Cubic Yard Calculator
Enter the length, width and depth of one or more areas in feet, inches, yards, meters or centimeters to get cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters and liters, plus the approximate weight and cost of the material. Everything is calculated in your browser.
Areas to fill
How to use the Cubic Yard Calculator
- Pick a shape for the first item: rectangle, circle, triangle or ring.
- Enter the dimensions and choose a unit for each one, e.g. length in feet and depth in inches.
- Add more items with + Add item if your project has several areas; set a quantity for repeated ones.
- Choose a material to see the weight, add an extra percentage for waste or settling and a price per yard for the cost.
- Press Calculate cubic yards and copy the summary to send to your supplier.
Cubic yard formulas by shape
Convert every dimension to feet first, find the volume in cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards (1 yd³ = 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 ft³).
| Shape | Volume in cubic feet | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle / slab | length × width × depth | 12 ft × 10 ft × 4 in = 40 ft³ = 1.48 yd³ |
| Circle / cylinder | π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth | 8 ft circle × 3 in = 12.57 ft³ = 0.47 yd³ |
| Triangle | base × height ÷ 2 × depth | 10 ft × 6 ft triangle × 4 in = 10 ft³ = 0.37 yd³ |
| Annulus (ring) | π ÷ 4 × (outer² − inner²) × depth | 10 ft ring around a 4 ft tree bed × 3 in = 16.49 ft³ = 0.61 yd³ |
Unit conversions
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 46,656 cubic inches = 0.764555 m³ = 764.555 liters
- 1 cubic meter = 35.3147 cubic feet = 1.30795 cubic yards
- 1 foot = 12 inches = 0.3048 m; 1 yard = 3 feet; 1 meter = 3.28084 feet
- Coverage of 1 yd³: 324 ft² at 1 in, 162 ft² at 2 in, 108 ft² at 3 in, 81 ft² at 4 in, 54 ft² at 6 in
Typical weight per cubic yard
Bulk density varies with moisture, compaction and particle size, so treat these as planning figures and confirm with your supplier, especially when a truck or trailer has a weight limit.
| Material | Approx. weight per yd³ |
|---|---|
| Wood mulch / bark | 400–800 lb |
| Compost | about 1,000 lb (more when wet) |
| Topsoil | about 2,000 lb dry, up to ~2,700 lb wet |
| Gravel | about 2,800 lb (1.4 US tons) |
| Sand (dry) | about 2,600–3,000 lb |
| Concrete (normal weight) | about 4,050 lb (150 lb/ft³) |
Pouring concrete? The Concrete Calculator also counts premix bags. For stone and mulch with bag counts, see the Gravel Calculator and Mulch Calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27, because one cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. For example, 10 ft × 10 ft × 4 in (0.333 ft) = 33.33 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.23 cubic yards.
How do I convert inches of depth to feet?
Divide the inches by 12: 2 in = 0.167 ft, 3 in = 0.25 ft, 4 in = 0.333 ft, 6 in = 0.5 ft. The calculator does this automatically when you choose 'in' as the depth unit.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material and its moisture. Typical figures are about 400–800 lb for wood mulch, about 1 ton (2,000 lb) for dry topsoil, about 1.35–1.4 tons for gravel or dry sand and about 2 tons (4,050 lb) for concrete. Ask your supplier for the exact density.
What is a cubic yard in cubic meters?
One cubic yard is 0.764555 cubic meters (764.6 liters), and one cubic meter is 1.30795 cubic yards.
Should I order extra material?
Yes, usually 5–10% for uneven ground and spillage. Loose materials such as soil and mulch also settle, so many people add 10–20% for those.