Truck Bed Volume Calculator
| Bed | Level load | Mounded | Gravel payload cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsize 5 ft | ~1.3 yd³ | ~2 yd³ | ~0.5 yd³ |
| Full-size 6.5 ft | ~2 yd³ | ~3 yd³ | ~0.5-0.75 yd³ |
| Full-size 8 ft | ~2.5 yd³ | ~3.7 yd³ | ~0.5-0.75 yd³ |
Truck bed volume is length times width times the fill height you actually stack to - a full-size six-and-a-half-foot bed holds about two cubic yards level with the rails, and mounded a foot above them holds closer to three - while a midsize bed runs two-thirds of that and a flat load of anything heavier than mulch stops long before the walls do.
Bottom line: cubic yards per load divided into the project total gives the trips, and the payload line decides whether the truck can legally take them - a half-ton pickup carries about 1,500 pounds, and wet gravel at 3,000 pounds a cubic yard blows through that in half a bed. Mulch at 400 pounds a yard is the friendly cargo; soil and gravel are the payload checks.
The honest part: heaped loads on the highway are a tarp-and-a-ticket problem - uncovered loose material is a citation in most states, and everything above the rails sheds at the first bump. The level load is the legal load, and the extra trip is cheaper than the fine or the windshield behind you.
How to use
- Measure the bed's length and width at the floor, and the height you will fill to - level with the rails, or the mounded height if the load is light and tarped.
- Read the cubic feet and yards per load, then divide the project's yardage for the trip count - and add 10 percent per trip for what falls off at the store.
- Check the payload line for anything heavier than mulch: wet soil runs 2,000 pounds a yard, gravel 2,700 to 3,000, and the door-jamb sticker sets the limit the axle cares about.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards fit in a full-size truck bed?
A full-size bed at six and a half feet by five feet holds about 2 cubic yards level with the rails and closer to 3 heaped - a midsize or short-bed truck holds 1.3 to 1.5 level. The bulk-buy rule of thumb stands: a full-size pickup moves about two yards of mulch per trip and half a yard of gravel before the payload stops the loading.
How much does a yard of mulch weigh in a truck bed?
Around 400 pounds a cubic yard dry, up to 800 wet - so a two-yard load is 800 to 1,600 pounds, well inside a half-ton payload. Soil runs 1,800 to 2,200 pounds a yard and gravel 2,700 to 3,000, which is why the same truck that hauls four yards of mulch legally hauls half a yard of gravel - the axle, not the box, sets the limit.
How do I keep mulch from blowing out of a truck bed?
Tarp every loose load regardless of height - most states cite uncovered loads, and highway bumps shed a level load faster than drivers believe. Wet the mulch down before loading, fill to the rails rather than mounding, and take the highway speeds off the route: the back road to the same address sheds half as much.
Is a half-ton truck enough for landscaping?
For mulch, plants and bagged material - yes, a half-ton is the standard landscaping truck and its two-yard bed matches the delivery minimums. For soil, stone and hardscape in bulk, the honest tool is the delivery truck: the material prices the same delivered, the payload risk disappears, and the shovel work starts at the pile instead of the tailgate.