You need
- 1truckloads
- 2layers to pack
- 7.08m³
Prices: what landscape yards post, October 2026.
- Order 9.26 cubic yards of fill dirt to fill 200 sq ft, 12 in deep. We added 25%, because dirt shrinks when you pack it.
- It weighs about 11.8 tons. Wet dirt weighs more.
- That is 1 truckload of about 12 cubic yards.
- The dirt costs about $139 to $315. Delivery is about $40 to $140 more.
- Spread it in 2 layers, no more than 8 in of loose dirt each. Pack each one before the next.
Text this to a landscape yard
Hi! I need about 9.26 cubic yards of fill dirt, delivered. That is about 1 load. What would it cost, with delivery?
Pack fill in thin layers
Dirt dumped in one deep pile sinks for a long time. Spread it thin, pack it, then add the next layer.
- 8 in20 cmMost loose dirt in one layer before you pack it, in a yard.
- 4 in10 cmNext to a house, wall or pipe. Pack it by hand or with a plate.
- 25% moreLoose dirt from the truck to fill a packed hole. Caterpillar's chart.
We found no chart for how much loose fill sinks in a yard. Packing it in layers is the way to keep it from sinking.
City of Harrisonburg, VA design standards; USDA NRCS Construction Specification 423 (May 2017); Caterpillar.
How much a dump truck holds
| Truck | Cubic yardsCubic meters | Weight of fill |
|---|---|---|
| Single axle | about 8about 6.1 | 10.2 tons9.3 t |
| Tandem | about 12about 9.2 | 15.3 tons13.9 t |
| Big tandem | about 15about 11.5 | 19.1 tons17.3 t |
| Semi | about 18about 13.8 | 23.0 tons20.8 t |
Load sizes are what yards and haulers post. Trucks carry less when the dirt is wet and heavy. Ask yours what it holds.
How the math works
- Area. Length times width. For a circle, half the width times itself, times 3.1416. One meter is 3.28084 feet.
- Depth. If the spot slopes, we use the middle depth: the two ends added, divided by 2.
- Size of the hole. Area in sq ft times depth in inches, divided by 12, gives cubic feet. Divided by 27 gives cubic yards.
- Packing. Caterpillar's chart says dry packed earth packs to 0.80 of its loose size. So you buy 1.25 times as much.
- Weight. Caterpillar: 2,550 lb a loose cubic yard.
- Layers. The deepest spot, as loose dirt, divided by 8 in, rounded up.
- Price. What landscape yards post for fill dirt, the middle 80%: $15 to $34 a cubic yard. Delivery: what yards post a trip, $40 to $140, for each load.
Questions
How much fill dirt do I need?
Length × width in feet × depth in inches ÷ 12 = cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards. If you will pack it, order 25% more. A 20 × 10 ft spot, 12 in deep and packed, needs about 9.3 cubic yards.
How many yards of dirt are in a dump truck?
A single axle truck holds about 8 cubic yards. A tandem holds about 12 to 15. A semi holds about 18. Ask the yard. Wet dirt is heavy, so loads can be smaller.
How much does fill dirt cost?
Yards post about $15 to $34 a cubic yard, before delivery. Delivery is about $40 to $140 a trip.
How much does a yard of fill dirt weigh?
About 2,550 lb (1.28 tons) loose, from Caterpillar's chart for dry packed earth. Packed in the ground, it is 3,200 lb. A ton is about 0.78 cubic yards.
Will fill dirt settle?
Yes, if you dump it in one deep pile. We found no chart for how much. Spread it no more than 8 in deep at a time and pack each layer, and it settles far less.
Sources
- Caterpillar earthwork tablesJan 2025Weight of dry packed earth, and how much it packs
- City of Harrisonburg, VA, design standards, ch. 6seen Oct 2026Fill goes down 8 in at a time
- USDA NRCS Construction Specification 423May 2017Layer depths; 4 in next to a structure