Dirt & Soil Weight Calculator
Estimate the weight of topsoil, fill dirt, clay, loam, sandy soil, and other soil before loading a dumpster.
- Estimate cubic feet, cubic yards, pounds, and tons
- Adjust the estimate for soil type and moisture
- Review the weight before requesting approval
Calculate dirt and soil weight
Soil Moisture
Heavy Material — RedArk Approval Required
Dirt and soil are extremely heavy. A dumpster cannot be filled to its full cubic-yard capacity with dirt. Even a small amount of dirt can weigh several tons. RedArk approval is required before loading dirt, soil, clay, sand, or similar heavy material into a dumpster. This calculator provides an estimate only and does not represent an approved dumpster load.
Why Dirt Fills a Dumpster Differently
Dumpster size is measured by volume, but dirt loads are limited primarily by weight. A 15-yard dumpster does not mean that 15 cubic yards of dirt can be loaded into it. Heavy-material fill limits are much lower and must be approved by RedArk.
Soil weight can change significantly based on moisture. Dirt excavated after rainfall or from saturated ground may weigh substantially more than dry soil.
Actual soil weight varies based on soil composition, moisture content, density, organic material, rocks, clay content, sand content, compaction, and other site conditions. Calculator results are estimates for planning purposes only.