Calculators/ Framing & Exterior/Excavation Calculator
Excavation Calculator
Dig volume, soil swell and truck loads.
Excavation Calculator
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yd³
Dug soil takes up more room than the hole it came from. Clay can swell forty percent, which is why a pile that looks far too big for the excavation is usually correct, and why haul-away is billed on loose volume.
How this is calculated
- Bank volume is the hole: length × width × depth ÷ 27 for cubic yards.
- Loose volume = bank volume × (1 + swell). Sand swells around 12%, common earth 25%, clay up to 40%.
- Haul-away and truck loads are priced on loose volume. Backfill, by contrast, is ordered on compacted volume.
Frequently asked questions
What is soil swell?
The increase in volume when soil is dug and loosened. The same soil compacted back into place shrinks again, which is why excavation and backfill quantities never match.
How much does a cubic yard of soil weigh?
Roughly 1.35 tons for common earth in place. Wet clay is heavier, dry sand lighter.