How Much Fill Dirt for 500 Square Feet?

For 500 square feet of fill dirt at 6 inches deep, you need about 9.26 cubic yards - roughly 500 bags (0.5 cu ft bag), about 11.57 tons. The amount changes with depth; the table below shows common depths, and you can adjust everything in the calculator.

DepthCubic yardsBags
3 in4.63250
6 in9.26500
12 in18.521000

Based on 500 square feet (500 sq ft). One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; bags are 0.5 cu ft bag.

Measure the average depth you need to fill or raise; for holes, estimate the average depth.

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You need about

9.26cubic yards
500
bags (0.5 cu ft bag)
11.57 t
approx. weight (~23,148 lb)

Weight is an estimate (1.0-1.5 tons per cubic yard); actual weight varies with material and moisture.

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Fill dirt is subsoil used to raise grade, fill holes, and build up low areas - it has little organic matter, so it compacts well and is cheaper than topsoil. Use fill dirt for the bulk, then cap it with topsoil where you want to plant.

For an uneven hole, estimate the average depth across the area rather than the deepest point.

Other fill dirt amounts

Same area, other materials

Need a different size? Open the full Fill Dirt calculator →