Determining the weight of a cubic yard of soil is a fundamental safety and logistics question for any landscaping or construction project. A cubic yard is a measure of volume, defined as a three-dimensional space totaling 27 cubic feet (three feet wide, long, and high). The weight of the soil filling that space is not fixed, but rather a measure of its density, which is highly variable. The composition of the soil and, most significantly, its moisture content, are the primary reasons the answer is always a broad range rather than a single number.
Weight Ranges for Different Soil Types
The dry weight of a cubic yard of soil is largely determined by the size and density of its component particles—sand, silt, and clay—and the amount of organic matter present. A cubic yard of general, loose topsoil, which is a mix of these components, typically weighs between 2,000 and 2,200 pounds when dry. This figure serves as a good baseline for common landscaping materials.
Soils dominated by sand tend to be among the heaviest on the dry scale because sand particles are coarse and dense, packing closely together. A cubic yard of dry, sandy soil can weigh between 2,600 and 3,000 pounds. In contrast, amended soils that are rich in organic materials, such as peat moss or compost, are significantly lighter due to their fluffy, porous nature. Dry, compost-heavy mixes generally weigh much less, often falling into a range of 800 to 1,250 pounds per cubic yard.
Clay-heavy soils present a wide range of weights, from 1,700 pounds per cubic yard to 2,700 pounds, depending on the specific composition and how much air is trapped within the fine particles. The difference between soil types shows that the physical structure of the particles is a major influence on the total mass. A denser material packs more weight into the same 27 cubic feet of volume.
The Major Factor: Moisture Content
While soil composition sets the dry weight baseline, the presence of water is the single most significant factor causing fluctuations in the final weight of a cubic yard of soil. Water is absorbed into the pore spaces between soil particles, directly adding mass to the measured volume. The amount of water a soil can hold dictates how much heavier it can become after a rainstorm or irrigation.
A standard cubic yard of topsoil that weighs 2,100 pounds when dry can easily absorb enough water to increase its weight to 3,000 pounds. This represents an increase of over 40% in total mass, which is important for transport planning. Wet soil can be 25% to 30% heavier than its dry counterpart.
The structure of the soil influences water retention dramatically. Clay particles are microscopic, creating numerous small pores that hold water tightly, making clay soil effective at retaining moisture and increasing its mass when wet. Sandy soils, with their larger particles, have bigger pore spaces that allow water to drain quickly, meaning they saturate and release water faster than clay.
Organic matter, such as peat or compost, acts like a sponge, absorbing and holding a high volume of water relative to its dry weight. A light, compost-heavy soil can absorb a large percentage of its dry weight in water, though its overall maximum weight may still be less than a dense, saturated sandy or clay soil. Compaction also increases density; a cubic yard of heavily compacted soil will be denser and heavier than a loose load of the same material.
How to Calculate Weight for Hauling and Delivery
Translating the variable weight of a cubic yard into actionable logistics requires a conservative approach focused on safety. The primary consideration for hauling soil is the maximum payload capacity of the vehicle or trailer, often expressed as the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) minus the curb weight. Ignoring this rating can lead to serious safety issues, including brake failure and loss of vehicle control.
For personal transportation, a standard half-ton pickup truck often has a payload capacity of around 1,500 to 2,000 pounds. This means that even a single cubic yard of standard topsoil, which can weigh 2,200 pounds dry, already exceeds the safe limit of many trucks. If the soil is wet, a single cubic yard at 3,000 pounds is well over the limit, potentially overloading the vehicle by 50% or more.
A practical rule of thumb is to assume the maximum possible weight, meaning you should calculate based on the wet weight of the densest soil type you might be transporting. When ordering bulk material, estimate that a half-ton pickup can safely handle no more than one cubic yard of wet soil, and sometimes less, depending on the vehicle’s rating. Always check your vehicle’s payload capacity and err on the side of caution by under-loading, accounting for the material being at its heaviest possible state.