How to calculate cubic yards
A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft long, 3 ft wide and 3 ft high, which holds 27 cubic feet. To find cubic yards, convert all three measurements to feet, multiply them together to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27
Inches to feet: divide by 12 · Yards to feet: multiply by 3
A shortcut when your area is in square feet and your depth is in inches: cubic yards = square feet × depth (in) ÷ 324. The 324 comes from 12 in. per foot × 27 cu ft per cubic yard.
Worked example: a planter strip 18 ft long, 30 in. wide, 6 in. deep
- Convert to feet: 30 in. ÷ 12 = 2.5 ft; 6 in. ÷ 12 = 0.5 ft.
- Cubic feet: 18 × 2.5 × 0.5 = 22.5 cu ft.
- Cubic yards: 22.5 ÷ 27 = 0.83 cu yd.
- Cubic meters: 22.5 × 0.0283 = 0.64 m³.
- In 2 cu ft bags: 22.5 ÷ 2 = 11.25, so 12 bags.
The most common mistake is mixing units, such as multiplying feet by inches. The unit menus above handle the conversion for each measurement separately, so you can enter numbers the way you measured them.
Volume conversion table
| Unit | Cubic yards | Cubic feet | Cubic meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 1 | 27 | 0.765 |
| 1 cubic foot | 0.037 | 1 | 0.0283 |
| 1 cubic meter | 1.308 | 35.31 | 1 |
| 1,000 liters | 1.308 | 35.31 | 1 |
One cubic foot is 1,728 cubic inches, and one cubic yard is 46,656 cubic inches.
How much area does a cubic yard cover?
For spreading materials like mulch, soil and gravel, it helps to think in coverage. One cubic yard spread 1 in. deep covers 324 sq ft. Divide 324 by any depth in inches to get the coverage at that depth.
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1/2 in. | 648 sq ft |
| 1 in. | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in. | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in. | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in. | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in. | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in. | 27 sq ft |
How many bags are in a cubic yard?
Bagged landscape materials are labeled in cubic feet. Divide 27 by the bag size to see how many bags make a yard.
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu ft | 54 | Pea gravel, river rock, sand, paver base |
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | Topsoil, garden soil |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | Potting mix, garden soil, compost |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | Some mulches and soils |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 | Mulch (the standard size) |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | Large bags of mulch and bark |
Premixed concrete is the exception: it is labeled by weight, not volume. An 80 lb bag yields about 0.6 cu ft. Use the concrete calculator for those.
What is sold by the cubic yard?
Most bulk landscape and construction materials are priced by the cubic yard. Each has its own calculator with typical depths, weights and bag sizes built in:
- Mulch and wood chips: see the mulch calculator.
- Topsoil, garden soil, compost and fill dirt: see the topsoil calculator. Topsoil typically weighs about 1 to 1.35 tons per yard.
- Gravel, crushed stone and sand: sold by the yard or by the ton. The gravel calculator converts between them; most gravel is about 1.3 to 1.5 tons per yard.
- Ready-mix concrete: ordered by the yard from a batch plant. Concrete weighs about 2 tons per yard.
- Dumpsters and hauling: roll-off dumpsters are sized in cubic yards (10, 20, 30 and 40 yards are common), and excavation is often quoted by the yard.
Measuring tips
- Irregular shapes: split the area into rectangles, circles and triangles, calculate each and add them. A circle's area is 3.14 × radius²; a triangle's is ½ × base × height. For example, a round bed 10 ft across is 3.14 × 5 × 5 = 78.5 sq ft; at 3 in. deep that is 78.5 × 3 ÷ 324 = 0.73 cubic yards. Our square footage calculator can work out the area of odd shapes for you.
- Uneven depth: measure the depth in several spots and use the average.
- Round up: many bulk suppliers sell in half- or whole-yard increments, and running short costs another delivery fee. The calculator shows the next half yard up.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For example, a space 12 ft long, 10 ft wide and 4 in. (0.333 ft) deep is 40 cubic feet, or 1.48 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, because a cubic yard measures 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 in. deep, 162 sq ft at 2 in., 108 sq ft at 3 in. and 81 sq ft at 4 in. Divide 324 by the depth in inches.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
Multiply the square footage by the depth in inches, then divide by 324. For example, 500 sq ft at 3 in. deep is 500 × 3 ÷ 324 = 4.63 cubic yards.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material. Mulch is light and varies with moisture, topsoil typically weighs about 1 to 1.35 tons, most gravel and sand weigh about 1.3 to 1.5 tons, and concrete weighs about 2 tons per cubic yard.
How many cubic yards are in a cubic meter?
One cubic meter equals about 1.308 cubic yards, and one cubic yard equals about 0.765 cubic meters.