Dirt Calculator
How much dirt you need to bring in to fill, level or raise an area. How it works
Volume needed
cubic yards
- Cubic feet
- 120cu ft
- Cubic metres
- 3.4m³
- Area covered
- 240ft²
- Weight
- tons
Show the calculationHide the calculation3 steps
The working
Area = Length × Width
= 20 ft × 12 ft
= 240 ft²
Volume = Area × Depth
= 240 ft² × 0.5 ft
= 120 cu ft
Cubic yards = Cubic feet ÷ 27
= 120 ÷ 27
= 4.44 cu yd
This answers the import question: how much dirt to order for a low spot, a raised bed or a levelling job. If you are working out how much comes OUT of a hole instead, the excavation calculator handles battered walls, over-dig and swell.
How this calculator works
Only your inputs and exact unit conversions. Where a figure comes from anywhere else, it is recorded below with its source.
- Formula version
- 1.0.0
- Last reviewed
- 2026-09-01
- External data
- None
- Category
- Materials
What this calculates
The volume of dirt required to fill an area to a chosen depth, in cubic yards and its metric and imperial equivalents. This is the quantity you order, not the quantity a hole produces.
Why this is not the excavation calculator
Excavation asks how much material comes out of the ground, which means battered side walls, over-excavation and swell — dug material occupies more space loose than it did in place.
Filling runs the other way. The geometry is a simple layer, and the correction that matters is compaction rather than swell. If your fill will be compacted, the fill dirt calculator applies that allowance.
Why tons need a density from you
Dirt density swings enormously with clay content and moisture: wet clay can weigh far more than dry loam of the same volume. No single figure is honest across products, so the field is left empty and your supplier fills it.
Levelling a 50 ft × 30 ft yard with 4 in of dirt
- Length
- 50 ft
- Width
- 30 ft
- Depth
- 4 in
- 01Depth in feet= 4 in ÷ 12= 0.333 ft
- 02Area= 50 ft × 30 ft= 1,500 sq ft
- 03Volume= 1,500 sq ft × 0.333 ft= 500 cu ft
- 04Cubic yards= 500 ÷ 27= 18.5 cu yd
18.5 cubic yards
What it assumes
- 01Constant depth across the area, with vertical edges.
- 02The volume is the neat geometric volume before any compaction.
- 03Unit conversions are exact.
- 04Density and price are used only if you enter them.
What it does not do
- It does not apply compaction. Use the fill dirt calculator when the fill will be compacted in layers.
- It does not apply swell — that belongs to material coming out of the ground, not going in.
- It does not assume a density, so it cannot give tons on its own.
Common questions.
- How many yards of dirt do I need?
- Multiply the area by the depth and divide the cubic feet by 27. Enter your dimensions above and the calculator shows every step, so you can check it against a supplier quote.
- Is this the same as the excavation calculator?
- No. This works out what you need to bring in. The excavation calculator works out what comes out of a hole, which involves battered side walls and swell — dug material takes up more room loose than it did in the ground.
- How much does a yard of dirt weigh?
- It depends on the soil and how wet it is, which is why no figure is assumed here. Ask your supplier for the density of what they are delivering and enter it to get tons.
Behind the numbers
The methods and definitions this calculator applies, explained in full and with their sources.
Where people go next
Ordered by what usually comes next in the same job, not by keyword.