How many pounds in one cubic foot of soil?

Answer 1

The weight of any soil will depend on how saturated it is with water. A rule of thumb is that a cubic foot of saturated loamy soil weighs about 20 pounds. Saturated clay would be heavier because it is denser than loam.

According to the 1980 edition of Architectural Graphics Standards, clay that is damp and plastic (moldable) weighs 110 lbs/sq. ft. while packed earthen mud weighs 115 and wet sand and gravel weighs 120 lbs/sq. ft.

Chippsetter

Answer 2

I found this answer on a forum online. I don't know who Reade is,

but the variety of answers seemed very knowledeable.

I have data from Reade on the following types of soil.

Earth, loam, dry, excavated - 78 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, moist, excavated - 90 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, wet, excavated - 100 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, dense - 125 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, soft loose mud - 108 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, packed - 95 pounds/cubic foot

Earth, Fullers, raw - 42 pounds/cubic foot

Answer 3

Soils vary in weight. On average, soil "as is" (including its small air spaces and its water content) will weigh around 70 to 85 pounds per cubic foot. My research assures me that this is correct, despite the fact that, based on my actual experience in handling bulk soil, those figures seem counterintuitively high...

Answer 4

24.7037 lb