# I moved a ton of dirt today...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 20, 2001, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180 "2001-02-20T04:44:28Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/1 "2001-02-20T04:44:28Z")
literally!
My house came with a raised garden. I didn’t do anything with it last year, but I want to plant a rose garden there. Either due to settling or aesthetic differences, the ground level in the garden is lower than I like, so I’m adding 8 inches of topsoil. The garden is 10’x12’. This means 80 cubic feet of dirt, or nearly 3 cubic yards. When I went to buy this, I found that one cubic yard of soil is 60 bags of soil, that weigh 40 lbs each(one pallet’s worth).
That means I need 3.6 tons of soil. :eek:
They delivered it this morning. I managed to move nearly one whole pallet from the driveway to the back yard - at least 50 bags. Thus one ton!
I am so not looking forward to tomorrow.
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### Author:  [@Amazing\_Tiki\_God](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazing_Tiki_God)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/2 "2001-02-20T05:01:50Z")
I feel your pain man I really do. Sounds like it should be a fun job though. I remember the time I moved about 8 tons of gravel in one day. I had to redo the driveway. What fun that was. And in case your wondering I didn’t move the next 2 days I was so sore. Looks like your gonna have a fun job ahead of you.
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### Author:  [@dewt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dewt)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/3 "2001-02-20T13:19:30Z")
Last fall, laying the foundation for a barn, me and a friend moved 20 tons of gravel one day and 20 the next. Thankfully, it was more of a spreading action than a pick up and carry thing.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/4 "2001-02-20T14:19:32Z")
Z, if you want some help, give me a call. Back breaking work is my specialty.
Take care and don’t over do. Back trouble is no fun.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/5 "2001-02-20T15:37:24Z")
This is what God made wheelbarrows for.
I spent part of last spring spreading 15 cubic yards of dirt on the gravel pit that the previous owners called a side yard, and 12 cubic yards the year before. It’s becoming part of my spring training regimen.
It’s much more cost effective if you just have a truck load of loam delivered – it’s about 20-24 dollars a cubic yard that way.
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### Author:  [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/6 "2001-02-20T16:17:00Z")
JimB - I might just have to take you up on that.
Finagle - actually I got a dolly/hand cart thingie, imagine a dolly with an extra set of wheels so that the longways portion can be parallel to the ground. I can get 4 bags a trip with that. It’s handy, since most of the trip is on deck or concrete. I looked into having a truckload of soil delivered - it was cheaper than the bags. But a truckload was 6 cubic yards, and I only needed 3 yards! Which would have left 3 cubic yards of dirt in my driveway. :eek: (Maybe I should get to know my neighbors better)
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### Author:  [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/7 "2001-02-20T18:20:32Z")
That’s how you bribe your friends to come over and work. I suppose a Mug-O-Wine would also do in a pinch. 😃 If you need help, just let me know. With JimB’s help, we could get it done a lot faster than doing it by yourself.
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### Author:  [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/8 "2001-02-20T21:43:16Z")
Grace, isn’t that a Box-O-Wine. She’s right Z. I work for beer, and I even bring my own.
Jim
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### Author:  [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)
#### Post date: [February 20, 2001, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/9 "2001-02-20T23:14:53Z")
Zyada, Grace, you two be sure not to overextend yourselves. If your arms are too sore this weekend, you’re going to have to have someone help you lift your tops when it comes time to earn your mardi gras beads.
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### Author:  [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)
#### Post date: [February 21, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-moved-a-ton-of-dirt-today/55180/10 "2001-02-21T04:08:05Z")
Wheelbarrows…that’s for panty waists… get a freakin’ tractor and then you can have fun pushing the dirt hither and yon, taking longer to get the job done if you did it by hand\*.
\*Also works for snow removal too.