Materials & quantities
Excavation & bulk materials
Estimate excavation or fill volume and material mass with explicit allowances.
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What an excavation and bulk material calculator does
An excavation and bulk material calculator converts an area and a depth into the volume of material to dig or order, and the weight of that material. Enter a length, width and depth, a loose-to-in-place volume multiplier and a loose density, and it returns the in-place volume in cubic yards, the loose or order volume and the estimated weight in US tons (cubic metres and tonnes in metric).
The in-place volume is geometry: length × width × depth. What you order or haul is different, because soil and aggregate don't stay at one density. Dug soil bulks up in the truck, and loose gravel settles when it is compacted. The multiplier handles both: enter 1.25 for soil that swells 25% when excavated, or 1.2 to order enough loose aggregate to finish at the compacted depth you need.
The material menu (Excavation, Gravel, Sand, Topsoil, Asphalt, Other fill) labels your result; it does not set a density or a factor. The swell presets are typical handbook values by material class; otherwise enter values from your supplier or geotechnical report, and record the source in the notes field so it prints with the result. The tool does not design pavements, drainage, shoring or asphalt mixes.
How to use the excavation & bulk materials
- Choose Imperial or Metric, then pick the Material / task so the output is labelled, and the Shape: a plain area, or a trench with optional sloped sides.
- Enter the Length and Width of the area (the trench bottom width) in feet, and the In-place depth in inches: the finished compacted thickness for fill, or the dig depth for excavation. For a trench, enter the Side slope as horizontal per 1 vertical (0 for vertical sides).
- Pick a Swell preset (topsoil, clay, sand or gravel, blasted rock, each with a typical swell) or keep Custom and enter the Loose / in-place volume multiplier: 1.0 for no adjustment, or the loose-to-compacted ratio your supplier gives for aggregate.
- Enter the Loose / order density in lb/ft³ (kg/m³ in metric) and note where it came from in Density / allowance source. Enter the Truck capacity per load, choose the Price basis (per loose cubic yard or per tonne) and add an optional price to get a cost.
- Read the in-place volume, trench top width, loose or order volume, estimated mass and truck loads. Download the PDF or CSV, or copy the result into an order or haul plan.
Worked example
Imperial: A 30 × 10 ft area filled 4 in deep is 3.7 yd³ in place. A 1.2 loose-to-compacted multiplier means ordering 4.44 yd³.
Metric: A 10 × 3 × 0.1 m fill layer is 3 m³ in place. A 1.2 loose-to-compacted multiplier means ordering 3.6 m³.
How to calculate cubic yards
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27. Convert a depth in inches to feet first by dividing by 12. A 30 × 10 ft area at 4 in deep is 30 × 10 × 0.333 = 100 ft³, or 3.70 yd³. In metric, cubic metres = length × width × depth, all in metres, and 1 yd³ = 0.7646 m³.
The table shows how much area one cubic yard or one cubic metre covers at common depths. It is a fast way to sanity-check a quote or a delivery ticket. For mixed units or other conversions, the construction unit calculator handles them directly.
| Depth | Area per yd³ | Depth (metric) | Area per m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² | 25 mm | 40 m² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² | 50 mm | 20 m² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² | 75 mm | 13.3 m² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² | 100 mm | 10 m² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² | 150 mm | 6.7 m² |
| 8 in | 40.5 ft² | 200 mm | 5 m² |
| 12 in | 27 ft² | 300 mm | 3.3 m² |
Swell vs compaction: bank, loose and compacted volume
Earthwork volumes come in three states. Bank (in-place) volume is the material as it sits in the ground. Loose volume is the same material after digging, when it takes up more space in a truck or a pile. Compacted volume is what remains after rolling or tamping, which is less than loose and often less than bank.
Swell is the increase from bank to loose. If a clay swells 30%, every 100 yd³ dug becomes about 130 yd³ to haul, so enter a multiplier of 1.3 to plan trucks. Compaction works the other way for fill: to finish with 100 yd³ of compacted base you order more than 100 yd³ of loose stone. The tool's default of 1.2 is illustrative; your supplier or engineer can give a figure for the specific material and compaction effort.
The ranges below are typical swell figures for early planning. They vary with moisture, grading and how the material is dug, so treat them as typical and confirm with your supplier or geotechnical engineer.
| Material | Typical swell | Multiplier to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Sand and gravel | 10–15% | 1.10–1.15 |
| Common earth or loam | 20–30% | 1.20–1.30 |
| Clay | 30–40% | 1.30–1.40 |
| Blasted rock | 50% or more | 1.50 or more |
How many tons in a cubic yard of gravel, sand or topsoil?
Tons = loose cubic yards × density in lb per cubic yard ÷ 2,000. The calculator takes density in lb/ft³; multiply by 27 to get lb/yd³. At 100 lb/ft³ (2,700 lb/yd³), one cubic yard weighs 1.35 US tons.
