How much does 6 cubic feet of dirt weigh

What does a yard of topsoil weigh? According to Grow Your Yard, a cubic yard of topsoil can weigh 1,400 to over 2,000 pounds. The exact answer depends on the soil’s moisture and whether it contains rocks, sand, debris, or other impurities. 40 pounds of topsoil fill about 0.75 cubic feet.

How much does a yard of topsoil weigh, and how do you find how much you need? The answer to the first question depends on what’s in the soil, and the answer to the second requires a little math. 

In this article, I’ll explain what topsoil is, how to measure it, what a cubic yard looks like, and how much topsoil weighs.

Contents

  • 1 Fill Dirt Vs Topsoil
  • 2 Measuring Topsoil
    • 2.1 Method 1
    • 2.2 Method 2
  • 3 How Much Does Topsoil Weigh?
  • 4 What Does A Cubic Yard Look Like?
  • 5 FAQs
    • 5.1 How Much Does 2 Cubic Feet Of Topsoil Weigh?
    • 5.2 What Does 1 Yard Of Topsoil Look Like?
    • 5.3 How Many Wheelbarrows Are In A Yard Of Dirt?
    • 5.4 How Much Does A Yard Of Dirt Cost?
    • 5.5 What Does 20 Quarts Of Soil Weigh?
    • 5.6 How Many 40lb Bags Of Topsoil Are In A Yard?
  • 6 A Cubic Yard Of Topsoil Is Heavy

Fill Dirt Vs Topsoil

How much does 6 cubic feet of dirt weigh
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There are two main types of dirt: fill dirt and topsoil. The former lies below topsoil and is typically composed of rockier, less organic material. It’s often used to fill holes or elevate the ground. It provides a sturdier base because it doesn’t break down as much as topsoil.

Topsoil is the darker-colored, uppermost layer of dirt. It’s typically 4 to 12 inches deep and has more organic material and nutrients than fill dirt. Most soil activity by microorganisms happens in this layer. This and that fact that it provides more oxygen to plants makes it better for gardening. 

However, because it contains more organic matter, topsoil tends to break down as air pockets collapse. This makes it suitable only for the uppermost layer of a landscape. It’s also more vulnerable than fill dirt to erosion. Therefore, always place topsoil over fill dirt after the fill dirt has been set.

Measuring Topsoil

Topsoil is typically measured in cubic yards. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and a cubic foot is 12x12x12 inches.

Dirt Connections outlines two methods you can use to determine how much topsoil you need:

Method 1

Suppose you have a flower bed that’s 6 inches deep, 12 feet long, and 12 feet wide. Follow these steps:

  1. Convert All Measurements To Feet


    Six inches is equivalent to 0.5 feet.

  2. Find The Number Of Cubic Feet By Multiplying The Dimensions


    An example calculation would be 0.5 x 2 x 12 feet = 72 cubic feet.

  3. Find The Number Of Cubic Yards By Dividing The Number Of Cubic Feet


    Divide the number of cubic feet by 27.72 cubic feet / 27 cubic feet = 2.67 cubic yards to fill your flower bed.

Method 2

Suppose you have a flower bed with the same dimensions as before, try the following steps:

  1. Convert The Measurements Of Feet And Inches Into Yards

There are 36 inches in a yard, so six inches is 0.167 yards. There are 3 feet in a yard, so 12 feet is 4 yards.

  1. Multiply The Dimensions In Yards To Find The Number Of Cubic Yards

Assuming the same values, an example calculation would be 0.167 yards x 4 yards x 4 yards = 2.67 cubic yards.

How Much Does Topsoil Weigh?

How much does 6 cubic feet of dirt weigh
Image credit: publicdomainpictures.net

According to Dirt Connections, a cubic yard of topsoil weighs about 1,080 pounds. However, debris and moisture can make it heavier. Grow Your Yard states that topsoil can weigh between 1,400 and 2,000 or more pounds. Because topsoil contains less sediment than fill dirt, its weight tends to be more consistent.

Because 1,080 is such a heavy load, Dirt Connections recommends always having a company deliver dirt to your home.

What Does A Cubic Yard Look Like?

Greg of Adams Fairacre Farms explains that 1 cubic yard of anything will fill a 10×10-foot space, 3 inches deep:

To fill a large garden area, he recommends buying soil, mulch, stones, etc. in bulk instead of in bags. Not only is this more convenient, but it can save you money.

In this video by Patuxent Nursery, you can see what a cubic yard of mulch looks like in a pickup truck:

At 2:24, you can see the same amount on a blue tarp.

FAQs

How Much Does 2 Cubic Feet Of Topsoil Weigh?

A cubic foot of topsoil weighs about 40 pounds, so two cubic feet of topsoil weighs about 80 pounds. The amount of moisture and debris in the soil can affect its weight. If your topsoil contains rocks, here’s how to remove them.

What Does 1 Yard Of Topsoil Look Like?

A yard of topsoil spread to a depth of one inch covers 324 square feet, whereas the same amount spread to a depth of three inches covers 100 square feet.

How Many Wheelbarrows Are In A Yard Of Dirt?

The number of wheelbarrows in a yard of dirt depends on the size of your wheelbarrow. Soil Building Systems states that it takes 9 to 14 wheelbarrow loads to equal a cubic yard of dirt.

How Much Does A Yard Of Dirt Cost?

How much a yard of dirt costs depends on what type you’re buying. Fill dirt costs $8-15 per cubic yard, whereas topsoil costs $12-50 per cubic yard.

What Does 20 Quarts Of Soil Weigh?

There are 30 US liquid quarts in a cubic foot, and a cubic foot of topsoil weighs about 40 pounds. Therefore, 20 quarts of topsoil weigh about 26.74 pounds.

How Many 40lb Bags Of Topsoil Are In A Yard?

Since a cubic foot of topsoil weighs about 40 pounds, and there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, there are 27 40-pound bags of topsoil in a cubic yard.

A Cubic Yard Of Topsoil Is Heavy

How much does a yard of topsoil weigh? Depending on its moisture and whether it contains rocks, sand, debris, and/or other impurities, it can weigh from 1,400 pounds to over 2,000 pounds. 

To determine how much topsoil you need for your project, first determine the length, width, and depth/height of the space you want to fill. Then:

How much does 6 cubic yards of dirt weigh?

Weight of 6 yards of dirt:- typically, 1 yards of dirt weighs around 2200 lbs or 1.1 short tons, so for 6 yards of dirt weight around 13200 lbs or 6.6 short tons.

How much does a cubic ft of dirt weigh?

To first determine how much a cubic foot weighs, you start with how much a cubic yard weighs, which is 2,000lbs (or 1 ton). Next, you need to do a little bit of math. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, so if you divide 2000 by 27, that comes out to 74.07lbs (0.037 tons).

How many cubic feet are in a 40 lb bag of soil?

A 40 pound bag of topsoil usually contains about . 75 Cubic Feet of soil.

How many pounds is 6 cubic yards of dirt?

Weight of 6 yards of dirt:- 6 cubic yards of dirt weighs around 13200 lbs or 6.6 short tons.