Dirt Calculator
Fill dirt weighs 1,900–2,550 lb per cubic yard loose and dry. Enter length, width and depth below to get cubic yards, tons and cost for your low spot or hole.
More options No waste · ¼ yd steps · reference price
Tape readings work: 10' 6", 10½. Sloped? Type the depth as 2-6. Other material? Use the cubic yard calculator.
Enter length, width and depth to see the cubic yards to order.
5.75 cubic yards to order
rounded up to the nearest ¼ yd³
- Weight
- 5.46–7.33 tons (dry, loose)
- Bags
- Sold in bulk
- Cost
- $29–$104
Dirt packs down: loam loses 20–28% of its loose volume (U.S. Army FM 5-434). Packing or tamping it? Order 7.25–8 yd³ loose to end with 5.75 yd³ firm.
Details: exact volume, bags vs bulk, order sheet
Exact 5.56 yd³ · 150 ft³ · 4.25 m³
At 6 in deep, 1 yd³ covers 54 ft².
You need 5.75 cubic yards of fill dirt ≈ 5.46–7.33 tons (dry, loose).
Order sheet for your supplier
Fill dirt weight: dry, loose (Caterpillar, U.S. Army). Cost: reference range, before delivery (Lawn Love, Dec 2025); local prices vary.
Result looks wrong? Tell us
Fill dirt vs topsoil
Fill dirt is subsoil used to raise a grade or fill a hole, while topsoil is the darker, organic top layer that grass and plants grow in.
Use fill dirt below the surface and a topsoil layer on top. Pick topsoil in the calculator for the top layer, or use the topsoil calculator for a lawn.
Dirt weight: loose vs in the ground
Dirt weighs 1,900–2,550 lb per cubic yard loose and dry (0.95–1.28 tons), and 2,180–3,200 lb per cubic yard dry in the ground.
Loose dirt is dirt as dug and delivered. Dirt in the ground is packed tighter, so the same cubic yard weighs more. Wet, loose dirt weighs 2,700–3,200 lb per cubic yard.
| Dirt state | lb per yd³ | tons per yd³ |
|---|---|---|
| Dry, loose (as delivered) | 1,900–2,550 lb | 0.95–1.28 |
| Wet, loose | 2,700–3,200 lb | 1.35–1.60 |
| Dry, in the ground | 2,180–3,200 lb | 1.09–1.60 |
| Wet, in the ground | 3,400–4,000 lb | 1.70–2.00 |
Sources: Caterpillar Performance Handbook; U.S. Army FM 5-434. Suppliers deliver loose dirt, so order by the loose weight. At about a ton per yard, a half-ton pickup is full by weight before its bed is full.
| Material | lb per yd³ | tons per yd³ | Bags | $ per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt | 1,900–2,550 | 0.95–1.28 | Bulk only | $5–$18 |
| Topsoil | 1,600–2,200 | 0.8–1.1 | 0.75 cu ft, 1 cu ft, 1.5 cu ft | $20–$45 |
Weight basis: fill dirt dry, loose; topsoil dry, loose. Prices are reference ranges from dated cost guides and supplier lists (updated September 2026); local prices vary. Sources: Caterpillar; U.S. Army; Lawn Love; Do it Best; Shell Lumber; Graf's Garden Shop; Penn State Extension; Topsoil.com.
Dirt settling and compaction
Dirt settling has no single published percentage. The U.S. Army's FM 5-434 shows loose loam losing 20–28% of its volume when compacted: 1 cubic yard loose packs down to 0.72 cubic yard.
Natural settling in a yard is usually less than machine compaction, and no extension source gives one percentage. Order more loose fill dirt than the hole measures when the fill gets compacted in layers.
Dirt calculator FAQ
- Is fill dirt good for growing grass?
- No. Cover fill dirt with topsoil before seeding: Penn State Extension calls for 4–6 inches of settled topsoil for a new lawn on subsoil.
- How much does a yard of fill dirt cost?
- A yard of fill dirt costs about $5–$18 before delivery (Lawn Love, Dec 2025). Delivery is extra and local prices vary.