How Many Cubic Yards In A Dump Truck?

How Many Cubic Yards In A Dump Truck?

Loose materials like topsoil, mulch, fill dirt, gravel, stone and sand are sold by the cubic yard or “yards” for short. A cubic yard is a measurement of volume and not weight. One cubic yard is equal to a 3 foot wide by 3 foot long by 3 foot high cube which is 27 cubic feet. When purchasing loose material it’s important to understand how big a yard is and how much it weighs. Most pickup trucks can’t carry much materials so you’ll need a dump truck for bulk orders. The average full size dump truck can carry between 7-19 cubic yards in a dump truck. But smaller dump body pickups can only carry about 1.5 – 3 yards.

How many yards in a dump truck is based on the width, length and height of the dump body. The longer the bed and higher the walls the more material it can carry. Width isn’t as much an issue because dump trucks are limited to how wide they can be when driving on roads. The maximum vehicle width allowed on most roadways is 96 inches or 8 feet. But most dump trucks are about 90 inches wide or 7 1/2 feet which gives them a little room to spare.

A dump body is usually 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 feet tall and 10′ – 18′ long. This means a full size dump truck can carry between 7 – 19 cubic yards of material at a time.

What Is A Cubic Yard?

“Cubic yards” or a “yard” of material fills a cube that’s 3 foot wide x 3 foot long x 3 foot high. The carrying capacity of a dump truck is measuring in cubic yards, as well as pounds and tons.

Dump trucks can usually carry about 7 to 19 cubic yards of loose material like sand, dirt, gravel or crushed stone. But they have a weight limit that’s usually up to 15 tons or 30,000 lbs. Some dump trucks are smaller and some can carry more. But the average full size tri-axle dump truck you see on the road hauls about 15 tons.

One cubic yard is equal to 27 cubic feet. If you measure a truck bed’s length, width and height, then multiply them together, L x W x H, you get the bed’s cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 and you convert cubic feet into cubic yards.

The weight of 1 cubic yard fluctuates depending on the material. One cubic yard of dry dirt weighs around 2,100 pounds but gravel and crushed limestone can weigh upwards of 3,000 lbs per yard.

When you calculate how many yards a dump truck can carry you have to consider the storage capacity of the truck bed, the truck’s weight limit and the weight of the material you’re hauling.

How Many Cubic Yards Are In A Dump Truck

How many cubic yards are in a dump truck depends on the size of the dump body. If you multiply the width x length x height of the truck’s dump body you’ll get the trucks cubic feet or storage capacity. Then divide that number by 27 to get cubic yards.

Most full size dump tucks have a dump bed that’s 7 1/2 feet wide, 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 feet tall and 10′ – 18′ long. This gives them a capacity of between 7 – 19 cubic yards.

Small dump trucks which are actually just a dump body attached to a full size pickup have a capacity of around 3 -4 yards. They’re beds are narrower, shorter and lower than an actual dump truck but they can still haul 2 – 3 times more material and weight than a typical full size pickup.

If you need a bulk amount of gravel, sand, mulch, topsoil, fill dirt or some other loose material, it’ll be delivered by a dump truck.

When ordering loose material you’ll need to calculate volume. Most material is ordered by the yard and not by weight. To calculate volume simply multiply the width x length x depth of the an area. This will give you the cubic feet of the area. Then divide the number by 27 to get cubic yards. I recommend adding another 10% extra material for every project just in case.

Once you know the volume of material you need you can figure out how many dump truck deliveries it will take to get it to the site. This is important to know because most supplier will charge a flat delivery fee per truck load. So it’s best to order full trucks whenever possible.

How To Figure Out A Dump Truck’s Cubic Yard Capacity

Most full size dump trucks have a capacity of between 10 and 19 cubic yards. A truck’s capacity is usually listed in the owner’s manual.

Smaller dump trucks are basically dump bodies mounted on a full size pickup frame. They have much less capacity compared to a full size dump truck but about 2-3 tomes more than a standard pickup. Most small dump trucks can carry about 1 1/2 – 3 cubic yards.

