How to use this calculator
- Enter Cut volume in cu yd.
- Enter Fill required in cu yd.
- Enter Shrinkage in %.
- Press Calculate. The highlighted row is your order quantity; the note beneath it translates the number into real-world terms.
Formula & constants
Balance = cut volume − (fill required × shrink factor). Fill compacts 10–15% smaller than bank, so 100 cy of fill space needs ~112 cy of cut. Positive result = export; negative = import. Every default in the fields above is editable — when your supplier’s spec sheet lists a different density, coverage rate or price, enter that number instead. The waste and compaction allowances follow common trade practice; see our methodology page for the derivation of each formula and the standards it references.
Where this fits in the project
Earthwork precedes everything: dig volumes set the budget for hauling and determine imported fill or base gravel. Bank volume expands when dug (swell) and imported fill shrinks when compacted — use the truckload calculator on loose volume, not bank volume.
How this connects to your project
No quantity stands alone — each material in the chain depends on the ones around it. These are the planning steps that pair with the cut and fill calculator:
- Excavation Calculator — Cut volume is the excavated material.
- Fill Dirt Calculator — Fill volume is the material placed.
- Swell Factor Calculator — Swell and shrinkage affect cut-fill balance.
- Compaction Calculator — Fill material compacts and shrinks when placed.
- Truckload Calculator — Surplus cut material or imported fill requires trucking.
- Gravel Calculator — Gravel may be used as compacted fill.
- Topsoil Calculator — Topsoil is stripped before cut-fill and replaced after.
Frequently asked questions
Why does fill ‘shrink’?
Compaction densifies soil beyond its bank state — a compacted yard came from more than a yard of cut.
What is a balanced site?
Grading designed so cut equals adjusted fill — zero import/export, the cheapest earthwork outcome.
Last verified: — prices reflect current national averages. See our methodology.
Estimates are for planning. Material densities, coverage rates and prices vary by region and supplier — confirm final quantities before ordering, and check local code where structural or electrical work is involved.