Relative density of topsoil?

[al]

Anyone know? Or more specifically, how much do one of those cubic meter bags weigh?

a

[Rick Hughes]

Here is a page to work it out -

that helps.

I have figures for sand, hardcore, cement etc. ... but not for soil.

My guess for damp typical sandy soil you would not be too far out if you went at 1 tonne per m3

Wet or clay would make the biggest difference, the latter as there are then no air spaces between grains.

Rick

[L Reid]

>

From Perry's Chemical Engineers handbook:

Substance Sp. gr Aver Weight lb/cu.ft. Clay, dry 1.0 63 damp plastic 1.76 110 Earth dry loose 1.2 76 dry, packed 1.5 95 moist, loose 1.3 78 moist, packed 1.6 96 mud, flowing 1.7 108 mud, packed 1.8 115

HTH.

[Rick Hughes]

>

From the figures by L.Reid -

so if I follow that :-

1cu m = 35.3146666 cu ft 1 cubic foot = 76 Lb dry soil therefore = 76 x 35.3146666 cu m = 2684 Lb 2684 Lb = 1.2 metric tonne

which when you take my guestimate of 1 tonne ... that is not bad.

Rick

[al]

Thanks for all your answers - some of it was slightly damp at the side from contact, so I'll take 1.5 to 1.75 tonnes as being close enough per bag :o)

Just wanted to know how much damn work I did over the weekend - shifted two of the bags by hand evenly across a 40m/2 area! At least it was a little cooler than the weekend before ....

a

[Rick Hughes]

having had several 22 tonne loads of top soil - and had to shovel & barrow away one of them - I only managed 22 tonne in a day and a half ....

30 tonnes in a day would be way past my best effort.

Had another 22 tonne on Friday (have to take it when I can get it) .. at least got this tipped out of the way so I don't have to barrow it now.

Will have to move & level all of it ( will be 132 tonne in all) but will probably hire a skid steer loader for a weekend.

Rick

[al]

Well, that I am, but not that good ;P

The roughly 3 tonnes took me two days to spread and rake. But then I was painting in between when the going got too hot!

Out of interest, is there a cheap way of buying loads of topsoil? Quality doesn't matter as I'm building up a base to cover over with weed sheets and woodchip, but "deliverability" does as it's to the back of my house down a laneway that a medium sized truck can fit (crane lifts over my back wall thankfully!). I've paid almost £100 for my two cubic meter bags.

a

[Rick Hughes]

why ?

So the sums are the same.

well with 30 degree temp - all the soil in my area is well dry .... for once.

[Rick Hughes]

I pay £100 cash per 22 tonne load ..... found a driver who hauls this for big companies, he takes the last load 'home with him' I will only take good stuff, so get a phone call at short notice ... "Iv'e got a load on do you want it now' One he dropped in the drive - hence the barrowing it for a day and a half !

Simplest way is to look at somebody hauling it and ask them if they sell it for cash - most drivers don't own the stuff and always after cash.

Wherever a new development starts up - they sell off the top soil to contractor, who typically gets in sub-contract owner drivers .... these are the guys who will sell it on.

A new development in my area is about to start with the taking off the top soil from a playing fields complex of something like 30 acres to build a new stadium - hoping to get some soil form that.

Rick

[The Natural Philosopher]

I bought some (20 tons) for £13 a ton, and had the local farmer dump a trailer full or three for free.

Trouble is getting the tip lorry to where you want it.

Mini diggers and dumpers will still set you back £100 a day, which often negates the lower cost of bulk buying.