If you can’t find your dump truck’s cubic yardage capacity in the owner’s manual don’t worry, it’s easy to figure out using a tape measure and some basic math.

1. Width: Measure the inside width of the truck bed.
2. Length: Measure the inside length of the truck bed.
3. Height: Measure the the height of the truck bed from the bottom to the top of the walls.
4. Multiply: You should now have 3 measurements which are the inside dimensions of the truck bed. Convert them into feet and decimals. For example, instead of 90 inches wide convert to 7.5 feet. Multiple the numbers together using the following formula: width x length x height. The number you get is the truck’s capacity in cubic feet.
5. Convert: There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard. So divide the number of cubic feet you got in the previous section by 27 to get the truck’s capacity in cubic yards.

This method works for any size storage area including truck beds, dumpsters and dump trucks.

Keep in mind that in addition to space limitations trucks also have weight limits to consider. Just because a truck can fit the cubic yardage you need doesn’t mean it can actually handle the weight. This generally isn’t an issue with full size dump trucks but it can be with smaller dump trucks and dump body pickups.

How Much Can A Dump Truck Carry?

A cubic yard is a measurement of volume and not weight. One cubic yard of material fits in a cube that’s 3 feet wide x 3 feet long x 3 feet high. Most loose material like sand, mulch, gravel, topsoil, clean fill and stone are sold by the yard.

Every dump truck will have a maximum capacity for how many yards it can hold. Full size dump trucks can hold between 7-19 cubic yards while small dump body pickups hold about 1.5 – 3 yards.

In additional to storage capacity, dump trucks also have a weight limit. For example, large dump trucks can haul around 30,000 pounds or about 15 tons.

How many cubic yards a dump truck can hold isn’t the only factor when loading a truck. You also have to consider the weight of the material you’re loading and the weight limits of the truck.

A truck’s weight rating depends mainly on the truck’s chassis and suspension. But it also needs an engine and transmission capable of hauling all that weight. They also need breaks powerful enough to stop a fully loaded truck. This is the difference between a standard pickup and a HD (Heavy Duty).

When loading a truck you need to consider the maximum yards it can hold, the weight limits of the truck and the weight of the material you’re loading.

For example, lets say a you’re filling a dump truck with sand that can carry 15 yards of material with a 30,000 lb limit. Sand can weigh 3,000 lbs per yard. That’s 45,000 which is over the trucks weight limit. So you can actually only carry about 10 yards.

Now lets say you’re hauling dry mulch which is only about 400 lbs per yard. That’s only 6,000 lbs which is well within the truck’s weight limit. In this case you can take advantage of the truck’s 15 yard limit.

Dump Truck Body Style

Another factor that helps determine how many cubic yards a dump truck can carry is the shape of the body.

There are 3 kinds of dump truck body styles: rectangle, half-round, and semi-elliptical.

A dump body in the shape of a rectangle has the most room on the floor of the bed. This means more space for the material to spread out. Rectangle is the most popular shape because it provides great strength with a low center of gravity when carrying heavy loads.

A half-round dump body can handle impact better than the rectangular design. Because the steel is shaped into a semi-circle it doesn’t need cross-members for support. This design lightens the total weight of the truck. The shape also makes it more difficult for material to stick to the floor when dumping. But, the half round shape makes hauling equipment or pallets in the bed difficult because the bottom isn’t flat.

The semi-elliptical design, also called a bathtub or tub style dump body, is a hybrid of the rectangle and half-round body.

The rectangle shape provides the most total storage capacity of all the dump body styles. But the other two make dumping a little cleaner.

How Many Yards Does A Dump Truck Hold?

Loose materials like topsoil, mulch, sand and gravel are sold by the cubic yard or “yards” for short. A cubic yard is a measurement of volume and not weight. One cubic yard is equal to a 3 foot wide by 3 foot long by 3 foot high cube which is 27 cubic feet.

