Cubic Yard Calculator
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Multiply length × width × depth in feet, divide by 27: a 20 × 10 ft bed 4 inches deep is 2.47 cubic yards.
What your order looks like
A pickup or a small delivery will do it.
2.47 yd³
34 wheelbarrow trips (2 cu ft each)
2 pickup loads (2 cubic yards each)
Rules of thumb: Material weight is not known here, so wheelbarrow trips use 2 cubic feet, the heavy size. A pickup load is 2 cubic yards when the material weight is not known.
How many cubic yards do you need?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. To find yours, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. A 20 × 10 ft bed filled 4 inches deep is 20 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 66.67 cubic feet, and 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 cubic yards. Order 3.
Use the calculator above for rectangles, circles, and triangles. It shows cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, and area. Add a price per yard to see the total cost.
Formula: Cubic yards = Area (sq ft) × (Depth in ÷ 12) ÷ 27
People also search for a “yard calculator” or “yardage calculator”. They almost always mean cubic yards, the unit that soil, mulch, gravel, sand, and concrete are sold in. A plain “yard” is a length of 3 feet. A cubic yard is a block 3 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft tall.
How much is a cubic yard?
Picture a washing machine, or a big chest freezer. That is close to one cubic yard.
Here is how it breaks down:
- 27 cubic feet
- 46,656 cubic inches
- about 0.765 cubic meters
- about 202 gallons
- about 4.5 wheelbarrow loads (a standard wheelbarrow holds about 6 cubic feet)
- about 14 bags of 2 cu ft mulch
A full-size pickup bed holds roughly 2 cubic yards of loose, light material. Dirt and gravel are heavy, so weight is the limit, not space. See the weight table below.
Cubic yards for common areas and depths
Find your area down the left and your depth across the top. Each number is cubic yards. It is area × depth in inches ÷ 324.
| Area | 2 in | 3 in | 4 in | 6 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 | 1.85 | 2.47 | 3.70 |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 | 4.63 | 6.17 | 9.26 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.17 | 9.26 | 12.35 | 18.52 |
For other sizes, scale up or down. A 300 sq ft bed at 3 inches is 3 × 0.93 = 2.78 cubic yards.
Cubic yard formulas by shape
The calculator finds the area of the shape first, then multiplies by depth.
| Shape | What to enter | Area formula | Cubic yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle / square | Length, width, depth | L × W | L × W × (D ÷ 12) ÷ 27 |
| Circle | Diameter, depth | π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² | Area × (D ÷ 12) ÷ 27 |
| Triangle | Base, height, depth | Base × Height ÷ 2 | Area × (D ÷ 12) ÷ 27 |
Rectangles cover most beds, driveways, slabs, and patios. Circles cover tree rings, round planters, and fire-pit pads. Enter the full diameter, not the radius. Triangles cover corner beds and wedge-shaped fills. Measure the height at a right angle to the base.
Worked examples
These match what the cubic yard calculator above returns for the same inputs.
Example 1: rectangular topsoil bed, 20 × 10 ft at 4 inches.
- Area: 20 × 10 = 200 sq ft
- Volume: 200 × (4 ÷ 12) = 66.7 cubic feet
- 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 cubic yards (1.89 m³)
Example 2: round mulch ring, 12 ft diameter at 3 inches, $40 per yard.
- Radius: 12 ÷ 2 = 6 ft
- Area: 6 × 6 × 3.14159 = 113.1 sq ft (shown as 113 sq ft)
- Volume: 113.1 × 0.25 = 28.3 cubic feet
- 28.27 ÷ 27 = 1.05 cubic yards (0.80 m³)
- Cost: 1.047 × $40 = $42
Example 3: triangular gravel fill, 30 ft base × 20 ft height at 6 inches, $45 per yard.
- Area: 30 × 20 ÷ 2 = 300 sq ft
- Volume: 300 × 0.5 = 150.0 cubic feet
- 150 ÷ 27 = 5.56 cubic yards (4.25 m³)
- Cost: 5.556 × $45 = $250
How much area does one cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard spread 1 inch thick covers 324 sq ft (27 cubic feet × 12). Divide 324 by your depth in inches.
| Depth | Coverage of 1 yd³ | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | Lawn topdressing |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | Mulch refresh, decorative stone |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | New mulch beds |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | Gravel paths, concrete slabs, topsoil |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | Garden beds, driveway base |
| 8 in | 40.5 sq ft | Raised bed fill |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft | Raised beds, trench backfill |
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
Volume tells you how much space the material fills. Weight tells you whether your truck can carry it. These are typical loose weights. They change with supplier, moisture, and particle size, and wet material weighs more.
| Material | Typical weight per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Mulch / wood chips | about 400–800 lb |
| Topsoil or fill dirt | about 2,000–2,200 lb (about 1.1 tons) |
| Sand | about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons) |
| Gravel / crushed stone | about 2,800–3,000 lb (1.4–1.5 tons) |
| Crusher run / road base | about 3,000 lb (1.5 tons) |
| Concrete (cured weight) | about 4,050 lb (150 lb/ft³ × 27) |
One yard of gravel can exceed the payload of many light pickups. Check the rating on your door-jamb sticker. Or use the cubic yards to tons converter and the tons to cubic yards converter.
