Know your dig before the truck shows up.
Enter the size of the hole and read the whole job: bank cubic yards in the ground, loose cubic yards to haul away after the soil swells, how many truckloads that is, and roughly how many tons it weighs.
The dig
Bank cubic yards = length times width times depth in feet, divided by 27. Loose volume adds the swell factor for hauling.
What these numbers mean
Bank volume vs loose haul volume
How much the soil grows once you dig it
Job breakdown
| Measure | Value | What it is for |
|---|
Soil type changes the swell: sand about 10 to 15 percent, common earth about 25 percent, clay about 30 to 40 percent. Adjust the swell factor to match your ground.
Excavation math, explained
How Excavation Volume Is Calculated
Excavation volume starts with the size of the hole. Multiply length by width by depth to get the volume in cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards, because there are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard. Depth is the value that trips people up: a 12 inch dig is 1 foot deep, so a 20 by 10 foot area dug 12 inches deep is 20 times 10 times 1, or 200 cubic feet, which is about 7.4 cubic yards.
This figure is called the bank volume, meaning the soil as it sits compacted in the ground. It is the number you use to order fill, gravel, or backfill that will be compacted back into the same space, and it is the base for every other result on this page.
Why Soil Swells When You Dig It
Dirt takes up more room once it is dug out because the digging breaks up the compacted structure and traps air between the clumps. That increase is the swell or expansion factor. Loose volume equals bank volume multiplied by one plus the swell percentage, so 8 bank cubic yards at 25 percent swell becomes 10 loose cubic yards to haul away.
Swell depends heavily on soil type. Sand and gravel swell the least, roughly 10 to 15 percent. Common earth and loam sit near 25 percent. Heavy clay swells the most, often 30 to 40 percent. Because you pay to truck the loose volume, using the right swell factor keeps your haul estimate and truckload count honest.
Truckloads and Weight
To find truckloads, divide the loose cubic yards by the capacity of your dump truck and round up, since a partial load still takes a full trip. A standard tandem dump truck carries about 10 to 14 loose cubic yards, while smaller trucks carry far less, so confirm the number with your hauler before you plan trips.
Weight matters for hauling limits and equipment. Multiply the bank cubic yards by the soil density in tons per cubic yard to estimate weight. Dry soil is near 1.2 tons per cubic yard, moist soil near 1.4, and wet or clay soil can exceed 1.7, so a small dig can still be several tons.
Common questions
What is the difference between bank and loose cubic yards?
Bank cubic yards measure the soil compacted in the ground, which is what you order fill or backfill by. Loose cubic yards measure the same soil after it is dug out and expands, which is what you haul away and pay a trucker for. Loose is always the larger of the two.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27.
What swell percentage should I use?
It depends on the soil. Sand and gravel swell about 10 to 15 percent, common earth and loam about 25 percent, and clay about 30 to 40 percent. If you are unsure, 25 percent is a safe middle estimate for typical yard soil.
Do I need to call before I dig?
Yes. In the United States call 811 a few business days before any digging so utilities can mark buried gas, electric, water, and communication lines for free. It is the law in most places and it prevents dangerous and expensive strikes.
Estimates for planning only. Real volumes depend on soil type, moisture, over-dig, and site conditions, and truck capacity varies by hauler. Always call 811 before you dig, and confirm quantities with your excavator. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is uploaded.