How much does a yard of dirt weigh? Topsoil, fill dirt and sand in pounds and tons
A cubic yard of dirt weighs about 2,023 lb (1.01 US tons) for dry screened topsoil and about 2,444 lb (1.22 tons) for fill dirt, at the densities the topsoil calculator uses: 1.2 and 1.45 tonnes per cubic metre, the fill figure being HomeGuide's 90 lb per cubic foot (about 2,400 lb a yard). Sand fill is heavier at 2,697 lb (1.35 tons), and wet soil of any kind weighs more. A 10-yard dump truck of fill dirt is about 12.2 tons. The tables give pounds and tons for 1 to 20 yards, what each truck carries, and the yards in a ton.
Weight per cubic yard by material
How much a yard of dirt weighs comes down to the density, and the density to what is in it: screened topsoil is light and open, fill is denser and often has clay and stones, sand fill is heavier again. The rows are the presets of the topsoil calculator, loose as delivered, with the gravel calculator's crushed stone for comparison. A US ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg.
| Material | Density (t/m³) | Lb per cu ft | Lb per yard | US tons per yard | Cubic yards per ton |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screened topsoil, dry | 1.2 | 75 | 2,023 | 1.01 | 0.99 |
| Fill dirt | 1.45 | 91 | 2,444 | 1.22 | 0.82 |
| Sand fill, damp | 1.6 | 100 | 2,697 | 1.35 | 0.74 |
| Gravel / crushed stone (for comparison) | 1.5 | 94 | 2,528 | 1.26 | 0.79 |
Pounds and tons for 1 to 20 yards
Density times yards, from 1 to 20; 10 and 14 yards are the two dump truck loads in the next table.
| Cubic yards | Topsoil (lb) | Topsoil (US tons) | Fill dirt (lb) | Fill dirt (US tons) | Sand fill (US tons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2,023 | 1 | 2,444 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| 2 | 4,045 | 2 | 4,888 | 2.4 | 2.7 |
| 3 | 6,068 | 3 | 7,332 | 3.7 | 4 |
| 5 | 10,113 | 5.1 | 12,220 | 6.1 | 6.7 |
| 8 | 16,181 | 8.1 | 19,552 | 9.8 | 10.8 |
| 10 | 20,227 | 10.1 | 24,441 | 12.2 | 13.5 |
| 12 | 24,272 | 12.1 | 29,329 | 14.7 | 16.2 |
| 14 | 28,317 | 14.2 | 34,217 | 17.1 | 18.9 |
| 20 | 40,453 | 20.2 | 48,881 | 24.4 | 27 |
What a truckload of dirt weighs
The loads are the calculator's presets: HomeGuide's half-yard scoop, a pickup at about a yard, the 10 and 14 yard dump trucks, and the metric trailer and tipper. A yard of topsoil is already more than a ton, so "half-ton pickup" and "a yard of dirt" do not go together: check the payload plate before you load one.
| Load | Volume | Topsoil (US tons) | Fill dirt (US tons) | Topsoil (tonnes) | Fill dirt (tonnes) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half-yard scoop | 0.5 yd³ (0.38 m³) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| Pickup truck, 1 yd | 1 yd³ (0.76 m³) | 1 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| Dump truck, 10 yd | 10 yd³ (7.65 m³) | 10.1 | 12.2 | 9.2 | 11.1 |
| Dump truck, 14 yd | 14 yd³ (10.7 m³) | 14.2 | 17.1 | 12.8 | 15.5 |
| Trailer, 1 m³ | 1.3 yd³ (1 m³) | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.5 |
| Tipper, 8 m³ | 10.5 yd³ (8 m³) | 10.6 | 12.8 | 9.6 | 11.6 |
A one-yard pickup load of fill is about 1.2 tons; a 10-yard truck of fill 12.2 tons and of topsoil 10.1. What those loads cost delivered is in the fill dirt cost guide.
Yards in a ton of dirt
When the quote is by the ton, divide by the tons per yard. A ton of dry topsoil is about 0.99 cubic yards, a ton of fill 0.82, a ton of sand fill 0.74.
| US tons | Topsoil | Fill dirt | Sand fill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0.99 | 0.82 | 0.74 |
| 2 | 1.98 | 1.64 | 1.48 |
| 5 | 4.94 | 4.09 | 3.71 |
| 10 | 9.89 | 8.18 | 7.42 |
| 20 | 19.78 | 16.37 | 14.83 |
Wet or dry, loose or compacted
The figures above are for soil as delivered, loose and reasonably dry. Moisture and clay raise the weight: soil holds water in every pore, and a load that sat in the rain is heavier for the same yards. Suppliers who sell by the ton weigh the truck, which is fair to both sides; if you are buying by the yard, the weight only matters for what the truck or the trailer can carry. Volume moves too: dirt is delivered loose and settles when spread, which is why the calculator orders 15% more topsoil and 20% more fill than the volume in place. The fill dirt guide has the yards to order for an area and depth with that allowance.
