How do I calculate how much dirt I need to remove?

Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 × 8 ft hole 3 ft deep is 288 cu ft ÷ 27 = 10.67 cu yd in place. That is the bank volume. The soil you dig up takes more room, so also add the swell: at 25% for common earth that is 13.33 cu yd loose, which is 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck. For a round hole use π × radius² × depth, and for a trench with sloped sides the prismoidal formula in the methodology.

What is the difference between bank, loose and compacted volume?

Bank volume (also called in-place or "bank cubic yards") is the soil in the ground. Loose volume is the same soil once it has been dug and is sitting in a pile or a truck, larger by the swell. Compacted volume is the soil after it is tamped back down as fill, which can be smaller than the bank volume. Hauling is priced and loaded by loose volume; the size of the hole is measured by bank volume.

How much does soil swell when you dig it?

It depends on the soil, so this calculator works from a range for each type: sand or gravel 10–18%, common earth or loam 15–30%, clay 20–40%, rock (blasted or broken) 40–80%. It uses the middle of the range, rounded to 5%: 15%, 25%, 30%, 60%. Sources disagree on the exact figures, wet or clumpy soil swells more, and lab measurements of clay can run higher, so treat the result as an estimate and pick Custom to enter your own swell. A 45% custom swell on the 12 × 8 × 3 ft hole gives 15.47 cu yd loose and 2 loads.

How many truck loads of dirt do I need to haul away?

Loose volume ÷ truck capacity, rounded up. The default hole has 13.33 cu yd of loose soil: 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck. A tandem-axle dump truck is typically 10–14 cu yd; a full-size pickup bed holds roughly 2 cu yd, so the same soil is many more trips (see the table). Both are rules of thumb, so use your hauler’s figure. Soil is heavy, and a load can reach the weight limit before the box is full: ask the hauler how much they will take per trip.

How do I find the volume of a hole with sloped sides?

Use the prismoidal formula: depth ÷ 6 × (top area + 4 × mid-depth area + bottom area), where the mid-depth area uses the average of the top and bottom lengths and the average of the top and bottom widths. It is exact when the walls slope evenly. A 14 × 10 ft top, 10 × 6 ft floor and 4 ft depth: 4 ÷ 6 × (140 + 4 × 96 + 60) = 389.3 cu ft = 14.42 cu yd, less than the 20.74 cu yd of a straight-sided 14 × 10 ft hole. Choose "Rectangle with sloped sides" and enter the top size as length and width and the floor under bottom length and width.

How much dirt does a swimming pool excavation produce?

Start with the pool’s length × width × depth. A 12 × 24 ft pool dug 5 ft deep is 53.33 cu yd in the ground and, in clay at 30% swell, 69.33 cu yd loose, 6 loads in a 12 cu yd truck. The real excavation is bigger than the water: it has to take in the pool walls, the base and working room, and a deep end makes the hole deeper than the average depth, so add those dimensions to the hole you enter or ask the installer for their numbers. See also the pool volume calculator for the gallons.

Do I need to call before I dig?

Yes. In the US, 811 is the national number to call before any digging, even a small hole, so the buried gas, power, water and telecom lines get marked. The call is free, and each state sets how many days before you dig you must make it, so check your state’s 811 center. Wait for the markings, and hand-dig carefully near them. Outside the US, ask your local utilities or the national one-call service.

How deep is it safe to dig a trench?

Trench walls can collapse with no warning, and a cave-in can bury a person. OSHA’s excavation rules (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P), which apply to work sites, require a protective system, such as sloping the sides, shoring or a trench box, for excavations 5 feet (1.5 m) deep or more unless they are in stable rock, and have a competent person decide on shallower ones. They are a good guide for any digging: do not work in a deep trench, keep spoil piles back from the edge, and get a professional for anything deep.

Is the volume for backfill the same as the volume removed?

No. Fill that is compacted back into the hole is not the same as the loose soil you dug. Soil placed and compacted in layers can end up smaller than the bank volume it came from, and if you remove material such as a footing, pipe or a pool shell, there is less to put back. This calculator is for what you dig out and haul; use the gravel, topsoil or footing calculators for what goes back.

Can I estimate the weight of the dirt?

Only roughly. For sand and gravel the calculator multiplies the loose cubic yards by 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the density used by the gravel calculator on this site. Other soils vary a lot with moisture and are not estimated; ask your hauler or the dump site, since they usually charge by the load or the ton. Wet soil can be much heavier than dry.

Excavation Calculator: How Much Dirt Will I Dig and Haul?