When purchasing loose material it’s important to understand how big a yard is and how much it weighs. The average full size dump truck can hold between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But smaller dump body pickups can only carry about 1.5 – 3 yards.

How many yards of material a dump truck can hold is based on the width, length and height of the dump body. The longer the bed and higher the walls the more material it can carry. Width isn’t as much an issue because dump trucks are limited to how wide they can be when driving on roads. The maximum vehicle width allowed on most roadways is 96 inches or 8 feet. But most dump trucks are about 90 inches wide or 7 1/2 feet.

A dump body is usually 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 feet tall and 10′ – 18′ long. This means a full size dump truck can carry between 7 – 19 cubic yards of material at a time. However most fulls size dump trucks have a 15 ton or 30,000 lb weight limit.

Depending on the weight of the material you’re hauling you may not be able to fully load the truck.

How Many Yards Of Dirt In A Dump Truck?

Dirt like topsoil or fill dirt weighs approximately 2,100 lbs dry and up to 3,000 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. Because of the truck’s weight limit it can’t be fully loaded with dirt. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit can carry about 15 yards of dry dirt but only 10 yards of wet dirt.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material like dirt you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards Of Topsoil In A Dump Truck?

Topsoil weighs approximately 2,100 lbs dry and up to 3,000 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. Because of the truck’s weight limit it can’t be fully loaded with dirt. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit can carry about 15 yards of dry topsoil but only 10 yards of wet topsoil.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material like dirt you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards Of Mulch In A Dump Truck?

Mulch weighs approximately 400 lbs dry and up to 800 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. But mulch is alight material compared to sand or stone so most dump trucks can be fully loaded with it. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit and an 18 cubic yard capacity can carry a full 18 yards of mulch either wet or dry.

18 yards of dry mulch only weighs 7,200 lbs while 18 yards of wet mulch weighs about 14,400 lbs. Both are well within most full size dump trucks weight limits.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards Of Gravel In A Dump Truck?

Gravel weighs approximately 2,800 lbs dry and up to 3,000 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. Because of the truck’s weight limit it can’t be fully loaded with gravel. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit can carry about 10 1/5 yards of dry gravel but only 10 yards of wet gravel.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material like gravel you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards Of Crushed Stone In A Dump Truck?

Crushed stone like limestone weighs approximately 2,800 lbs dry and up to 3,000 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. Because of the truck’s weight limit it can’t be fully loaded with stone. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit can carry about 10 1/2 yards of dry sand but only about 9 yards of wet sand.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material like sand you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards Of Sand In A Dump Truck?

Sand is a very heavy material that weighs approximately 2,600 lbs dry and up to 3,200 lbs wet, per yard. A full size dump truck can haul between 7-19 cubic yards of material. But they typically have a weight limit of around 30,000 lbs or 15 tons. Because of the truck’s weight limit it can’t be fully loaded with sand. A full size dump truck with a 15 ton (30,000 lb) limit can carry about 11 1/2 yards of dry gravel but only 10 yards of wet gravel.

It’s important to remember when loading a dump truck that you have to consider both the maximum capacity of the truck along with it’s weight limit. If you fully load the truck with a heavy material like gravel you risk overloading it’s weight limit.

How Many Yards In A 20 Ton Dump Truck?

How many yards of material a 20 ton dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material and the size of the dump body. The way you figure out how many yards of material a dump truck can carry by weight is easy. Simply divide the weight capacity of the truck by the weight of the material per yard.

Here are a few examples with different materials:

• If a 20 ton dump truck (40,000 lbs) is carrying dry sand, which weighs about 2,600 lbs per yard, divide 40,000 / 2,600 = 15.38 yards of sand in the truck.
• Lets say the truck is carrying wet mulch that weighs 800 lbs per yard. 40,000 / 800 = 50 yards. Dump trucks can only hold up to 19 yards so in this case the truck can be completely filled.
• Dry crushed limestone weighs 2,800 lbs per yard. 40,000 / 2,800 = 14.28 cubic yards of crushed limestone.

