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How much does a yard of dirt weigh?

Published weights of a cubic yard of dirt run from 1,890 to 2,392 lb across 7 values from 3 documents, measured in different conditions. The calculators use 2,025 lb per cubic yard, published as “Soil, dry” by Los Angeles County Public Works, because two documents (Los Angeles County and Seattle Public Utilities) print it for dry soil. One ton of dirt is about 0.99 cubic yards.

Convert
t
Result
0.99 cubic yards

1 ton of dirt is about 0.99 cubic yards at 2,025 lb per cubic yard.

Cubic yards
0.99
Cubic feet
26.7
Tons
1
Pounds
2,000
Cubic yards at the published range, same condition
0.84–1.06
Rounded up to the next half yard
1 yd³

How it is calculated

  1. Pounds = 1 ton × 2,000 lb = 2,000 lb.
  2. Cubic yards = 2,000 lb ÷ 2,025 lb/yd³ = 0.99 yd³.
  3. Cubic feet = 0.99 yd³ × 27 = 26.7 cu ft.

Published weight of a cubic yard of dirt

Published values for dirt: the publisher, the category and condition as the document names them, the value as printed and the same value in pounds per cubic yard. The marked row is the one the calculators use.
PublisherCategory and condition in the documentValue as printedPounds per cubic yard
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency“Earth, common, dry | 1 cubic foot | 70-80 | FEECO” Condition: dry, compaction not stated70–80 lb/ft³1,890–2,160
Los Angeles County Public Works, Environmental Programs Division (used by the calculators)“Soil, Dry 1 cubic yard = 2,025 lbs” Condition: dry, compaction not stated2,025 lb/yd³2,025
Seattle Public Utilities“Soil, dry one cubic yard 2025” Condition: dry, compaction not stated2,025 lb/yd³2,025
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency“Earth, loose | 1 cubic foot | 76 | FEECO” Condition: loose76 lb/ft³2,052
Los Angeles County Public Works, Environmental Programs Division“Soil, Wet 1 cubic yard = 2,106 lbs” Condition: wet, compaction not stated2,106 lb/yd³2,106
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency“Earth, moist, loose | 1 cubic foot | 78 | FEECO” Condition: loose, moist78 lb/ft³2,106
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency“Soil/sandy loam, loose | 1 cubic yard | 2,392 | Tellus” Condition: loose2,392 lb/yd³2,392

Dirt weight by volume

At 2,025 lb per cubic yard, 5 cubic yards of dirt weigh about 10,125 lb (5.06 tons) and 10 cubic yards about 10.13 tons.

Weight of dirt by volume at 2,025 lb per cubic yard, with tons across the published values in the same condition
VolumePoundsTonsTons, published range, same condition
1 cubic foot750.0380.035–0.044
0.5 cubic yards1,0130.510.47–0.6
1 cubic yard2,0251.010.95–1.2
2 cubic yards4,0502.031.89–2.39
3 cubic yards6,0753.042.84–3.59
5 cubic yards10,1255.064.73–5.98
10 cubic yards20,25010.139.45–11.96
15 cubic yards30,37515.1914.18–17.94
20 cubic yards40,50020.2518.9–23.92

How many yards in a ton of dirt?

One ton of dirt is about 0.99 cubic yards at 2,025 lb per cubic yard, and 0.84–1.06 cubic yards across the published values in the same condition. Five tons is about 4.94 cubic yards.

Cubic yards of dirt in 1 to 25 tons at 2,025 lb per cubic yard, with the published range in the same condition
TonsCubic yardsCubic yards, published range
10.990.84–1.06
21.981.67–2.12
32.962.51–3.17
43.953.34–4.23
54.944.18–5.29
65.935.02–6.35
76.915.85–7.41
87.96.69–8.47
98.897.53–9.52
109.888.36–10.58
1514.8112.54–15.87
2019.7516.72–21.16
2524.6920.9–26.46

Why the weight of dirt differs between sources

The published values for dirt range from 1,890 to 2,392 lb per cubic yard across 7 values from 3 documents. A cubic yard weighs more when the material is wet than when it is dry, and more when it is compacted than when it is loose; the documents above measured it in different conditions.

For an order, ask the supplier for the weight per cubic yard of the material they deliver, and use it as your own density in the converter.

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