Fill to raise or level an area
Fill Dirt Calculator
Raising 120 sq ft by an average of 4.5 in (4 depth readings) takes 1.67 cubic yards of fill dirt, about 2.25 tons at 1.35 tons per cu yd. Enter your depth readings below.
Sources checked
Your estimate
1.67 cu yd
45 cu ft of fill over 120 sq ft, averaging 4.5 in.
- Tons to order1.67 cu yd × 1.35 tons per cu yd2.25 tons
- Average depththe average of 4 readings4.5 in
- Area one cubic yard coversat 4.5 in deep72 sq ft
Tons use the weight in the box. Fill dirt varies with moisture and soil type; the weighed ticket decides the bill.
How much fill an area needs
- Measure the ground to be raised. The example plot is 12 ft × 10 ft, or 120 sq ft. Irregular ground is split into rectangles.
- Read the depth of fill at several spots across the area: the example takes 4, 6, 5, 3 in. The depth is how far each spot must rise to the target level.
- Average the readings: 4 + 6 + 5 + 3 = 18 in, divided by 4, is 4.5 in.
- Multiply the area by the average depth and divide by 12 for cubic feet: 120 × 4.5 ÷ 12 = 45 cu ft. Divide by 27 for cubic yards: 1.67 cu yd.
- Multiply by the weight of a cubic yard for tons: 1.67 × 1.35 = 2.25 tons.
Uneven ground needs one depth per spot. The form takes the average of the readings you type and multiplies the area by it. The readings are not weighted by where they fall, so spread them evenly for the best average.
- Weight of a cubic yard of topsoil
- 1.35 tons per cu ydMartin Marietta aggregates calculator
- Settling or compaction allowance
- Not in our data; starts at 0%Our default; change it above
- Readings in the example
- 4, 6, 5, 3 in, averagedOur default; change it above
Area one cubic yard covers, by depth
| Depth | Sq ft per cu yd | Cu yd per 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 0.31 |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 0.62 |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 0.93 |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 1.23 |
University of Georgia Extension, B931, Table 36 The same geometry holds for any soil: a cubic yard is 27 cu ft, spread over the area at the depth.
Where sources disagree
Weight of a cubic yard of fill dirt
- 1.35 tons per cu yd, Martin Marietta topsoil test loadMartin Marietta aggregates calculator
- 0.46 tons per cu yd, EPA construction debris, dirt and sandEPA Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (Apr 2016)
- 0.47 tons per cu yd, San Diego County construction debris, dirt and sandCounty of San Diego, C&D materials conversion table (2020)
The form uses the topsoil test load, 1.35 tons, the only soil weight in our data. The two construction-debris figures for dirt and sand are the weight of demolition waste, not fill, so they are shown and not used. Type the weight on your delivery ticket.
Before you order fill
Fill is soil that raises a grade. Topsoil for a lawn is a thin layer on top of it, sized by the topsoil calculator. Stone under a patio or a driveway is a base, sized by the gravel calculator.
Fill is ordered by the yard or the ton. The yard’s price list and the weighed ticket decide what you pay; compare them with the figure here before you order.
Fill dirt questions
How many yards of fill dirt do I need for 120 square feet?
With the four readings in the example, averaging 4.5 in, the area takes 45 cu ft, which is 1.67 cubic yards. That is about 2.25 tons at 1.35 tons per cubic yard.
How do I figure yards of dirt when the ground is uneven?
Take the depth at several spots across the area, add the readings, and divide by how many you took. The average depth times the area gives the volume. The example takes four readings: 4, 6, 5, 3 in.
How much area does a yard of dirt cover?
At 1 in deep one cubic yard covers 324 sq ft; at 2 in, 162 sq ft; at 3 in, 108 sq ft; at 4 in, 81 sq ft. These are the University of Georgia figures for peat mulch and topsoil, the same geometry as any soil. At the example’s 4.5 in, a yard covers 72 sq ft.
How many tons is a yard of fill dirt?
Our data gives 1.35 tons per cubic yard for topsoil, from one supplier’s test load. Fill dirt varies with moisture and the soil, so the form lets you type the weight on your ticket.
Does the fill settle, and by how much?
Our data has no figure for settling or compaction of fill, so the settling allowance in the form starts at 0%. Add the percentage you expect; the form adds it to the volume.
A planning aid, not an engineering calculation: your local code and building inspector have the final word. Terms