Dump trucks have both a cubic yard capacity and a weight limit. To figure out how many yards of a material your dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material.

How Many Yards In A 10 Ton Dump Truck?

How many yards of material a 10 ton dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material and the size of the dump body. The way you figure out how many yards of material a dump truck can carry by weight is easy. Simply divide the weight capacity of the truck by the weight of the material per yard.

Here are a few examples with different materials:

• If a 10 ton dump truck (20,000 lbs) is carrying dry sand, which weighs about 2,600 lbs per yard, divide 20,000 / 2,600 = 7.69 yards of sand in the truck.
• Lets say the truck is carrying wet mulch that weighs 800 lbs per yard. 20,000 / 800 = 25 yards. Full size dump trucks can only carry between 7-19 cubic yards so in this case the truck can be completely filled.
• Dry crushed limestone weighs 2,800 lbs per yard. 20,000 / 2,800 = 7.14 cubic yards of crushed limestone.

Dump trucks have both a cubic yard capacity and a weight limit. To figure out how many yards of a material your dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material.

How Many Yards In A 1 Ton Dump Truck?

How many yards of material a 1 ton dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material and the size of the dump body. The way you figure out how many yards of material a dump truck can carry by weight is easy. Simply divide the weight capacity of the truck by the weight of the material per yard.

Here are a few examples with different materials:

• If a 1 ton dump truck (2,000 lbs) is carrying dry sand, which weighs about 2,600 lbs per yard, divide 2,000 / 2,600 = .76 yards of sand in the truck. That’s about 3/4 yards.
• Now lets say the truck is carrying wet mulch which weighs 800 lbs per yard. 2,000 / 800 = 2.5 yards.
• Dry crushed limestone weighs 2,800 lbs per yard. 2,000 / 2,800 = .71 cubic yards of crushed limestone.

Dump trucks have both a cubic yard capacity and a weight limit. To figure out how many yards of a material your dump truck can carry depends on the weight of the material.

How Many Cubic Yards In A Tri Axle Dump Truck?

How many cubic yards are in a tri axle dump truck? Tri axle dump trucks are generally larger so they can usually carry between 10-19 cubic yards of loose materials. You can spot a Tri Axle because they have 2 sets of wheels in the back to help carry the load. A tri axle dump truck can have enough capacity to hold 14 cubic yards of stone, 17 yards of topsoil, 16 yards of dirt, 19 cubic yards of mulch or 17 cubic yards of gravel.

Even though a tri axle dump truck can carry a lot of weight they’re still limited by the cubic yard of the dump body which is generally between 10-19 cubic yards.

Summary: How Many Cubic Yards In A Dump Truck?

Loose materials like topsoil, mulch, fill dirt, gravel, stone and sand are sold by the cubic yard or “yards” for short. A cubic yard is a measurement of volume and not weight. One cubic yard is equal to a 3 foot wide by 3 foot long by 3 foot high cube which is 27 cubic feet. When purchasing loose material it’s important to understand how big a yard is and how much it weighs. Most pickup trucks can’t carry much materials so you’ll need a dump truck for bulk orders. The average full size dump truck can carry between 7-19 cubic yards in a dump truck. But smaller dump body pickups can only carry about 1.5 – 3 yards.

How many yards in a dump truck is based on the width, length and height of the dump body. The longer the bed and higher the walls the more material it can carry. Width isn’t as much an issue because dump trucks are limited to how wide they can be when driving on roads. The maximum vehicle width allowed on most roadways is 96 inches or 8 feet. But most dump trucks are about 90 inches wide or 7 1/2 feet which gives them a little room to spare.

A dump body is usually 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 feet tall and 10′ – 18′ long. This means a full size dump truck can carry between 7 – 19 cubic yards of material at a time.

If you have any questions or comments about dump trucks or cubic yards email any time.