How Much Does a Yard of Dirt Weigh? Topsoil, Fill, Clay

How much does a yard of dirt weigh? For planning, figure about 1 ton (roughly 2,000 pounds) for a cubic yard of dry, loose topsoil or fill, and closer to 1.2 to 1.5 tons once it is damp or heavy with clay. Dirt is one of the least consistent materials you can buy by the yard, because it is a mix of mineral grains, organic matter, air, and water, and every pile has its own blend. Treat the numbers below as starting points and ask the supplier what their scale says a yard of their material weighs.

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Dirt weight per cubic yard by type and moisture

These are rounded planning ranges for loose material in a pile or truck bed, not compacted soil in the ground.

Material	Dry, loose	Damp	Wet
Screened topsoil	~1,900–2,200 lb (about 1 ton)	~2,300–2,600 lb	~2,800–3,000 lb
General fill dirt	~2,000–2,400 lb	~2,400–2,700 lb	~2,900–3,100 lb
Clay-heavy soil	~2,300–2,700 lb	~2,700–3,000 lb	~3,000 lb and up
Garden mix / compost blend	~1,200–1,600 lb	~1,600–2,000 lb	~2,000 lb and up

Per cubic foot, that works out to about 74 pounds for dry topsoil, around 90 to 100 pounds for damp fill, and 110 pounds or more for soaked clay. Bagged soil labels often list a volume in cubic feet, which is handy for small jobs.

What makes one yard heavier than another

Water content. This is the largest swing. A yard loaded the day after heavy rain can weigh several hundred pounds more than the same material after a dry week.
Clay versus sand versus organic matter. Fine clay particles pack tightly and hold water, so clay soils run heavy. Soils rich in compost or peat run light.
Rocks and debris. Unscreened fill can carry stones and chunks that add weight without adding much useful volume.
How it was measured. A yard measured as it sits in the ground (bank volume) is denser than the same dirt after it has been dug and loosened.

Bank, loose, and compacted yards

Dirt changes volume each time it is handled, and this trips up a lot of orders. Soil in the ground is called bank volume. Once it is dug out, it fluffs up, so one bank yard commonly turns into roughly 1.2 to 1.3 loose yards, and clay can swell even more. Spread it and run a compactor over it, and it shrinks again, often to less space than it took up in the ground.

The weight stays the same through all of this. Only the volume moves. That means two things in practice: a hole you dig will fill more truck space than its measured size suggests, and fill you plan to compact needs extra loose yards to reach grade. Adding 15 to 25 percent to a compacted fill estimate is a common cushion; ask the supplier what they suggest for their material.

Converting yards to tons for an order

Measure the space. Multiply length × width × depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards.
Adjust for compaction. If the fill will be packed, add your cushion now.
Pick a weight. Use the supplier’s number when you have it. Without one, 1.1 to 1.2 tons per yard is a reasonable middle figure for damp topsoil or fill.
Multiply. Cubic yards × tons per yard = tons. To go the other way, divide the tons quoted by the tons per yard.

The base calculator handles the cubic-yard step for any rectangle. The same conversion appears in our guides to gravel weight per yard and how much a yard of sand weighs, so you can compare materials side by side.

Two quick examples

Raised garden bed. A 4 by 8 foot bed filled 12 inches deep holds 32 cubic feet, or about 1.2 cubic yards. With a lighter garden blend at roughly 0.75 tons per yard, that is around 0.9 tons. With straight topsoil at about 1.1 tons per yard, it is closer to 1.3 tons.

Low spot in a yard. Raising a 20 by 30 foot area by 4 inches takes 600 × (4 ÷ 12) = 200 cubic feet, or about 7.4 cubic yards. Add 20 percent for compaction and you are near 8.9 loose yards. At 1.2 tons per yard, plan on roughly 10.7 tons, an amount many suppliers can bring in a single dump-truck load.

Hauling dirt in a pickup or trailer

Dirt fills a truck bed slowly but adds weight fast. One damp yard can match or exceed what many light pickups are rated to carry, so check the payload on the door-jamb sticker before the loader tips a bucket in. Spread the load over the axle, keep it low, and tarp it for the drive. For larger amounts, delivery usually costs less than several trips; see how many tons fit in a dump truck for how truck size and road limits work.

Dirt under a driveway

Topsoil and loose fill are poor footing for pavement because they hold water and settle. Why topsoil cannot stay under a new driveway explains why it is usually stripped, and can you put asphalt over dirt covers when compacted subgrade and a stone base can work. If a driveway dig leaves you with spoil to get rid of, Dumpmapper’s guide to dumping dirt and sod lists the usual drop-off options and what sites look for in a clean load.

Questions people ask

How much does a yard of dirt weigh in tons?

About 1 ton for dry, loose topsoil or fill, roughly 1.2 to 1.35 tons when damp, and 1.5 tons or more for wet or clay-heavy soil. Ask your supplier for the figure they use.

How much does a yard of dirt weigh in pounds?

Roughly 2,000 pounds dry and loose, around 2,300 to 2,700 pounds damp, and about 3,000 pounds wet. That is roughly 74 to 111 pounds per cubic foot.

Is topsoil lighter than fill dirt?

Usually a little. Screened topsoil carries more organic matter and fewer rocks, so a dry yard often weighs slightly less than a yard of general fill. Moisture can erase that difference.

How many yards of dirt are in a ton?

At about 1.2 tons per cubic yard, one ton of damp dirt is roughly 0.8 cubic yards. Dry, loose topsoil gives close to a full yard per ton.

Can a pickup truck carry a yard of dirt?

Sometimes, but it is close. A damp yard can weigh more than many light pickups are rated to carry, so check the payload on the door-jamb sticker and ask the yard to load by weight.

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