aggregates · sold by the cubic yard and by the ton
Fill Dirt Calculator
Type the area you are filling and how deep it has to go. The result comes back in the two units fill dirt is sold in — cubic yards and tons.
What to order
4.08cubic yards
or4.49tons, loose
10 ft short side20 ft long side
Both figures are for fill dirt loose, the state it is in when it is delivered and spread.
The formula, written out
(20 ft × 10 ft × 6 in ÷ 12) × (1 + 10% waste) ÷ 27 = 4.08 cubic yards
4.0741 cubic yards × 2200 lb per cubic yard (loose) ÷ 2000 = 4.49 tons
The formula above is the one that produced the numbers: the page asks for both in the same call, so the two cannot drift apart.
A patch 20 ft by 10 ft raised 6 inches is 100 cubic feet of dirt. Adding the 10% waste factor makes 110 cubic feet, which is 110 ÷ 27 = 4.08 cubic yards. At 2,200 pounds per cubic yard that is about 8,963 pounds, or 4.49 tons.
measured loose · read 2026-08-15 · next check 2027-08-15
“~2,000–2,200 lbs/yd³ (~1.0–1.1 tons)”
Ottr Landscape Supply, Boston, Massachusetts, fill dirt — bulk structural fill · read 2026-08-15
“dry, loose fill dirt weighs about 2,000 pounds per cubic yard. This number can range anywhere from 1,800 to 2,700 lbs depending on moisture, compaction, and composition.”
Ottr Landscape Supply, Boston, Massachusetts, "How Much Does Fill Dirt Weigh?" · read 2026-08-15
“Density: Approx. 2,300–2,700 lbs. per cubic yard (~1.25–1.4 tons)”
North Bay Materials, California, screened fill dirt (clay blend) · read 2026-08-15
“A cubic yard of fill dirt weighs 2,000 – 2,700 pounds (about 1 – 1.35 tons), depending on moisture and clay content.”
Gravel Monkey, fill dirt for construction, grading and landscaping · read 2026-08-15
Your supplier has the last word. Aggregates vary by quarry and soil varies by the week it was dug, so the range above is what to expect and not a promise about the load you are buying. The weight on their ticket is the one you pay for.
Moisture is what moves this number most. Dry fill dirt sits near the bottom of the range and a load that has stood through a wet week sits near the top — the same yard of dirt, hundreds of pounds apart.
How much does a cubic yard of fill dirt weigh?
Loose, as it is delivered, a cubic yard runs about 2,000 to 2,700 pounds, with 2,200 pounds a fair middle. Moisture and clay content drive most of the spread, and your supplier's own figure beats any of these.
Is fill dirt the same as topsoil?
No, and they are not priced the same either. Fill dirt is subsoil used to raise or level ground; it is cheaper, heavier and not meant for planting. Topsoil is the growing layer and goes on top once the grading is done. This page works out fill dirt.
Should I order extra because fill dirt settles?
Probably, and this page will not put a number on it. The default here is 10% for spillage and uneven ground, and it is our own criterion rather than a figure from a supplier. Settling under compaction is real and every source names it, but none of them publishes a percentage — so raise the waste factor yourself to whatever your job and your equipment call for.