Density depends on the stone, the grading and above all the moisture. Wet sand and topsoil can be much heavier than dry. Suppliers sell by the ton or by the yard and usually publish their own conversion for each product, so use it when you have it. The ranges below are typical, confirm with supplier.
| Material | US tons per yd³ | lb/ft³ | kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel or crushed stone, dry | 1.3–1.5 | 96–111 | 1,540–1,780 |
| Sand, dry | 1.2–1.4 | 89–104 | 1,420–1,660 |
| Topsoil, dry to moist | 1.0–1.3 | 74–96 | 1,190–1,540 |
Worked examples: a gravel driveway and a basement dig
Gravel driveway. A 50 × 12 ft driveway needs 6 in of compacted base. In place that is 50 × 12 × 0.5 = 300 ft³, or 11.11 yd³. With a 1.2 loose-to-compacted multiplier the order is 13.33 yd³, and at a loose density of 100 lb/ft³ it weighs 13.33 × 27 × 100 = 36,000 lb, or 18 US tons.
Basement excavation. A 40 × 30 ft footprint dug 8 ft deep is 9,600 ft³, or 355.6 yd³ of bank volume. With 25% swell, 444.4 yd³ of loose soil comes out. If the hauler's trucks carry 12 yd³ per load, that is 37.04 loads, so plan 38. At 100 lb/ft³ loose, the spoil weighs about 600 US tons, and truck weight limits may reduce what each load can carry.
Neither example includes overdig: the extra width around footings and walls for formwork and working space, or sloped sides for safety. Add those to the plan dimensions, or calculate them as extra areas, before you order or price haul-off.
Who it is for and when to use it
Ordering driveway and patio base
Turn a driveway, path or patio base into a yard or ton order, with a compaction allowance built in.
Planning excavation and haul-off
Estimate loose spoil volume, weight and truckloads from a footprint and dig depth before pricing haul-off.
Topsoil for lawns and raised beds
Work out how many yards of topsoil cover a lawn or fill a bed at a given depth, and what the delivery will weigh.
Checking quotes and delivery tickets
Compare a supplier's yard or ton quantity with your own in-place volume and allowances, so you know which figure you are paying for.
Method, formulas & assumptions
Geometric volume = length × width × depth, or for a trench length × depth × (bottom + top width) ÷ 2 with the top widened by 2 × depth × side slope. Loose/order volume = geometric × multiplier (entered, or a typical swell preset). Mass uses the loose/order density; truck loads = ceil(loose volume ÷ capacity).
Imperial inputs are converted with exact factors (1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, 1 US gal = 3.785411784 L) before the calculation runs in SI, then results are converted back.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Mixing inches and feet. A 4 in layer is 0.333 ft, not 0.4 ft; using 0.4 overstates the volume by 20%.
- Ordering the compacted depth as loose volume. Gravel and base settle when compacted, so order loose volume using a multiplier.
- Using a density for a different material or moisture state. Wet sand can be much heavier than the dry figure your quote was based on.
- Assuming the material menu sets the density. It is a label; the density and multiplier are the numbers you enter.
- Forgetting overdig and sloped sides. Excavations for footings and basements are wider than the building, and battered sides add volume a rectangle does not capture; use the trench shape with a side slope for battered cuts.
- Planning trucks on volume alone. A truck of wet clay or stone can reach its weight limit before it is full by volume.
Scope & limits
Mode names do not set densities. Swell presets are typical handbook values; enter supplier density and compaction factors. Truck loads are by volume, not payload. No soil, shoring, drainage or asphalt mix design.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards of gravel do I need?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27. A 20 × 10 ft area at 4 in deep is 2.47 yd³ in place; with a 1.2 compaction multiplier, order about 2.96 yd³.
How many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel?
Typically about 1.3 to 1.5 US tons per loose cubic yard for dry gravel or crushed stone, depending on the stone and grading. Confirm with your supplier, who will usually have a yard-to-ton conversion for each product.
How much area does a cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard covers 81 ft² at 4 in deep, 108 ft² at 3 in and 162 ft² at 2 in. Divide 324 by the depth in inches to get the area per cubic yard.
What is the swell factor of soil?
Swell is the percentage increase in volume when soil is dug. Typical planning figures are about 10 to 15% for sand and gravel, 20 to 30% for common earth and 30 to 40% for clay; confirm with your supplier or geotechnical engineer.
How much extra gravel should I order for compaction?
It depends on the material and the compaction effort, so ask your supplier. The calculator's default loose-to-compacted multiplier of 1.2 (20% extra) is an illustrative starting point that you can replace.
How many dump truck loads will I need?
Ask the hauler for each truck's capacity in cubic yards and its payload in tons. Divide your loose volume by the capacity and your weight by the payload, and plan for the larger number of loads.
How do I convert cubic yards to cubic metres?
Multiply cubic yards by 0.7646. 10 yd³ is 7.65 m³, and 1 m³ is 1.308 yd³.
Can I use this calculator for concrete?
Use the free concrete quantity calculator instead, which is set up for concrete volume and waste. This tool is for soil, aggregate and other bulk materials.
Do I need an account to download the result?
No. All calculations, local file processing and exports on this page are free, without an account.
Where are my inputs stored?
The tool keeps inputs in this browser tab. It does not upload them or create a cloud copy. Save or download anything you want to keep before leaving the page. Standard site analytics may operate independently of the tool.
Can I work in metric instead of imperial?
Yes. Use the Imperial / Metric switch above the inputs. Imperial (feet, inches, pounds, gallons) is the default; switching converts every dimensional field and result, and your choice is remembered across the free tools in this browser.
Further reading
- Foundation types template
- Building permit process explained
- All materials & quantities tools
- All free architecture & construction tools
- Harth resource library
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