Dirt Calculator
To figure how many yards of dirt you need, multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27. For example, a 20 × 10 ft area 6 inches deep needs 3.7 cubic yards; if it's fill dirt you'll compact, order about 1.3–1.7 times that, or 4.94–6.30 cubic yards of loose fill.
How to calculate yards of dirt
- Measure the area. Measure the length and width in feet, or use the area in square feet if you know it.
- Convert the depth to feet. Divide the depth in inches by 12. For example, 6 inches is 0.5 feet.
- Find the cubic yards. Multiply length × width × depth to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
- Allow for compaction. If it's fill dirt you'll compact in layers, multiply by 1.3–1.7 for the loose cubic yards to order.
- Convert to tons or bags, then round up. Multiply cubic yards by 1.04–1.40 for tons of loose fill dirt, or by 0.81–1.30 for topsoil. For bags, divide the cubic feet by the bag size. Round up to what your supplier sells.
Worked example: a 12 × 10 ft area 6 inches deep: 12 × 10 × (6 ÷ 12) = 60 cubic feet, and 60 ÷ 27 = 2.22 cubic yards. That's 2.30–3.11 tons of loose fill dirt or 1.80–2.89 tons of topsoil, or 40 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
What is a yard of dirt?
A yard of dirt is one cubic yard: a cube 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep, holding 27 cubic feet. Suppliers say "yards" for short, so a yard of dirt and a cubic yard of dirt are the same amount. A cubic yard of loose fill dirt weighs about 2,070–2,800 lb and covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep.
For other materials, or to convert between cubic feet and cubic yards, use the cubic yard calculator.
How much does a yard of dirt cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft divided by the depth in inches, whatever kind of dirt it is.
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft |
How much does a yard of dirt weigh?
It depends on the dirt and how packed it is. These ranges run from the Federal Highway Administration's estimating table to Penn State's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies:
| Material | Per cubic yard | Per cubic foot |
|---|---|---|
| Fill dirt, loose | 2,070–2,800 lb (1.04–1.40 tons) | 77–104 lb |
| Fill dirt, compacted | 3,520–3,733 lb (1.76–1.87 tons) | 130–138 lb |
| Topsoil, loose | 1,620–2,600 lb (0.81–1.30 tons) | 60–96 lb |
Wet dirt weighs more. Garden soil blends vary too much for a standard weight, so the calculator shows their weight only if you enter one. If you're hauling dirt yourself, check these weights against your vehicle's payload rating.
Fill dirt and compaction: how much extra to order
Fill dirt is delivered loose and packs down when it's compacted in layers, so a compacted fill holds more dirt than its volume suggests. The two references pair their own loose and compacted weights:
| Reference | Loose → compacted, lb per yd³ | Loose yards per compacted yard |
|---|---|---|
| FHWA, loam (dry) | 2,070 → 3,520 | 1.70 |
| Penn State, fill dirt | 2,800 → 3,733 | 1.33 |
So for fill you'll compact, order 1.33–1.70 cubic yards of loose dirt for every cubic yard you need to fill: about 33–70% more. Choose Yes, compacted in layers in the calculator and it does this for you. Topsoil and garden soil are left loose for planting, so the calculator doesn't compact them; use the Extra field if you want a margin for settling.
Dirt quick reference: 1 to 10 yards
| Cubic yards | Cubic feet | Covers at 3 in | Covers at 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | 108 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
| 2 | 54 | 216 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 3 | 81 | 324 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 4 | 108 | 432 sq ft | 216 sq ft |
| 5 | 135 | 540 sq ft | 270 sq ft |
| 10 | 270 | 1,080 sq ft | 540 sq ft |
| Cubic yards | Fill dirt | Topsoil |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.04–1.40 tons | 0.81–1.30 tons |
| 2 | 2.07–2.80 tons | 1.62–2.60 tons |
| 3 | 3.10–4.20 tons | 2.43–3.90 tons |
| 4 | 4.14–5.60 tons | 3.24–5.20 tons |
| 5 | 5.18–7.00 tons | 4.05–6.50 tons |
| 10 | 10.35–14.00 tons | 8.10–13.00 tons |
Bags of dirt per cubic yard
Divide 27 by the bag size in cubic feet, and round up to whole bags.
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Cubic yards per bag |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu ft | 54 | 0.019 |
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | 0.028 |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | 0.037 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | 0.056 |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 (14 bags) | 0.074 |
Frequently asked questions
How many yards of dirt do I need?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27. A 10 × 10 ft area 6 inches deep needs 1.85 cubic yards. If it's fill you'll compact, order 2.47–3.15 cubic yards of loose fill instead, because loose dirt compacts.
How do you calculate cubic yards of dirt?
Measure length and width in feet, divide the depth in inches by 12, multiply the three to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For example, 12 ft × 10 ft × 6 in is 60 cubic feet, or 2.22 cubic yards.
How much dirt is in a yard?
A yard of dirt means one cubic yard: a cube 3 feet long, wide and deep, or 27 cubic feet. Loose fill dirt weighs about 2,070–2,800 lb per yard, and a yard covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep.
How many cubic feet are in a yard of dirt?
27 cubic feet, for dirt, topsoil or garden soil alike. To convert, divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. One cubic foot of loose fill dirt weighs about 77–104 lb, and one cubic foot of loose topsoil about 60–96 lb.
How much does a yard of dirt cover?
Divide 324 by the depth in inches. One cubic yard covers 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches deep.
How do you calculate fill dirt?
Work out the finished volume (length × width × depth ÷ 27), then allow for compaction. Compacted fill weighs about 1.76–1.87 tons per cubic yard (FHWA; Penn State), while loose fill weighs 1.04–1.40, so each compacted cubic yard takes about 1.3–1.7 cubic yards of loose fill.
How many tons is a yard of dirt?
Loose fill dirt weighs about 1.04–1.40 tons (2,070–2,800 lb) per cubic yard, and loose topsoil about 0.81–1.30 tons (1,620–2,600 lb). Compacted fill weighs about 1.76–1.87 tons per cubic yard. Wet dirt weighs more.
How many bags of dirt are in a cubic yard?
Divide 27 by the bag size in cubic feet: 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft, 36 of 0.75 cu ft, 27 of 1 cu ft, 18 of 1.5 cu ft or 13.5 (so 14) of 2 cu ft. A 1 cu ft bag is about 0.037 cubic yard.
How much area do 2, 3, 4, 5 or 10 yards of dirt cover?
At 3 inches deep: 2 yards cover 216 sq ft, 3 yards 324 sq ft, 4 yards 432 sq ft, 5 yards 540 sq ft and 10 yards 1,080 sq ft. At 6 inches deep, each covers half that.
Related calculators
Sources and methodology
Volumes use (length × width × depth) ÷ 27 with all measurements in feet. Loose weights run from the Federal Highway Administration's estimating table (loam 2,070 lb and topsoil 1,620 lb per cubic yard) to Penn State's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies (1.4 tons for fill dirt and 1.3 for topsoil), which is why results show a range. For compacted fill, the calculator multiplies the volume by 1.33–1.70 loose cubic yards per compacted yard and shows the weight of dirt that fills it (1.76–1.87 tons per cubic yard). Bags are cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up. Order amounts are rounded up to the next half cubic yard. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb).
- FHWA Federal Lands Highway, Earthwork Design (PDDM supplement), Exhibit 5.1 A (January 2026)
- Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies: DGLVR Materials Calculator
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Travis County: How Much Compost, Soil or Mulch?
- NIST Special Publication 811 (Guide for the Use of the SI), Appendix B.8: conversion factors