How to use it
- Enter length in feet.
- Enter width in feet.
- Enter depth in inches.
- Read cubic yards, cubic feet, and ton estimate.
What it does – The Dirt Yards Calculator turns the three dimensions of a soil job into three useful measures: cubic yards, cubic feet, and an approximate tonnage. Knowing cubic yards tells you how many loads a dump truck will need; cubic feet helps when ordering fill by the foot; the ton estimate uses the industry standard 1.3 US tons per cubic yard so you can budget material costs.
Why it matters – Ordering too little means costly delays, ordering too much adds unnecessary expense. The instant results let you compare quotes, plan delivery schedules, and verify that the excavation plan fits your budget.
How to read it – The first number is total cubic yards, the second is the same volume in cubic feet (1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet), and the third converts yards to tons using 1.3 tons per yard.
Pro tips
- Add 5‑10% extra volume for compaction and settling.
- Round up to the nearest whole cubic yard when ordering to avoid shortfalls.
- Order by the ton if the supplier quotes weight rather than volume.
- Double‑check depth conversion from inches to feet to prevent mis‑calculations.
Real-life examples
- A homeowner planning a new garden bed needs to know how much topsoil to buy.
- A contractor estimating fill for a driveway excavation wants to compare truck loads and material cost.
- A landscaper ordering mulch must convert yardage to tons for a bulk supplier.
Case study
Jane needed 2.4 cubic yards of soil for a raised patio. Using the calculator she saw it equals 64.8 cubic feet and about 3.1 tons, so she ordered 3.2 tons, avoiding a costly second delivery and staying within budget.