How much does a yard of topsoil weigh?
Published weights of a cubic yard of topsoil run from 1,600 to 2,392 lb across 2 values from 2 documents, measured in different conditions. The calculators use 1,600 lb per cubic yard (New Mexico EMNRD), because it is the only document that names topsoil; the higher value is loose sandy loam. One ton of topsoil is about 1.25 cubic yards.
0 uses the published 1,600 lb/yd³
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1 ton of topsoil is about 1.25 cubic yards at 1,600 lb per cubic yard.
- Cubic yards
- 1.25
- Cubic feet
- 33.8
- Tons
- 1
- Pounds
- 2,000
- Cubic yards at the published range, same condition
- 0.84–1.25
- Rounded up to the next half yard
- 1.5 yd³
How it is calculated
- Pounds = 1 ton × 2,000 lb = 2,000 lb.
- Cubic yards = 2,000 lb ÷ 1,600 lb/yd³ = 1.25 yd³.
- Cubic feet = 1.25 yd³ × 27 = 33.8 cu ft.
Published weight of a cubic yard of topsoil
| Publisher | Category and condition in the document | Value as printed | Pounds per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department, Mining and Minerals Division (used by the calculators) | “Top Soil | 0.8 (cubic yards to short tons conversion factor)” Condition: not stated | 0.8 ton/yd³ | 1,600 |
| U.S. Environmental Protection Agency | “Soil/sandy loam, loose | 1 cubic yard | 2,392 | Tellus” Condition: loose | 2,392 lb/yd³ | 2,392 |
Topsoil weight by volume
At 1,600 lb per cubic yard, 5 cubic yards of topsoil weigh about 8,000 lb (4 tons) and 10 cubic yards about 8 tons.
| Volume | Pounds | Tons | Tons, published range, same condition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 59 | 0.03 | 0.03–0.044 |
| 0.5 cubic yards | 800 | 0.4 | 0.4–0.6 |
| 1 cubic yard | 1,600 | 0.8 | 0.8–1.2 |
| 2 cubic yards | 3,200 | 1.6 | 1.6–2.39 |
| 3 cubic yards | 4,800 | 2.4 | 2.4–3.59 |
| 5 cubic yards | 8,000 | 4 | 4–5.98 |
| 10 cubic yards | 16,000 | 8 | 8–11.96 |
| 15 cubic yards | 24,000 | 12 | 12–17.94 |
| 20 cubic yards | 32,000 | 16 | 16–23.92 |
How many yards in a ton of topsoil?
One ton of topsoil is about 1.25 cubic yards at 1,600 lb per cubic yard, and 0.84–1.25 cubic yards across the published values in the same condition. Five tons is about 6.25 cubic yards.
| Tons | Cubic yards | Cubic yards, published range |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.25 | 0.84–1.25 |
| 2 | 2.5 | 1.67–2.5 |
| 3 | 3.75 | 2.51–3.75 |
| 4 | 5 | 3.34–5 |
| 5 | 6.25 | 4.18–6.25 |
| 6 | 7.5 | 5.02–7.5 |
| 7 | 8.75 | 5.85–8.75 |
| 8 | 10 | 6.69–10 |
| 9 | 11.25 | 7.53–11.25 |
| 10 | 12.5 | 8.36–12.5 |
| 15 | 18.75 | 12.54–18.75 |
| 20 | 25 | 16.72–25 |
| 25 | 31.25 | 20.9–31.25 |
Why the weight of topsoil differs between sources
The published values for topsoil range from 1,600 to 2,392 lb per cubic yard across 2 values from 2 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.