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Fill Dirt Calculator: Compacted Yards and Tons

Estimate compacted and loose fill, or borrow dirt, in cubic yards and tons. This is not a topsoil or raised-bed calculator. Truck-load counts stay on the gravel calculator.

ft
ft
ft

In-place finished depth.

%

Default 20% extra loose material is a CalcTheJob planning starting point. A soils report or quarry factor wins.

lb/yd

Default 2,200 lb per loose cubic yard is a CalcTheJob editable starting point, not a cited survey value. Use the quarry ticket if you have one.

Your estimate

Loose volume to order

8.89cu yd

7.41 cu yd compacted in place

Compacted volume

7.41 cu yd

Weight

9.78 tons

2,200 lb per loose cu yd

This page is fill or borrow dirt only — not topsoil and not a raised-bed fill (those stay on the topsoil calculator). Truck-load counts stay on the gravel calculator. The 20% compaction allowance and 2,200 lb/yd density are editable starting points, not a soils report.

Estimates only — confirm with your supplier and local code. First published · Last reviewed by CalcTheJob.

How to use the fill dirt calculator

  1. Enter the length, width and compacted depth of the fill.
  2. Enter extra material for compaction. The default 20% is a CalcTheJob planning starting point. A soils report or quarry factor wins.
  3. Enter loose density if you have a ticket. The default 2,200 lb per loose cubic yard is a CalcTheJob editable starting point, not a cited survey value.

Topsoil and raised beds stay on the topsoil calculator. Truck loads are already counted on the gravel calculator.

Compacted yards, loose yards and tons

Compacted cubic yards = length × width × depth ÷ 27, with dimensions in feet. Loose yards = compacted yards × (1 + compaction%). Tons = loose yards × (lb per yard ÷ 2,000).

A worked example: 20×10 ft at 1 ft compacted

A 20 × 10 × 1 ft fill is 200 cu ft, or 7.41 cu yd compacted. With 20% extra loose material that is 8.89 cu yd, or 9.78 tons at 2,200 lb per loose yard.

Sources & assumptions

How this calculator gets its numbers. Full method: our methodology.

  • Compacted cubic yards = length × width × depth ÷ 27 (feet). Loose yards = compacted × (1 + compaction%). Tons = loose yards × (lb per yard ÷ 2,000).
  • Default 20% extra for compaction and default 2,200 lb per loose cubic yard are CalcTheJob editable planning starting points, not cited survey values and not a soils report. A quarry ticket wins.
  • This is fill or borrow dirt only, not topsoil or a raised-bed fill. Truck-load counts stay on the gravel calculator.

Sources

  1. NIST, Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C — General Tables of Units of Measurement. Units of Volume: 27 cubic feet = 1 cubic yard, the conversion used for compacted volume.

Last reviewed . A quarry ticket or soils report wins.

Frequently asked questions

How much fill dirt for a 20×10 area at 1 foot deep?

7.41 cubic yards compacted. With a 20% compaction allowance, 8.89 loose cubic yards, or 9.78 tons at the default 2,200 lb per yard.

Is fill dirt the same as a topsoil or raised-bed fill?

No. Topsoil and raised-bed fills stay on the topsoil calculator. This page is fill or borrow dirt only.

Why don’t you count dump-truck loads here?

Truck-load counts are already on the gravel calculator. This page stops at yards and tons so those figures are not rebuilt in a second place.

Is 2,200 lb per yard a surveyed density?

No. It is a CalcTheJob editable starting point. Use the quarry ticket or a soils report when you have one.

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