Tidbit Tuesday-How Much Dirt and Rock Do I need?

How much dirt and rock do I need? A lot of people call me asking this question. That is a great question to ask! There is a way to determine this. First, get the square footage of the area you are wanting to cover. Divide it by 800 and that will help you determine how many 12 yard loads we need at 3 inches thick.

There are factors to take into consideration before you start ordering material. First, does that area you got your measurements from have big gaping holes in it? If so you need to add more material. The equation I gave you is for an area that is on a flat surface and on grade.

Now lets talk dirt and rock. If the area is on grade (meaning a flat level surface) and no holes, then the number you got from the equation is accurate for rock. If you want dirt though, that is is a different story. Have you ever picked up a handful of dirt? When you pick it up it is loose in your hand. When you squeeze the dirt together, it does not take up as much space. That is because it is compacting. When you put dirt down on your driveway or dirt pad you need to take this into consideration. As you drive over it to compact it, you will find you will need to add more to come up to the grade you want it. A good rule of thumb is to add 30 percent more to the the number you got before.