Fill dirt is sold by the cubic yard, and estimating it by eye usually ends up short. Measure your area and depth, and this calculator gives you the yardage you actually need to order.
For leveling or grading, measure length and width in feet and the depth you need to raise or fill in inches. Remember that loose dirt compacts — plan for up to 20 percent extra on deep fills that will settle.
A cubic yard of dry fill dirt weighs roughly 2,000 to 2,700 pounds depending on moisture. Wet or clay-heavy dirt weighs more.
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27. A 500 square foot area raised 3 inches needs about 4.6 cubic yards.