A 12 × 8 ft hole dug 3 ft deep is 10.67 cu yd bank (in place): 12 × 8 × 3 = 288 cu ft, or 10.67 cu yd in the ground. Once dug, common earth swells by about 25%, so there are 13.33 cu yd of loose soil to move, which is 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck. Pick the shape, enter the size and depth, choose the soil and your truck size, and the calculator gives the in-place volume, the loose volume and the loads. Call 811 before you dig.

Figures based on the sources listed belowUpdated 2026-10-05How we calculate

ShapeSloped sides: enter the size at the top of the hole as length and width, and the size of the floor below. The volume uses the prismoidal formula, depth ÷ 6 × (top area + 4 × mid-depth area + bottom area).

Length (top of hole)

Width (top of hole)

Depth (in)

Top to bottom. 36 in is 3 ft. See the safety note below the calculator before digging a deep trench.

Soil type (sets the swell)Dug soil takes up more room than it did in the ground. The percentage used is the middle of the range published for that soil, rounded to 5%, an estimate: wet, clumpy or rocky soil swells more. Pick Custom to enter your own.

Truck or trailer capacity (cu yd)

Load per trip, in cu yd. A tandem-axle dump truck is typically 10–14 cu yd and a full-size pickup bed holds roughly 2 cu yd; both are rules of thumb, so use your hauler’s figure. Soil is heavy: a load can reach the weight limit before the box is full.

10.67 cu yd bank (in place)

Loose volume after swell: 13.33 cu yd, at 25% swell (common earth or loam)
Truck loads to haul: 2 loads (truck holds 10 cu yd)
Weight: not estimated for this soil: it varies a lot with moisture, so ask your hauler or the dump site

Shopping list

Round point shovel
Trenching shovel
Contractor wheelbarrow
Marking paint (upside-down can)
Tape measure (100 ft)
Tarp (for the spoil pile)

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Bank and loose cubic yards for common holes and trenches

Cubic yards, worked by this calculator. Bank is the hole as it sits in the ground; the other columns are the loose volume at the middle swell for each soil (sand or gravel 15%, common earth or loam 25%, clay 30%, rock (blasted or broken) 60%). Sizes are length × width × depth of straight-sided holes.
Project	Bank	Loose: sand	Loose: common	Loose: clay	Loose: rock
Utility or drain trench, 1 × 100 ft, 3 ft deep	11.11	12.78	13.89	14.44	17.78
Footing trench, 2 × 60 ft, 3 ft deep	13.33	15.33	16.67	17.33	21.33
Footing trench, 2 × 120 ft, 4 ft deep	35.56	40.89	44.44	46.22	56.89
12 post holes, 12 in round × 42 in deep	1.22	1.40	1.53	1.59	1.95
Pond or hot tub pit, 8 × 8 ft, 2 ft deep	4.74	5.45	5.93	6.16	7.59
Pool, 12 × 24 ft, 5 ft deep	53.33	61.33	66.67	69.33	85.33
Pool, 16 × 32 ft, 5 ft deep	94.81	109.04	118.52	123.26	151.70
Pool, 16 × 32 ft, 8 ft deep	151.70	174.46	189.63	197.21	242.73

Swell by soil type

Percent increase in volume when dug, as a range from the sources listed below. The calculator uses the middle of the range rounded to the nearest 5%, an estimate; type your own under Custom. The last two columns show what one bank cubic yard becomes.
Soil	Published range	Used here	Loose per bank	Cu yd loose per 1 bank
Sand or gravel	10–18%	15%	1.15	1.15
Common earth or loam	15–30%	25%	1.25	1.25
Clay	20–40%	30%	1.3	1.30
Rock (blasted or broken)	40–80%	60%	1.6	1.60

Truck loads by truck size

Loads to haul common earth at 25% swell, rounded up. Truck sizes are rules of thumb: about 2 cu yd for a full-size pickup, and 10 to 14 cu yd for a tandem-axle dump truck. A heavy load can reach the weight limit first, so ask your hauler.
Project	2 cu yd	10 cu yd	12 cu yd	14 cu yd
Footing trench, 2 × 60 ft, 3 ft deep	9	2	2	2
Footing trench, 2 × 120 ft, 4 ft deep	23	5	4	4
12 post holes, 12 in round × 42 in deep	1	1	1	1
Pond or hot tub pit, 8 × 8 ft, 2 ft deep	3	1	1	1
Pool, 12 × 24 ft, 5 ft deep	34	7	6	5
Pool, 16 × 32 ft, 5 ft deep	60	12	10	9

