Ordering material for a Cedar City project usually comes down to one question: how much do you actually need? Order too little and you’re paying for a second delivery. Order too much and you’re paying to haul away the leftovers. Getting the yardage right the first time saves money and keeps your project on schedule.
Whether you’re filling a low spot in the yard, prepping a driveway base, or spreading gravel around a new build, the math is the same. Here’s how to figure out exactly how much gravel or fill dirt to order — and where the numbers commonly get mixed up.
Why Getting the Yardage Right Matters
Material is sold and delivered by the cubic yard, not by the truckload or the guess. A load that’s short leaves you with an unfinished job and a second delivery fee. A load that’s too big means paying to haul away material you never used — or leaving an eyesore pile in the driveway. A five-minute calculation up front avoids both.
The Simple Formula: Length × Width × Depth
The formula behind every yardage calculator is the same: measure the length and width of the area in feet, multiply them together, then multiply by the depth (also in feet). Divide the result by 27 to convert cubic feet into cubic yards — that’s the unit gravel, dirt, and road base are all sold in.
Example: a 20-foot by 10-foot driveway base at 4 inches deep (0.33 feet) works out to 20 × 10 × 0.33 = 66 cubic feet, or about 2.5 cubic yards.
How Much Is a Cubic Yard, Really?
A cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet — about the size of a washing machine, and it weighs anywhere from 1.3 to 1.5 tons depending on the material. Gravel and road base run on the heavier end; loose fill dirt and topsoil sit a bit lighter. That weight matters for driveway access and drop-off spot planning, not just the math.
Quick Reference by Project Type
- Driveway base (4–6 in. deep): plan on 1–1.5 cubic yards per 100 sq. ft.
- Backyard fill or grading: depends on depth — measure the low spot the same way as above.
- Flower beds & landscaping: 0.5 cubic yards typically covers 150 sq. ft. at 1 inch deep.
- Drainage & French drains: gravel-specific — order slightly more than the trench volume to allow for settling.
Gravel vs Fill Dirt vs Road Base: Coverage Isn’t the Same
The formula stays the same, but the material doesn’t behave the same once it’s down. Gravel settles and compacts less than fill dirt, so a driveway base often needs a touch more than the raw math suggests. Fill dirt compacts more as it settles, especially after the first rain, so overfilling slightly is usually smarter than underfilling. Road base is designed to compact tight under load-bearing areas, so it’s typically ordered by compacted depth, not loose depth — worth mentioning when you call in your order.
Not sure which material fits your project? See our full materials list →
When in Doubt, Call Before You Order
Every yard has a slope, a soft spot, or an odd corner that throws off a tape-measure estimate. If the number you land on doesn’t feel right — or the project is bigger than a weekend job — call before you order. A quick description of the space is usually enough for us to sanity-check the yardage and make sure the truck shows up with the right amount the first time.
About Midnight Services
Midnight Services provides fast, affordable gravel, fill dirt, road base, and landscape rock delivery in Cedar City and across Southern Utah. We also offer heavy equipment hauling. If you need it moved, we can haul it — serving contractors, builders, landscapers, and homeowners alike.
