Estimate Dirt Yardage: Calculate for Soil, Fill & Topsoil

Estimate dirt yardage easily with this calculator — the quickest way to find out exactly how much dirt, soil, or fill material your project requires.

Estimating dirt volume by eye often leads to ordering too much or too little — wasting time, money, and energy. With an accurate calculator, you can plan deliveries, budget costs, and ensure the perfect amount of material for any project.

Why Accurate Dirt Estimates Matter

A project that requires soil or fill dirt often depends on precise volume planning. Ordering too little dirt leaves low spots and delays progress, while overordering wastes both material and delivery costs. Accurate estimates are crucial for:

• Preventing shortages or excess materials
• Ensuring proper leveling and grading
• Managing hauling and truckload limits
• Budgeting for both material and transportation
• Reducing environmental waste

Whether you’re a homeowner landscaping your backyard or a contractor managing a large site, knowing how to calculate dirt yardage is an essential skill.

Understanding What a Cubic Yard Means

Dirt and other bulk materials are usually sold by the cubic yard — not by the bag or the cubic foot. One cubic yard represents a cube that measures 3 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet deep, or 27 cubic feet total.

When you’re working with large areas like lawns, foundations, or garden beds, cubic yards provide a consistent measurement that helps you compare costs and quantities between suppliers.

Here’s a quick conversion guide:

• 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
• 1 cubic foot = 0.037 cubic yards
• 1 cubic yard = roughly the amount that fits in a standard small pickup truck bed filled level

How to Estimate Dirt Yardage Manually

If you ever need to do the math by hand, use this simple formula:

Cubic Yards = (Length in feet × Width in feet × Depth in inches ÷ 12) ÷ 27

This converts your area into cubic feet and then divides by 27 to convert to cubic yards.

Example:
Let’s say your project area is 30 feet long and 20 feet wide, with a desired fill depth of 6 inches.
Step 1: Convert depth to feet → 6 ÷ 12 = 0.5 feet
Step 2: Multiply → 30 × 20 × 0.5 = 300 cubic feet
Step 3: Divide → 300 ÷ 27 = 11.1 cubic yards

You would need approximately 11.1 cubic yards of dirt. It’s best to round up slightly to account for measurement variation, so you’d order around 12 cubic yards.

If you don’t want to crunch the numbers manually, you can use our Dirt Yardage Calculator to instantly compute cubic yards, tons, and even include compaction adjustments.

Accounting for Compaction and Settling

Dirt doesn’t stay perfectly loose once it’s placed and compacted. Depending on the soil type and moisture content, it can settle significantly after being spread or tamped. To compensate for this natural settling, you should always add an adjustment factor:

• +10% for loose fill or topsoil
• +20% for heavy compaction (e.g., clay or construction backfill)
• Custom % for unique soil mixes or highly compacted jobs

For example, if your base calculation shows 10 cubic yards but you expect heavy compaction, multiply 10 × 1.20 = 12 cubic yards.

Our Dirt Yardage Calculator automatically includes this adjustment feature — just select your compaction rate or enter your own custom percentage.

Different Types of Dirt and Their Uses

Not all dirt is created equal. The right material depends on your project’s purpose — structural fill, landscaping, or gardening. Understanding the main soil types will help you order the correct kind and estimate more accurately.

Type	Description	Ideal Use	Density (lb per cubic yard)
Fill Dirt	Subsoil with little organic matter; stable and dense	Backfill, leveling, foundations	2,700–3,000
Topsoil	Rich surface soil with nutrients	Gardens, lawns, landscaping	2,000–2,400
Clay Dirt	Very dense, poor drainage	Pond liners, retaining areas	3,000–3,300
Sand or Sandy Fill	Loose, well-draining	Pavers, patios, base layers	2,600–2,800
Compost or Garden Mix	Organic and nutrient-rich	Raised beds, planters	1,400–1,600

• Screened Dirt is sifted to remove rocks and debris, ideal for gardens or lawns.
• Unscreened Dirt is raw fill dirt used mainly for leveling or construction projects.

Different densities mean that each soil type weighs differently per cubic yard, which is why your calculator also converts yardage to weight (in tons).

Converting Cubic Yards to Tons

Suppliers often sell bulk dirt by the ton, especially for large deliveries. Converting cubic yards to tons depends on the soil’s density. Use this simple formula:

Tons = (Cubic Yards × Density in lb per cubic yard) ÷ 2000

For example, if you have 10 cubic yards of fill dirt at 2,800 lb per cubic yard:
(10 × 2,800) ÷ 2000 = 14 tons

When ordering from a supplier, knowing both the cubic yards and the approximate weight helps you choose the right truck size and stay within hauling limits. Most dump trucks carry about 10 to 14 cubic yards depending on material weight.

How to Use the Dirt Yardage Calculator

Follow these simple steps to get precise results:

1. Enter the length and width of your project area in feet.
2. Enter the depth of dirt needed in inches.
3. Select your material type — topsoil, fill dirt, clay, sand, compost, or custom.
4. Choose a compaction factor (none, +10%, +20%, or custom).
5. Click “Calculate.”
6. Instantly view your results in both cubic yards and tons.
7. Optionally enter a cost per yard or per ton to estimate total cost.

This calculator automatically adjusts for compaction and weight differences between soil types, ensuring a more accurate estimate than manual math alone.

Common Mistakes When Estimating Dirt Yardage

Even experienced contractors can make errors that affect accuracy. Avoid these common pitfalls:

1. Forgetting to convert inches to feet. Depth must always be divided by 12.
2. Ignoring compaction. Dirt always settles — plan accordingly.
3. Mixing measurement units. Stay consistent in feet and inches.
4. Overlooking slope or uneven ground. Average your depth measurements.
5. Not rounding up. Always order slightly extra for waste and settling.

Pro Tips for More Accurate Estimates

• Measure at multiple points and calculate the average depth.
• For uneven terrain, divide the area into smaller sections and add them up.
• If possible, check local soil densities with your supplier — moisture content can vary significantly.
• Order slightly more than calculated (about 5–10%) to avoid shortages.
• Use a Dirt Yardage Calculator before calling for delivery to ensure accurate truckload planning.

Conclusion

Estimating soil, fill, or topsoil doesn’t have to be complicated. The Dirt Yardage Calculator gives you fast, accurate results — helping you save money, reduce waste, and avoid extra trips to the supplier. Whether you’re preparing a backyard garden, grading a construction site, or filling around a foundation, accurate dirt estimates make every project smoother from start to finish.