How Many Tons In A Cubic Yard Of Dirt?

How many tons are in a cubic yard of dirt depends on the type of dirt you buy and its moisture content. In most cases when you buy sifted dirt for landscaping it comes as clean fill. That means it’s been sifted to remove large rocks, organic material like roots and other debris. On average, a cubic yard of dry clean dirt weighs about 1.35 tons which is 2,970 lbs. Topsoil is a good example of clean fill dirt. But not all dirt is clean. If you’re working on a job and dig the soil yourself it could contain rocks, clay, organic material and debris. This will effect the weight of the dirt per yard. On average, unsifted excavated dirt weighs between 5%-25% more than clean fill. That’s about 3,115-3,700 lbs.

Then there’s moisture content to consider. Dry dirt is lighter than wet dirt. A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs. When dirt soaks up water you have to account for the extra weight. A cubic yard of saturated wet dirt weighs about 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs per cubic yard. That’s about 55 gallons or 440 lbs worth of water weight.

Excavated dirt may contain clay, rocks, sand, gravel, organic material, debris and stone. It’s hard to determine how much a cubic yard of excavated dirt weighs until you start digging. But clean fill dirt used for landscaping or construction is more consistent. It’s already been sifted and cleaned. Most of the organic material is removed along with debris and large stones.

Landscaping dirt is mostly top soil with some small organic material for fertilizer. Construction dirt usually has a higher clay and and content because it’s not meant for growing plants. Both topsoil and construction dirt weighs approximately 1.35 tons (2,970 lbs) per cubic yard when dry.

How Many Tons Does A Cubic Yard Of Dirt Weigh?

A cubic yard of dirt weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs when dry. But when wet, a cubic yard of dirt weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs.

Whether you’re buying dirt for landscaping or construction, it’s important to know how much a yard weighs. This is because dirt is generally purchased by the yard and not by the ton. Dirt absorbs a lot of water, so buying it by the ton would waste a lot of money because you’d be paying extra for water weight.

A dry ton of soil weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. But when its soaked it weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs. That’s a difference of about 450 lbs. If you paid for soil by weight the water would cost quite a bit.

Understanding how much soil weighs is very important for transporting it too. The average full size pickup can only carry about 1500 lbs which is 3/4 ton. When the soil is dry that’s only about 1/2 yard. But when it’s wet you can only haul around 1/3 yard.

Luckily trucks can tow a lot more than they can load in the bed. If you need a lot of topsoil I’d get a heavy-duty trailer or pay for a dirt delivery. Most dump trucks can haul 10-15 yards at a time.

Most landscape suppliers will deliver topsoil to your house for a fee which is usually around $100. Unless you need a small amount I’d recommend paying for the delivery.

Many excavators will give you raw excavated soil for free if they’re working in the area. It’s usually not sifted or cleaned but its great for fill. However you should call your local building department before using it because some areas don’t let you use uncertified fill dirt.

How Many Tons In 5 Cubic Yards Of Dirt?

How many tons 5 cubic yards of dirt weighs depends on the type of dirt and how much moisture it holds.

On average, 5 cubic yards of dry clean dirt weighs about 6.75 tons which is 14,850 lbs. Topsoil and certified construction dirt are both good examples of clean fill dirt.

But not all dirt is clean. If you’re working on a job and dig the soil yourself it could contain rocks, clay, organic material and debris. This will effect the weight of the dirt per yard. On average, unsifted excavated dirt weighs between 5%-25% more than clean fill. That’s about 3,115-3,700 lbs per cubic yard or 15,775-18,500 lbs for 5 yards.

There’s also moisture to consider. Dry dirt is lighter than wet dirt. A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs. When dirt soaks up water you have to account for the extra weight. 5 cubic yards of saturated wet dirt weighs about 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs per cubic yard. That’s about 55 gallons or 440 lbs worth of additional water weight per yard. 5 Yards of wet dirt can weigh 17,085 pounds or 8.54 tons.

How Many Tons In 10 Cubic Yards Of Dirt?

How many tons 10 cubic yards of dirt weighs depends on the type of dirt and how much moisture it holds.

On average, 10 cubic yards of dry clean dirt weighs about 13.5 tons which is 29,700 lbs. Topsoil and certified construction dirt are both good examples of clean fill dirt.

There’s also moisture to consider. Dry dirt is lighter than wet dirt. A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs. When dirt soaks up water you have to account for the extra weight. 10 cubic yards of saturated wet dirt weighs about 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs per cubic yard. That’s about 55 gallons or 440 lbs worth of additional water weight per yard. 10 Yards of wet dirt can weigh 34,170 pounds or 17.08 tons.

For reference, a full dump truck can hold between 10-16 yards of dirt.

How Many Tons In 15 Cubic Yards Of Dirt?

How many tons 15 cubic yards of dirt weighs depends on the type of dirt and how much moisture it holds.

On average, 15 cubic yards of dry clean dirt weighs about 20.25 tons which is 44,550 lbs. Topsoil and certified construction dirt are both good examples of clean fill dirt.

There’s also moisture to consider. Dry dirt is lighter than wet dirt. A gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs. When dirt soaks up water you have to account for the extra weight. 15 cubic yards of saturated wet dirt weighs about 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs per cubic yard. That’s about 55 gallons or 440 lbs worth of additional water weight per yard. 15 Yards of wet dirt can weigh 51,255 pounds or 25.62 tons.

