Free tool
Wood chip volume calculator
By Umair Nawaz, founder of Lirevon Updated How we test tools
Work out how many cubic yards of chips a job will make, how many chip truck loads that is, and what the dump trips cost you. Count trees by size, measure limbs and logs you will chip, or measure brush piles. Use one way or mix them. Every number is yours to change.
Related: Chipper, Chip truck, Chippers, Chip and dump trucks, Tree care guides.
1. Trees by size
Quick way: count the trees you will chip. Yards of chips per tree are rough starting points only, change them after you measure a few real loads.
2. Limbs and logs you will chip
Measured way: add a row for each size of wood going through the chipper. Average diameter in inches, total length of all pieces of that size in feet. Leave out logs you keep or sell as firewood.
3. Brush piles
Measure the pile before you chip it. Use the average height.
4. Your chip truck
5. Dump trips and cost
Chip estimate
Tree job
Chips from this job
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Truck loads
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Usable box size
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Haul cost, this job
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Cost per yard
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Per month at your job count
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Estimate only, built from the numbers entered. Real chip volume changes with species, chipper and how loads settle. Measure a few loads and adjust.
How the math works
- Trees = for each size, number of trees × yards of chips per tree, added up.
- Solid wood in each limb row = 3.1416 × (diameter in inches ÷ 24)² × total length in feet. That gives cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
- Chips from limbs = solid wood yards × chip expansion factor.
- Chips from brush = (length × width × height ÷ 27) × number of piles ÷ brush reduction ratio.
- Usable box size = box length × width × height ÷ 27 × how full you load it.
- Truck loads = total chips ÷ usable box size, rounded up. If weight is set, it also works out total chips × weight per yard ÷ payload, rounded up, and uses the higher of the two.
- Haul cost = loads × (trip hours × people × hourly cost + fuel per trip + dump fee). One load is one dump trip.
- Per month = the job numbers × similar jobs per month.
Questions about chips and dump trips
How many cubic yards of chips does one tree make?
It depends on the size, the species, how much of the trunk you chip instead of keeping as logs, and how fine your chipper cuts. That is why this tool lets you set your own yards per tree for each size. Start with the rough numbers in the form, then measure a few real loads and change them to match your crew.
How do I measure my chip box in cubic yards?
Measure the inside length, width and height of the box in feet. Multiply them and divide by 27. A box 12 feet long, 7 feet wide and 5 feet high holds about 15.6 cubic yards when it is level full. Type your own measurements into the tool.
Why does the tool ask for a fill percent?
Most loads are not perfectly level full. Chips settle, crews stop early to keep the load off the tailgate, and mounded loads vary. A fill percent below 100 makes the load count closer to real life. Watch your next few loads and set your own number.
What is the chip expansion factor?
Solid wood has no air in it. Chips do. The expansion factor is how many cubic yards of loose chips you get from one cubic yard of solid wood. It changes with chip size, wood type and how much the load settles, so the number in the form is only a starting point. Change it once you have measured a few loads.
How do I estimate chips from a brush pile?
Measure the pile length, width and height in feet. The tool turns that into cubic yards of loose brush, then divides by the brush reduction ratio, which is how many yards of brush make one yard of chips. Brush with lots of air in it reduces more. Set your own ratio after a few jobs.
Can a chip truck be over weight before it is full?
Yes. Wet or green hardwood chips can be heavy, and some trucks reach their legal payload before the box is full. Enter your chip weight per yard and your truck payload. The tool counts loads both ways and uses the higher number. Check your truck rating and local rules, this is a short explanation, not legal advice.
Should I charge for chip hauling?
The cost is real: drive time for the people on the truck, fuel and any dump fee. Some companies show it as a line on the quote, others build it into the price. Use the haul cost from this tool as a line in the tree job estimate builder so the cost is covered either way.
How can I cut down on dump trips?
Fill each load fully before you leave, plan jobs so the truck dumps on the way to the next site, find a closer place that takes chips, and offer chips to local gardeners, farms or landscapers who want them. Every trip you skip saves crew time and fuel.
Why plan chip volume for a month, not just one job?
If most of your jobs are similar, the monthly number shows how many dump trips and how much haul cost your crew carries in total. It helps you decide if a closer dump site, a bigger chip box or a chip drop arrangement is worth it.
Is anything I type sent to Lirevon?
No. The math runs in your browser. Your numbers are only kept in this browser on this device so the form is filled in next time. Clear your browser data to remove them.
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