Methodology & assumptions

Bank volume is the volume of the hole as it sits in the ground, which is how earthwork is measured. Rectangle: length × width × depth. Round: π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth × the number of holes. Sloped sides: for a hole whose walls slope evenly from a top opening to a smaller floor, the prismoidal formula V = depth ÷ 6 × (A top + 4 × A mid + A bottom) is exact, where A top = top length × top width, A bottom = bottom length × bottom width and A mid is the area halfway down, ((top length + bottom length) ÷ 2) × ((top width + bottom width) ÷ 2). It covers a trench with sloped sides and a pyramid-shaped pit. For a 14 × 10 ft top, 10 × 6 ft floor and 4 ft depth that is 14.42 cu yd, against 20.74 cu yd for a straight-sided 14 × 10 ft hole of the same depth. Enter depth, top and floor sizes as measured; cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards, and 1 cu yd = 0.7646 m³. Swell: dug soil takes up more room than it did in the ground, because it is loosened and fills with air. Loose volume = bank volume × (1 + swell %). Published tables disagree on the exact figure and with good reason: it depends on the soil, its moisture and how it is dug. So each soil type here carries the range reported by the sources below (sand or gravel 10–18%, common earth or loam 15–30%, clay 20–40%, rock 40–80%) and the calculator uses the middle of the range, rounded to the nearest 5% (15%, 25%, 30%, 60%). That middle value is this page’s choice, an estimate, not a published figure; the handbook point values quoted by the sources (about 12% for sand and gravel, 25% for loam, 40% for clay, 65% for well-blasted rock) all fall inside the ranges. Laboratory measurements of clays and silts can come in higher still, so choose Custom and type your own figure if you know it. Loads = loose volume ÷ the truck or trailer capacity you enter, rounded up; the truck figure is yours because it varies (a tandem-axle dump truck is typically 10–14 cu yd, a full-size pickup bed roughly 2 cu yd, both rules of thumb) and a load of dirt can reach the legal weight limit before the box is full, so check the weight with the hauler. Weight is shown only for sand and gravel, as loose cubic yards × 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the density the gravel calculator on this site uses; it is approximate. No density is given for other soils, since it changes too much with moisture. Not included: working room around forms or a pool shell, topsoil you strip off first, backfill and compaction (compacted soil can end up smaller than its bank volume), and soil that is reused on site. The metric toggle shows lengths in m, depth and diameter in cm and volumes in m³.

How to estimate the dirt to remove from a hole or trench

Call 811. Before you dig, call 811 (the US call-before-you-dig number) or your local one-call service so buried lines are marked.
Measure the hole. Measure the length, width and depth of the hole or trench, or the diameter and depth of a round hole. For sloped sides, measure the opening at the top and the floor at the bottom.
Calculate the bank volume. Length × width × depth in feet, divided by 27, gives cubic yards in the ground. For round or sloped holes use π × r² × depth or the prismoidal formula.
Add the swell. Multiply by 1 plus the swell for your soil (about 1.25 for common earth) to get the loose volume you will have to move.
Count the loads. Divide the loose volume by the truck or trailer capacity and round up. Ask the hauler for their capacity and weight limit.

Worked examples

Project	Result
12 × 8 ft hole, 3 ft deep, common earth, 10 cu yd truck	10.67 cu yd bank (in place), 13.33 cu yd loose at 25% swell, 2 loads
Footing trench, 2 ft wide × 60 ft long × 3 ft deep, common earth	13.33 cu yd bank (in place), 16.67 cu yd loose, 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck
12 post holes, 12 in round × 42 in deep, sand or gravel	1.22 cu yd bank (in place), 1.40 cu yd loose at 15% swell, 1 load
Sloped pit: 14 × 10 ft top, 10 × 6 ft floor, 4 ft deep, common earth	14.42 cu yd bank (in place), 18.02 cu yd loose, 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck
12 × 24 ft pool hole, 5 ft deep, clay, 12 cu yd truck	53.33 cu yd bank (in place), 69.33 cu yd loose at 30% swell, 6 loads
The 12 × 8 × 3 ft hole with a custom 45% swell	10.67 cu yd bank (in place), 15.47 cu yd loose, 2 loads