Bags per cubic yard
Divide 27 cubic feet by the bag volume. Round up.
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1.5 cu ft (mulch) | 18 |
| 2 cu ft (mulch, soil) | 14 (13.5 rounded up) |
| 3 cu ft (mulch) | 9 |
| 0.75 cu ft (40 lb topsoil) | 36 |
| 80 lb concrete (0.6 cu ft yield) | 45 |
| 60 lb concrete (0.45 cu ft yield) | 60 |
Past about 2 to 3 yards, bulk delivery is usually cheaper than bags. Compare both with the mulch calculator.
How to measure an irregular area
Break the area into rectangles, circles, and triangles. Calculate each piece at its own depth. Add the cubic yards together.
Example: a kidney-shaped bed can be a 16 × 8 ft rectangle plus half of an 8 ft circle. At 3 inches deep, the rectangle is 128 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 1.19 yd³. Half of the 8 ft circle is 25.1 sq ft, or 0.23 yd³. Together that is about 1.42 cubic yards.
If the depth changes, take readings every few feet and use the average. A low spot that runs from 2 to 10 inches averages about 6 inches.
Already know the square footage? Enter it as a rectangle with a width of 1 ft. For example, 450 sq ft becomes length 450 × width 1. Or use the square footage calculator or the square feet to cubic yards converter.
Common mistakes
- Entering depth in feet. The depth field is in inches. Typing 0.5 for a 6-inch layer gives a result 12 times too small.
- Forgetting to divide by 27. 54 cubic feet is only 2 cubic yards.
- Using the radius for a circle. The calculator expects the full diameter. The radius gives one quarter of the real volume.
- Ignoring compaction. Gravel bases, fill dirt, and topsoil settle after tamping or watering. Order 5–10% extra, and more for heavily compacted fill.
- Measuring finished height instead of fill depth. If 2 inches of old mulch is already there and you want 3 inches total, order 1 inch.
- Ordering exactly. Many suppliers deliver in half or whole yards. Round up rather than pay a second delivery fee.
Which calculator for which material
- Topsoil and garden beds: the topsoil calculator. For deep holes and grading, the fill dirt calculator.
- Mulch: the mulch calculator compares bulk yards with bags.
- Gravel: the gravel calculator converts yards to tons.
- Sand: the sand calculator handles paver bases and play areas.
- Concrete: the concrete calculator gives yards and bag counts.
- Hauling: the wheelbarrow calculator turns yards into loads.
- Quotes in cubic feet: the cubic feet to cubic yards converter.
Cubic yards vs. cubic feet vs. cubic meters
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 27 cu ft, 46,656 cu in, 0.7646 m³ |
| 1 cubic foot | 0.037 cu yd, 1,728 cu in |
| 1 cubic meter | 1.308 cu yd, 35.31 cu ft |
Bagged products in the US are labeled in cubic feet. Bulk suppliers quote in cubic yards. This calculator shows both, so you can compare a bag price with a bulk price.
Accuracy note
The result is geometric volume from your measurements. It does not adjust for compaction, moisture, or density. Add your own margin and confirm the quantity and price with your supplier before you order.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. Depth is usually measured in inches, so divide it by 12 first. A 20 × 10 ft bed at 4 inches deep is 20 × 10 × 0.333 = 66.67 cubic feet, and 66.67 ÷ 27 = 2.47 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard is 324 square feet at 1 inch deep. Divide 324 by your depth in inches: 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, 81 sq ft at 4 in, and 54 sq ft at 6 in. That is why 3 inches of mulch over a 216 sq ft bed takes exactly 2 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet. A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft tall, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. It also equals 46,656 cubic inches or about 0.765 cubic meters. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material. Typical figures: topsoil or fill dirt about 2,200 lb (1.1 tons), sand about 2,700 lb (1.35 tons), gravel about 2,800 lb (1.4 tons), and concrete about 4,050 lb at 150 lb per cubic foot. Mulch is much lighter, roughly 400–800 lb depending on moisture. Wet material weighs more.
How many bags equal one cubic yard?
Divide 27 cubic feet by the bag size. That is 14 bags of 2 cu ft mulch (13.5 rounded up), 9 bags of 3 cu ft, 36 bags of 0.75 cu ft topsoil, 45 bags of 80 lb concrete (0.6 cu ft each), or 60 bags of 60 lb concrete (0.45 cu ft each). Above about 2–3 yards, bulk delivery is usually cheaper than bags.
What is a yardage calculator?
It is a cubic yard calculator. Yardage means the number of cubic yards of soil, mulch, gravel, sand, or concrete a job needs. Enter length, width, and depth in inches. The result is cubic yards, which is how bulk suppliers sell.
Estimates only. Verify quantities with your supplier before purchasing.