Topsoil, fill dirt, sand, gravel, mulch: they're all sold by the cubic yard, but most homeowners think in terms of bags or square footage. A yard of material sounds abstract until you see it. It's a cube about the size of a standard washing machine, and it weighs anywhere from half a ton to over a ton depending on what it is. Getting your order right means knowing the conversion, understanding what you're buying, and coordinating a delivery that doesn't damage your driveway.
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet). Pictured another way: a pickup truck bed holds roughly 1 to 2 cubic yards depending on the bed size and how high you pile it. A standard wheelbarrow holds about 3 cubic feet, meaning it takes about 9 full wheelbarrow loads to move one cubic yard. For small projects (a garden bed, a sandbox, a small raised bed) you might be looking at 1-3 cubic yards. A full yard renovation or backfill project around a foundation can easily run 20-50 yards.
The formula is: length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft), divided by 27. All dimensions must be in feet first. If your depth is in inches, divide by 12 to convert to feet before plugging in. For example, a garden bed 20 feet long, 8 feet wide, and 6 inches (0.5 feet) deep needs 20 x 8 x 0.5 / 27 = 2.96 cubic yards. Round up to 3 yards and add 10-15% for settling and uneven subgrade. Materials compact after delivery and you'll likely want a bit extra. Irregular shapes can be broken into rectangles and the totals added together.
Weight matters more than most homeowners expect when they receive a delivery. Suppliers will quote you a price per yard, but they'll also ask where to dump it. A 10-ton dump truck on a wet lawn can leave ruts that take a full season to recover. Know the approximate weight of what you're ordering before the truck shows up.
Topsoil runs about 2,000 to 2,500 pounds per cubic yard (roughly 1 to 1.25 tons). Fill dirt is similar, 2,000 to 2,700 pounds depending on clay content and moisture. Sand is heavier: 2,600 to 3,000 pounds per yard. Gravel (3/4-inch crushed) weighs about 2,800 to 3,000 pounds. Mulch is the lightest at 400 to 800 pounds per yard depending on type. An order of 10 yards of topsoil weighs about 12 tons. Plan accordingly for delivery access.
If the supplier's truck has to drive across your lawn or a soft gravel driveway, lay down 4x8 sheets of plywood to distribute the weight. Ask whether the supplier uses a tri-axle dump truck or a smaller truck with a conveyor (sometimes called a 'slinger') that can shoot material over obstacles. Conveyor delivery costs more but can place material far from the road without driving on your property. For any delivery over 5 yards, think through where the pile will land and how you'll move it.
Topsoil is the nutrient-rich upper layer of earth used for lawn repairs, raised beds, and topdressing. It should not be used as structural fill. It's too organic and will compress and settle over time. Fill dirt is subsoil (below the topsoil layer) with very low organic content; it compacts well and is the right choice for filling low spots, building up grades around a foundation, or backfilling a retaining wall. Sand is used under pavers and concrete slabs for leveling and drainage, in sandboxes, and for mixing into clay-heavy soil to improve drainage. Gravel (crushed stone) is used for drainage beds, driveways, French drains, and under shed footings. River rock is a smooth, rounded gravel used for decorative landscaping and erosion control along drainage channels.
Call at least two or three local suppliers for quotes. Prices vary significantly, and many suppliers have minimum delivery amounts (often 3 yards). Ask about the material's source and composition; topsoil quality in particular varies widely. Some suppliers sell 'screened' topsoil (rocks and clumps removed), which is worth the premium for garden use. Confirm the delivery lead time. Bulk material suppliers can sometimes deliver next day, but busy seasons in spring and fall may mean a week-long wait. Have a plan for where the material goes before the truck arrives. Leaving a large pile on your lawn for more than a day or two kills the grass underneath and can become a neighbor relations issue. Rent a mini-skid steer or tractor for orders over 5 yards unless you enjoy wheelbarrow work.
