how to use it correctly:

✅ Step 1 — Choose the Shape of Your Project Area

Different projects have different geometries, so the calculator allows you to choose:

• Rectangle / Square – patios, foundations, raised areas, yards, driveways
• Circle (Cylinder) – wells, tanks, round ponds, post holes
• Trench – electrical conduit, irrigation, water lines, sprinkler systems

Choosing the right shape ensures accurate volume calculation.

✅ Step 2 — Enter Length, Width, or Diameter

Depending on the shape selected:

• Rectangle/Trench → Length & Width
• Circle → Diameter

Enter all dimensions in feet.

Example:
If you are installing a circular above-ground pool base that is 22 feet wide, enter:

• Shape: Circle
• Diameter: 22 ft

✅ Step 3 — Enter Depth

Depth can be entered in inches or feet, depending on how you measure.

For example:

• 6-inch layer of gravel under a shed → enter 6 inches
• 2-foot backfill around a foundation → enter 2 feet

The calculator automatically converts inches to feet internally.

✅ Step 4 — Select Backfill Material

Different backfill materials have different densities, which change the total weight in tons and cost.

Options include:

• Fill dirt
• Compacted dirt
• Sand
• Gravel
• Crushed stone
• Clay
• Custom density (for special materials)

If you are not sure what density to choose, “Fill Dirt (1.3 tons/yd³)” is the most common default for general backfill projects.

✅ Step 5 — Select a Compaction Factor

This is where the calculator becomes more accurate than most others online.

You can choose:

• No compaction (1.00)
• Light (1.10)
• Medium (1.20)
• Heavy (1.30)
• Custom

If you’re working under a driveway, patio, or structure, medium or heavy compaction is recommended.

✅ Step 6 — (Optional) Add Cost Per Yard, Ton, or Delivery Fee

If you know the pricing from your supplier:

• Enter cost per cubic yard
• Or cost per ton
• And add a delivery fee if applicable

The calculator will instantly show total estimated cost.

If you leave these blank, the calculator will simply provide volumes and weights with no cost output.

✅ Step 7 — Click “Calculate”

Your results will include:

• Compacted Volume (final fill volume)
• Loose Yardage (amount you must order)
• Tons of material needed
• Estimated cost
• Truckload equivalents in 10, 12, and 16 cubic yard trucks

Most people are surprised to learn how much volume increases after compaction.

How to Estimate the Cost of Backfill Dirt

Understanding volume is only half the equation—your budget matters just as much. Fill dirt, sand, gravel, and crushed stone are generally sold either by the cubic yard or by the ton. Each supplier prices differently, which is why this calculator allows both pricing methods.

Here’s how pricing is commonly structured:

Pricing Method	When Suppliers Use It	Best For
Cost per cubic yard	Topsoil, fill dirt, clean fill	Homeowners, landscapers
Cost per ton	Gravel, sand, clay, crushed stone	Driveways, structural backfill
Delivery fee	Each truckload	Small and large projects

A realistic estimate should include material and delivery.

Typical Price Ranges (by Material)

Prices vary based on location, distance, and availability, but here are average U.S. ranges:

Material	Price per Cubic Yard	Price per Ton
Fill Dirt	$10 – $25	$8 – $15
Topsoil	$18 – $50	$15 – $25
Sand	$15 – $35	$20 – $45
Gravel	$25 – $55	$30 – $65
Crushed Stone	$30 – $75	$35 – $90
Clay	$10 – $40	$20 – $45

How the Calculator Uses Prices to Estimate Cost

If you enter:

• Cost per cubic yard → The calculator multiplies by loose yardage
• Cost per ton → The calculator multiplies by tons required
• Delivery cost → Adds it as a flat fee

You see both yard-based and ton-based pricing so you can compare quotes.

Understanding Truckloads

Suppliers rarely deliver small amounts. Most use dump trucks that carry between 8 and 16 cubic yards. The calculator estimates truckloads using three common truck sizes:

Truck Size	Typical Use
10-yard truck	Most local deliveries
12-yard truck	Commercial or heavy fill
16-yard truck	Large construction, long hauls

Conclusion

Whether you’re a homeowner leveling a backyard or a contractor preparing for a foundation pour, getting the right amount of backfill is critical. Too much wastes money, too little delays the project. The Backfill Dirt Calculator removes the guesswork and gives you numbers you can trust—cubic yards, tons, loose vs compacted volume, truckloads, and even cost estimates.

💡 Try the calculator now.
Enter a few simple measurements and get instant results. You’ll know exactly how much material to order—and how much it will cost—before you pick up the phone.