Raymond WhitneyIf you’re considering purchasing dirt for your landscaping, or to fill a hole you must know the amount of dirt you can carry in your car.
Many dirt companies will give you the option of having them deliver dirt directly to your home however, it will cost you money. If you’re carrying a lot of dirt, it might be worthwhile having someone deliver the dirt to you.
However, if you have an automobile or truck that you can utilize to transport dirt into your home It’s a more affordable and quicker option.
If you’re thinking about how much dirt weighs and if you’re able to safely deliver dirt to your home using the truck, keep checking out.
What is a Cubic Yard of Dirt?
When you’re carrying dirt, it’s measured in a quantity that is comprised of width, length, and height.
It can be thought of as a box one yard long, one yard in width, and one yard high. Another way to think of it is that you could call it the size of a cubic yard.
If you’d like to convert it to cubic yards, one-yard measures 3 feet the equivalent of one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet.
How Much Does a Yard of Dirt Weigh?
Dirt’s weight is contingent on the soil as well as the moisture as well as other substances that are mixed into the dirt. The weight of a cubic yard is about 2200 pounds.
If you’re considering which dirt to buy, you should know the distinction between topsoil dirt as well as fill dirt.
Topsoil dirt is employed predominantly for landscaping and gardening purposes. It is a rich source of organic matter and compositions that are suitable to grow plants.
The organic matter that is present in the topsoil deteriorates over time, causing it to shift over the course of time.
Fill dirt can be used for covering ditches and trenches that you have in your yard or surrounding the base. The fill dirt is free of organic matter and can include small stones and other debris.
The best fill dirt is for those who require a solid, ground that doesn’t shift. Fill dirt weighs more than topsoil because it has lumps and rocks of other material.
Here are some types of dirt and their weight
| Dirt Type | Weight (lbs/cubic) |
|---|---|
| Top Soil (loose) | 2,100 lbs |
| Top Soil (compact) | 2,500 lbs |
| Clay dirt weighs (dry) | 2,300 lbs |
| Gravel (dry) | 3,300 lbs |
| Gravel (wet) | 3,450 lbs |
| Loose dirt | 2,800 lbs |
| Sand weights (dry) | 2,700 lbs |
| Sand weights (wet) | 3,100 lbs |
| Fill dirt weighs | 2,150 lbs |
| Pulverized dirt weighs | 2,300 lbs |
How Much Weight is One Yards Worth of Dirt?
If you’re hauling topsoil to your landscaping or garden It weighs around 2,100 pounds for a yard of soil.
In the case of pulverized screen soil that is soft and fine and compact, you can carry as much as 2,250 pounds of dirt for your yard.
External factors can impact the soil’s weight. The most prevalent is soil’s moisture and debris that mix with the rock.
If you’re purchasing fill dirt to fill your yard, but have less debris and smaller stones, then it weighs more regularly around 2,150 pounds.
How Many Yards of Dirt will fit in a Pickup Truck?
If you’re carrying dirt on a pickup truck, the half-ton pickup trucks like the Ford F150 or Dodge Ram will haul around fifty cubic feet of dirt.
This is the maximum capacity. Larger pickups typically haul as much as their weight.
It is also possible to consult the manual for your truck to assess the maximum carrying capability of your truck. You can find two ratings for the truck.
Gross combined weight rating (GCWR) Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR): This is the weight that is the most weight-bearing for the vehicle, which includes its cargo, weight passengers, fuel, and the weight of the trailer cargo.
Gross Vehicle Weight Ratio (GVWR) is the maximum weight that a truck can carry that includes cargo, passenger along tongue weight.
Here’s a list of dirt weights that might fit into the pickup truck:
| Dirt Type | Weight (lbs/cubic) |
|---|---|
| One ton | 2000 tons (1 cubic yard load of dirt) |
| Half-ton | 1000 pounds (half cubic yard dirt load) |
| 3/4 ton | 1,500 lbs (3/4 ton of soil topsoil) |
It is essential to be aware of the weight limit prior to loading dirt onto the pickup truck. The towing capacity of the truck is contingent on the frame the suspension, brakes, and the engine.
The more robust and powerful design of a pickup truck lets you haul more dirt in one journey. When you’re filling the truck up with dirt go slow and observe how it’s handling the load.
When you use a wheelbarrow to load your truck, it’ll take between 9 and 10 trips to fill the dirt for a cubic yard.
How Much Dirt Can a Dumper Carry?
Dump truck ratings are based on the size of the bed. The hauling truck is able to carry more weight than a pickup truck.
It can transport between 22,000 and 28,000 pounds (11 up to 14 cubic yards of dirt).
The big dump trucks can hold more than 28,000 pounds of dirt, while smaller dump trucks are capable of carrying anywhere between 15,000 and 18,000 lbs of dirt.
How Much Topsoil Do You Require to Landscape?
If you’re planning to landscape and require dirt to fill your garden, and around the foundation, it is easy to estimate the amount of topsoil you’ll need to purchase.
It is important to determine the space you wish to fill with topsoil and then determine how deep or high you’ll need to fill it. You can do it using a measuring tool and taking measurements of the width and length of the space.
If you are putting dirt around the foundation, you should take a measurement of the depth. The area around your foundation is slightly higher than the rest of the area.
It assists in keeping water away from the foundation and minimizes water leaks and leakage into the basement in the winter or rainy seasons.
When you have figured out the length, width, and height of the area and the height, you can add each of them to calculate the amount. If the measurement is in feet, you can divide that number by 27 to calculate the cubic yard measurement for the topsoil.
There is also a soil calculator that allows you to enter your measurements and it calculates them automatically and provides you with the required soil.
How Many Bags of Dirt Makes a Yard?
Most stores offer dirt in bags which is packaged in the size of a bag that is 28 to 30 liters.
Twenty-seven bags of dirt makes one cubic yard. If you’re purchasing soil for your lawn or garden ensure that you purchase the correct type.
The garden soil is made up of silt, sand clay along organic compost. There are a variety of varieties you can purchase.
If you aren’t sure what soil to purchase it is always a good idea to consult with a garden expert. They can help you navigate in the correct direction.
Final Words
That’s it. The dirt in a cubic yard can weigh between 2100 and 2200 pounds. It is all dependent on the soil and the quantity of water, rock, and any other foreign elements that are present.
Be sure to know the towing capacity of your vehicle prior to loading. If you’ve never hauled dirt with your vehicle previously, load slowly and pay attention to the weight.
It is recommended that you drove cautiously because the loose soil could shift during abrupt turns and cause you to lose your balance.
