Dirt Calculator (Fill Dirt)

Fill dirt for levelling, holes and raising ground: cubic yards or m³ and tons or tonnes, with extra for settling and compaction built in.

Fill dirt is subsoil without much organic matter, used to fill holes, build up low ground and raise the level for a patio or driveway. It isn't for growing: use topsoil for the top few inches if you want grass or plants. Fill dirt compacts as it settles or is rolled, often by 10 to 25%, so this calculator adds 15% by default. Enter the area and the depth to fill and it gives the volume in cubic yards or m³ and the weight in tons or tonnes. A 20 × 10 ft area raised 6 inches takes 100 cubic feet, about 3.7 cubic yards, or 4.3 yards with 15% extra.

Units
Bag sizes
Area
ft
ft
in
Feet and inches work too: type 12'6 or 12.5.
t/yd³
%
Fill dirt compacts, so allow 10–25% extra.
Volume
2.56 yd³

69 ft³ · 1.954 m³

Weight
3.02 tons

6,031 lb · 2.74 tonnes

How it was worked out
  1. Area: 12 ft × 10 ft = 120 ft²; × 6 in (0.5 ft) deep = 60 ft³
  2. 60 ft³ ÷ 27 = 2.22 yd³
  3. Plus 15% extra = 2.56 yd³
  4. 2.56 yd³ × 1.18 tons per yd³ = 3.02 tons (6,031 lb)
Typical weights of common materials
Materialt/m³tons/yd³lb/ft³
Concrete2.402.02150
Gravel1.601.35100
Pea gravel1.601.35100
Crushed stone / crushed rock1.601.35100
River rock1.501.2694
Landscape rock / pebbles1.501.2694
Crushed limestone1.601.35100
Decomposed granite1.501.2694
Crusher run1.601.35100
Road base1.701.43106
Crusher dust1.501.2694
Aggregate (20 mm)1.601.35100
All-in ballast1.651.39103
MOT Type 1 sub-base1.801.52112
Sand1.601.35100
Topsoil1.301.1081
Garden soil1.301.1081
Fill dirt1.401.1887
Mulch0.350.2922
Bark chippings0.300.2519
Asphalt (compacted)2.321.96145

Loose, as-delivered figures; asphalt and concrete are as laid. Moisture, stone size and source change the real weight, so use your supplier's figure when you have it. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).

Common use cases

  • Fill a hole, trench or dip in the yard
  • Raise the ground level before a patio, shed or driveway
  • Backfill around a foundation or retaining wall
  • Grade ground so water runs away from a house

How to use

  1. Choose feet and inches or metres and millimetres, and the country whose bag sizes you want.
  2. Enter the length and width of the area, or switch the shape to a circle, triangle or a known area. Use Add another area for L-shapes and separate beds.
  3. Enter the depth of fill. Enter the depth to fill. For a hole, enter its length, width and depth, or use a circle for round holes.
  4. Check the density and the extra allowance. Change the density if your supplier quotes a different figure.
  5. Read the volume, weight and bag count, and add a price per ton, cubic yard, m³ or bag for a cost estimate.

FAQ

How much does a cubic yard of dirt weigh?

Roughly 1.1 to 1.3 US tons for dry fill dirt, and more when wet or full of clay or rock. The calculator starts at 1.4 tonnes per m³ (about 1.18 tons per cubic yard); change it to your supplier's figure.

How much extra fill dirt should I order?

Loose dirt settles and compacts, often by 10 to 25%. For areas you'll compact in layers, such as under a patio, allow towards the top of that range.

Fill dirt or topsoil?

Use fill dirt to build up depth cheaply and topsoil for the top 4 to 6 inches where you want grass or plants. Fill dirt is usually much cheaper per yard.

Related tools