For reference, a full dump truck can hold between 10-16 yards of dirt.

How Many Cubic Yards In A Ton Of Dirt?

How many cubic yards are in a ton of dirt depends on the type of dirt and its moisture content.

A ton of dirt weighs 2000 lbs. Buying dirt by weight is a bad idea because soil can absorb a lot of water which increases its weight and therefore the price. But there are situations when knowing how much dirt in in a ton can be useful. For example, when figuring out how much dirt you can haul at a time.

A dry cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of dirt in a ton when its dry.
A dry cubic yard of clean fill dirt also weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of fill dirt in a ton when its dry.

Not all dirt is clean fill or topsoil. Freshly excavated dirt can weigh about 5-25% more because it may contain clay, debris, gravel or large stones. There’s no way to calculate exactly how much excavated soil weighs until you start digging.

Wet dirt weighs a lot more than dry dirt because water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon.

A wet cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs. This means there is .64 cubic yards of dirt in a ton when its wet.

Whenever you haul large amounts of dirt, it’s important to consider the soil’s moisture content and makeup. Dirt containing lots of gravel, clay, debris or large stones will generally weigh more than clean fill or topsoil.

How Many Yards Of Dirt In A Ton?

How many yards of dirt in a ton depends on the type of dirt and its moisture content.

A ton of dirt weighs 2000 lbs. Ton is a measurement of weight while yards is a measurement of volume. A yard of dirt will always yield the same amount of soil. Which is why dirt is generally bought by the yard. But how many yards you get per ton can vary. This is because dirt doesn’t have a consistent weight.

How much moisture is in the dirt and what it’s made of will effect the dirt’s weight and therefore how many yards you get per ton.

A dry cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of dirt in a ton when its dry.
A dry cubic yard of clean fill dirt also weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of fill dirt in a ton when its dry.

Wet dirt weighs a lot more than dry dirt because water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon.

A wet cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs. This means there is .64 cubic yards of dirt in a ton when its wet.

How Many Tons In A Cubic Yard

There are a variety of common materials used along with dirt on many construction sites. Each of these materials is measured and purchased by the yard. But they weigh different amounts per yard.

Here’s a simple chart showing various common materials along with how many tons are in a yard.

Material (1 yd³)	Approximate Density	US Tons	Metric Tonnes
Dirt (dry)	100 lb/ft³	1.35	1.22
Dirt (wet)	115 lb/ft³	1.55	1.41
Cement (Portland)	85 – 95 lb/ft³	1.15 – 1.28	1.04 – 1.16
Concrete	140 – 150 lb/ft³	1.89 to 2.03	1.71 to 1.84
Gravel (loose, dry)	75 – 95 lb/ft³	1.01 to 1.28	0.92 to 1.16
Gravel (dry 1/4 to 2 in)	105 lb/ft³	1.42	1.29
Gravel (wet 1/4 to 2 in)	125 lb/ft³	1.69	1.53
Mulch (bark)	15 – 20 lb/ft³	0.2 – 0.27	0.18 – 0.24
Mulch (wood chip)	25 – 30 lb/ft³	0.34 – 0.41	0.31 – 0.37
Sand (dry)	80 – 100 lb/ft³	1.08 to 1.35	0.98 to 1.22
Sand (damp to wet)	100 – 120 lb/ft³	1.35 to 1.62	1.22 to 1.47

What Is One Ton Of Dirt In Yards?

One ton of dirt in yards depends on the type of dirt you buy and how much moisture it contains. Here’s a breakdown:

A cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of dirt in one ton when its dry.
A cubic yard of clean fill dirt also weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. This means there is .74 cubic yards of fill dirt in one ton when its dry.

But not all dirt is clean fill or topsoil. Freshly excavated dirt can weigh about 5-25% more because it may contain clay, debris, gravel or large stones. There’s no way to calculate exactly how much excavated soil weighs until you start digging.

Wet dirt weighs a lot more than dry dirt because water weighs about 8 lbs per gallon. A yard of dirt can hold over 50 gallons of water. That’s over 400 extra pounds of water weight.

A cubic yard of wet dirt weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs. This means there is .64 cubic yards of dirt in one ton when its wet.

How Many Tons Of Dirt In A Dump Truck?

The average dump truck can hold between 10-16 yards of dirt. How many tons that dirt weighs depends on the type of dirt and how much moisture it holds.

A dry cubic yard of topsoil or clean fill weighs 1.35 tons or 2,970 lbs. But when its wet a cubic yard of topsoil weighs 1.55 tons or 3,417 lbs.

Smaller dump trucks carry about 10 yards of dirt at a time and weigh the following:

A dump truck carrying 10 yards of dry dirt is hauling 13.5 tons or 29,700 pounds.
If the dirt is wet a dump truck carrying 10 yards is hauling 15.5 tons or 34,170 pounds.

Larger dump trucks can carry as much as 16 yards of dirt. They weigh the following:

A dump truck carrying 16 yards of dry dirt is hauling 21.6 tons or 47,520 pounds.
If the dirt is wet a dump truck carrying 16 yards is hauling 24.8 tons or 54,672 pounds.

Dump trucks also carry freshly excavated dirt from job sites. Excavated dirt can weigh 5-25% more than clean fill and topsoil because it may contain clay, gravel, debris or large stones.