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate how much dirt I need to remove?: Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 12 × 8 ft hole 3 ft deep is 288 cu ft ÷ 27 = 10.67 cu yd in place. That is the bank volume. The soil you dig up takes more room, so also add the swell: at 25% for common earth that is 13.33 cu yd loose, which is 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck. For a round hole use π × radius² × depth, and for a trench with sloped sides the prismoidal formula in the methodology.
What is the difference between bank, loose and compacted volume?: Bank volume (also called in-place or "bank cubic yards") is the soil in the ground. Loose volume is the same soil once it has been dug and is sitting in a pile or a truck, larger by the swell. Compacted volume is the soil after it is tamped back down as fill, which can be smaller than the bank volume. Hauling is priced and loaded by loose volume; the size of the hole is measured by bank volume.
How much does soil swell when you dig it?: It depends on the soil, so this calculator works from a range for each type: sand or gravel 10–18%, common earth or loam 15–30%, clay 20–40%, rock (blasted or broken) 40–80%. It uses the middle of the range, rounded to 5%: 15%, 25%, 30%, 60%. Sources disagree on the exact figures, wet or clumpy soil swells more, and lab measurements of clay can run higher, so treat the result as an estimate and pick Custom to enter your own swell. A 45% custom swell on the 12 × 8 × 3 ft hole gives 15.47 cu yd loose and 2 loads.
How many truck loads of dirt do I need to haul away?: Loose volume ÷ truck capacity, rounded up. The default hole has 13.33 cu yd of loose soil: 2 loads in a 10 cu yd truck. A tandem-axle dump truck is typically 10–14 cu yd; a full-size pickup bed holds roughly 2 cu yd, so the same soil is many more trips (see the table). Both are rules of thumb, so use your hauler’s figure. Soil is heavy, and a load can reach the weight limit before the box is full: ask the hauler how much they will take per trip.
How do I find the volume of a hole with sloped sides?: Use the prismoidal formula: depth ÷ 6 × (top area + 4 × mid-depth area + bottom area), where the mid-depth area uses the average of the top and bottom lengths and the average of the top and bottom widths. It is exact when the walls slope evenly. A 14 × 10 ft top, 10 × 6 ft floor and 4 ft depth: 4 ÷ 6 × (140 + 4 × 96 + 60) = 389.3 cu ft = 14.42 cu yd, less than the 20.74 cu yd of a straight-sided 14 × 10 ft hole. Choose "Rectangle with sloped sides" and enter the top size as length and width and the floor under bottom length and width.
How much dirt does a swimming pool excavation produce?: Start with the pool’s length × width × depth. A 12 × 24 ft pool dug 5 ft deep is 53.33 cu yd in the ground and, in clay at 30% swell, 69.33 cu yd loose, 6 loads in a 12 cu yd truck. The real excavation is bigger than the water: it has to take in the pool walls, the base and working room, and a deep end makes the hole deeper than the average depth, so add those dimensions to the hole you enter or ask the installer for their numbers. See also the pool volume calculator for the gallons.
Do I need to call before I dig?: Yes. In the US, 811 is the national number to call before any digging, even a small hole, so the buried gas, power, water and telecom lines get marked. The call is free, and each state sets how many days before you dig you must make it, so check your state’s 811 center. Wait for the markings, and hand-dig carefully near them. Outside the US, ask your local utilities or the national one-call service.
How deep is it safe to dig a trench?: Trench walls can collapse with no warning, and a cave-in can bury a person. OSHA’s excavation rules (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P), which apply to work sites, require a protective system, such as sloping the sides, shoring or a trench box, for excavations 5 feet (1.5 m) deep or more unless they are in stable rock, and have a competent person decide on shallower ones. They are a good guide for any digging: do not work in a deep trench, keep spoil piles back from the edge, and get a professional for anything deep.
Is the volume for backfill the same as the volume removed?: No. Fill that is compacted back into the hole is not the same as the loose soil you dug. Soil placed and compacted in layers can end up smaller than the bank volume it came from, and if you remove material such as a footing, pipe or a pool shell, there is less to put back. This calculator is for what you dig out and haul; use the gravel, topsoil or footing calculators for what goes back.
Can I estimate the weight of the dirt?: Only roughly. For sand and gravel the calculator multiplies the loose cubic yards by 1.4 tons per cubic yard, the density used by the gravel calculator on this site. Other soils vary a lot with moisture and are not estimated; ask your hauler or the dump site, since they usually charge by the load or the ton. Wet soil can be much heavier than dry.

Handy tools

Feet and Inches Calculator: Turn a tape reading in feet and inches into the decimal feet the length and width fields take.
Cubic Yards to Tons: Convert the loose cubic yards to tons once you know the density of your soil.