Excavation Calculator
Enter the length, width, and depth of your dig to estimate the soil volume in cubic yards, the weight in tons, and the number of dump-truck loads to haul it away.
Results
- In-ground volume
- 7.41 cu yd
- Loose volume (hauling)
- 9.26 cu yd
- Estimated weight
- 10 tons
- Dump truck loads (10 yd)
- 1 loads
Estimates only. Round up and buy a little extra to account for waste, spills, and breakage.
Enter the length, width, and depth of your dig to estimate the soil volume in cubic yards, the weight in tons, and the number of dump-truck loads to haul it away.
How to use the excavation calculator
- Enter the length in ft.
- Enter the width in ft.
- Enter the depth in in.
- Enter the swell factor in %.
- Optionally add a price to estimate the total project cost.
- Read your quantities instantly — no sign-up, and you can print the estimate to take to the supplier.
Worked example
Inputs
- Length
- 20 ft
- Width
- 10 ft
- Depth
- 12 in
- Swell factor
- 25 %
Results
- In-ground volume
- 7.41 cu yd
- Loose volume (hauling)
- 9.26 cu yd
- Estimated weight
- 10 tons
- Dump truck loads (10 yd)
- 1 loads
Using the example values above, the excavation calculator returns 7.41 cu yd (in-ground volume). Change any field to match your own project and the numbers update instantly.
Formula
Volume = length × width × depth. Cubic yards = volume ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × 1.35. Truckloads = cubic yards ÷ 10.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is excavated dirt more than the hole?
- Soil expands when dug up — a swell factor of about 25% accounts for the loose, hauled volume being larger than the in-ground volume.
- How many cubic yards fit in a dump truck?
- A standard tandem dump truck holds about 10–14 cubic yards of soil; smaller trucks carry 5–6.
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