Soil Density Reference Table
| Material | lb/cu ft | lb/yd³ | t/yd³ | kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil | 89 | 2,410 | 1.21 | 1,430 |
| Fill dirt | 74 | 2,000 | 1.00 | 1,190 |
| Compost | 37 | 1,000 | 0.50 | 590 |
| Sandy loam | 81 | 2,200 | 1.10 | 1,300 |
| Potting soil | 30 | 800 | 0.40 | 475 |
Truck and Trailer Load Limits
A standard pickup truck with a half-ton rating safely hauls about 0.5 US tons, roughly 0.4 cubic yards of dry topsoil or 0.6 cubic yards of dry compost, once the driver leaves margin for passengers and other cargo. A single-axle utility trailer rated for 3,000 lb carries about 1.4 cubic yards of dry topsoil. Loading by volume alone is the most common way people overload a trailer: topsoil looks like it should fit, but its weight adds up fast, and wet topsoil at 3,133 lb per cubic yard reaches a trailer's weight limit at barely half the volume the bed can physically hold.
Why Soil Weight Varies
Four things change the weight of a cubic yard of soil:
- Moisture content. Water is heavy. A cubic yard of soaked soil can weigh 30% more than the same soil dry.
- Compaction. Loose soil holds air pockets. Compacted soil has air squeezed out, raising density by 15–25%.
- Organic matter. Peat and compost are lighter than mineral soil. Higher organic content lowers density.
- Clay vs sand. Clay particles pack tighter than sand grains, so clay soils weigh more per cubic yard.
Dry vs Compacted vs Wet Soil Weight Explained
The calculator uses three multipliers on the base density: 0.9 for dry loose, 1.1 for compacted, and 1.3 for wet. A cubic yard of topsoil with a 2,410 lb base density therefore comes out at 2,169 lb dry, 2,651 lb compacted, and 3,133 lb wet. Dry loose is what a supplier scoops straight into a truck. Compacted is what that same material weighs once it's been driven over, rained on, or walked across for a few weeks. Wet is the figure to use the day after heavy rain, or for soil stored uncovered through a rainy season.
The practical impact shows up at delivery. A 10-yard order priced by weight at the dry figure comes to 10.8 tons. If the yard has just had a week of rain and the load is closer to the wet figure, the same 10 cubic yards can weigh 15.7 tons, which can push a delivery truck over its legal axle weight and force the supplier to split it into two trips. Always ask a bulk supplier whether their quoted weight assumes dry, average, or wet material.
How Bulk Delivery Is Priced
Most landscaping suppliers quote by the cubic yard. Aggregate yards and quarries more often quote by the ton, since their scales weigh every truck automatically. Either method works: ask which the supplier uses, then use this calculator's weight output to convert your cubic yard figure into tons for a ton-priced order, or the reverse for a yard-priced one. Truck capacity is usually limited by weight, not volume, on bridges and secondary roads, so a wet-soil order that would easily fit by volume can still need an extra trip to stay under a truck's legal load limit.
Bulk Density vs Particle Density
Bulk density, the figure this calculator uses, is the weight of soil including all the air space between particles. Particle density (also called true density) is the weight of the solid mineral particles alone, with no air space, and typically runs 2.6 to 2.7 times water's density regardless of soil type. The gap between the two explains why loosening or compacting soil changes its bulk density so much even though the particles themselves haven't changed: tilling adds air space and lowers bulk density, while a roller or foot traffic squeezes air out and raises it. Suppliers, and this calculator, always work in bulk density, since that's what actually fills a truck or a garden bed.
Cubic Yards to Tons Conversion Table
| Volume | Topsoil | Fill dirt | Compost | Sandy loam | Potting soil |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cu yd | 1.08 t | 0.90 t | 0.45 t | 0.99 t | 0.36 t |
| 3 cu yd | 3.25 t | 2.70 t | 1.35 t | 2.97 t | 1.08 t |
| 5 cu yd | 5.42 t | 4.50 t | 2.25 t | 4.95 t | 1.80 t |
| 10 cu yd | 10.84 t | 9.00 t | 4.50 t | 9.90 t | 3.60 t |
| 20 cu yd | 21.69 t | 18.00 t | 9.00 t | 19.80 t | 7.20 t |
Converting Between Metric and Imperial Soil Units
Metric and imperial soil figures convert with 3 constants worth memorizing: 1 cubic yard equals 0.7646 cubic meters, 1 US ton (2,000 lb) equals 0.907 metric tonnes, and 1 pound equals 0.4536 kilograms. For a quick field conversion, multiply cubic yards by 0.76 to estimate cubic meters, and multiply US tons by 0.9 to estimate metric tonnes. A supplier quoting in cubic meters and tonnes (common outside the US) and a customer thinking in cubic yards and US tons can use these two multipliers to check a quote matches without needing a full calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
One cubic yard of dry topsoil weighs about 2,170 lb (1.08 US tons). Wet topsoil can reach 3,130 lb (1.57 tons). Compacted topsoil sits in between at about 2,650 lb (1.33 tons).
How many tons is 10 yards of topsoil?
Ten cubic yards of dry topsoil weighs about 10.8 US tons (9.8 metric tonnes). Wet topsoil pushes the same volume to roughly 15.7 US tons, which matters when ordering by truckload.
How much does a yard of fill dirt weigh?
One cubic yard of dry fill dirt weighs about 1,800 lb (0.9 US tons). Compacted fill weighs about 2,200 lb. Clay-heavy fill can reach 2,600–2,800 lb per cubic yard when wet.
What is the density of topsoil in kg/m³?
Standard topsoil base density is 2,410 lb/yd³, which equals 1,430 kg/m³. Loose topsoil is closer to 1,290 kg/m³ and compacted topsoil reaches 1,570 kg/m³.
How do I convert cubic meters to tons?
Multiply cubic meters by the density in tonnes per cubic meter. For topsoil that's roughly 1.43, so 5 m³ × 1.43 = 7.2 metric tonnes (7.9 US tons).
How much does a yard of compost weigh?
One cubic yard of dry compost weighs about 900 lb (0.45 US tons), less than half the weight of topsoil. Wet compost can reach 1,300 lb per cubic yard.
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