Metric: tonnes per cubic metre
In metric the density is the number itself: topsoil at 1.2 t/m³ means a cubic metre weighs 1.2 tonnes and a tonne fills 0.83 m³; fill dirt at 1.45 t/m³ gives 0.69 m³ a tonne, sand fill 0.63. Bulk bags are sold by weight, so a bag of topsoil holds more volume than the same bag of sand. The yards to tons guide does the same conversion for stone.
Before you order
- Work out the volume first: area times depth, in the topsoil calculator, which adds the settlement and gives yards, tons, bags and loads.
- Order to the truck. Extra yards up to the truck's size cost nothing extra to deliver, and two half loads are two delivery fees.
- Compare the delivered price by the yard and by the ton with the tons per yard above; the fill dirt cost guide has HomeGuide's 2026 ranges, and the gravel weight guide the same tables for stone and sand.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a yard of dirt weigh?
- About 2,023 lb for dry screened topsoil, 2,444 lb for fill dirt and 2,697 lb for sand fill, at 1.2, 1.45 and 1.6 tonnes per cubic metre. That is 1.01, 1.22 and 1.35 US tons. Soil holds water, so the same yard weighs noticeably more after rain; a supplier who sells by the ton weighs the truck.
- What is the dirt weight per cubic yard in tons?
- 1.01 US tons per cubic yard for dry topsoil, 1.22 for fill dirt and 1.35 for sand fill; a US ton is 2,000 lb. In metric tonnes per cubic metre the density is the number itself: 1.2, 1.45 and 1.6.
- What is the weight of a cubic yard of topsoil?
- About 2,023 lb, or 1.01 US tons, for screened topsoil at 1.2 t/m³ (75 lb per cubic foot) as the topsoil calculator weighs it. Bagged topsoil is often lighter and fluffier than that, and moist bulk soil off a truck heavier; go by the volume when you can.
- How much does 10 yards of topsoil weigh?
- About 10.1 US tons (20,227 lb) dry, which is one 10-yard dump truck. The same truck of fill dirt is 12.2 tons. Wet topsoil weighs more, so the truck is weighed when the sale is by the ton.
- How many yards in a ton of dirt?
- About 0.99 cubic yards of dry topsoil, 0.82 of fill dirt or 0.74 of sand fill in a US ton: a ton of any of them is a little less than a yard, because a yard of soil weighs more than a ton. 5 tons of fill is 4.1 yards; 10 tons 8.2.
- How much does a yard of fill dirt weigh?
- About 2,444 lb, or 1.22 US tons, at 1.45 t/m³, the preset taken from HomeGuide's (2026) figure of about 90 lb per cubic foot, 2,400 lb a yard; the preset works out at 90.5 lb per cubic foot, shown rounded in the table. Fill with stones and clay weighs more, and wet fill more again. The fill dirt guide turns an area and depth into the yards and tons to order, with 20% for compaction.
- How much does a yard of sand weigh in pounds?
- About 2,697 lb, or 1.35 US tons, at the 1.6 t/m³ the calculators use for damp sand as delivered; a ton of sand fills about 0.74 cubic yards. The gravel weight guide has sand next to gravel, crushed stone and road base.
- How much does a dump truck of dirt weigh?
- A 10-yard dump truck of fill dirt carries about 12.2 US tons (24,441 lb) and a 14-yard truck about 17.1 tons; of dry topsoil 10.1 and 14.2 tons. That is the load, not the truck: the supplier matches the yards to the truck's payload, which is why a wet load can come as fewer yards.
More guides
- How much topsoil do I need? Bags and cubic yards by area
Cubic yards, tons and bags of topsoil for 100 to 2,000 sq ft at 2, 4 and 6 inches deep, the metric version in cubic metres and 40 L bags, and when to buy in bulk.
- How much fill dirt do I need? (yards, tons and truckloads by area)
Cubic yards of fill dirt for 100 to 5,000 sq ft at 3 to 12 in with 20% for compaction, the tons and 10-yard truckloads that is, filling a low spot, and metric.
- How much is a yard of dirt? Fill dirt and topsoil cost (2026)
Fill dirt 5 to 25 and topsoil 10 to 50 per cubic yard delivered, US 2026 (HomeGuide): truckloads, delivery fees, bags, and what 1 to 30 yards cost for a lawn or low spot.
- How many bags of topsoil in a cubic yard? (40 lb, 1 and 2 cu ft bags)
36 bags of 40 lb (0.75 cu ft) make a cubic yard, 27 of 1 cu ft, 14 of 2 cu ft. Bags for 1 to 10 yards, what they cost against a bulk load, and where bags stop paying.
Last updated 2026-10-03. Figures are planning estimates from typical product data: check the yield, size or coverage printed on what you buy and round up.