Calculate cubic yards for concrete, gravel, mulch, topsoil and fill dirt. Enter your length, width and depth to estimate the volume of a driveway, slab, garden bed or other project in seconds.
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Geometric volume plus any chosen allowance
Illustrative bulk gravel density; aggregate gradation, moisture and compaction affect actual weights. Allowances and costs are estimates; verify supplier units and field conditions.
Our cubic yardage calculator determines how much three-dimensional space a project occupies. The most common inputs are length and width in feet and material thickness in inches. It then expresses the result in cubic yards (yd³) and cubic feet (ft³), helping you check quantities before ordering bulk construction or landscaping materials.
Enter the length and width in feet. For a circular bed, select the circle option and enter its diameter.
Use the actual thickness you need in inches, such as a 3-inch mulch layer or a 4-inch slab. Do not confuse inches with feet.
The tool calculates cubic yards and cubic feet. These are measures of volume, not weight or surface area.
Select a material for an illustrative tonnage estimate, edit the density if your supplier provides one, and enter a price per cubic yard if needed.
An optional allowance can be added for planning, but the calculated space and the purchased quantity are not always identical. Ground irregularities, installation waste, delivery units and compaction may need separate consideration. For projects measured only in square feet, try the square feet to cubic yards calculator.
A cubic yard is a unit of volume. To calculate cubic yards, first find the volume of the space in a consistent set of measurement units, then convert that volume into cubic yards. For rectangular spaces, the calculation begins with length × width × height or depth. The correct divisor depends on how the depth is recorded.
One yard equals three feet. A cube that is three feet on each edge contains 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. Therefore, dividing cubic feet by 27 gives cubic yards. If the depth is in inches, the divisor becomes 27 × 12, or 324, because there are twelve inches in a foot.
If you already know the surface area, use cubic yards = square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324. For example, a 200-square-foot area covered 4 inches deep requires (200 × 4) ÷ 324 = 2.47 cubic yards, before any additional material allowance. Area by itself cannot be converted to cubic yards: you also need the depth.
For additional shapes, unit handling and step-by-step examples, see how to calculate cubic yards.
A cubic yard (yd³) is the volume inside a cube that is one yard long, one yard wide and one yard high. Each edge measures three feet, so the entire cube contains 27 cubic feet. Cubic yards are used in the United States for bulk quantities of concrete, gravel, crushed stone, mulch, topsoil, sand and fill material.
Cubic yards describe how much space a material occupies. They do not tell you how heavy it is. One cubic yard of wood mulch and one cubic yard of gravel occupy the same volume, but their weights differ because their bulk densities differ. Likewise, a square yard measures a flat surface and a linear yard measures length; neither is interchangeable with a cubic yard without additional dimensions.
Read what is a cubic yard? for more visual examples and an explanation of volume versus area.
These are standard volume conversions, so they remain the same whether you are measuring soil, water, stone or an empty container. Use the reference table to compare supplier quotes, metric drawings or material packaging. Weight conversion is different and requires density.
| Measurement | Equivalent to 1 yd³ |
|---|---|
| Cubic feet | 27 ft³ |
| Cubic inches | 46,656 in³ |
| Cubic meters | 0.764554857984 m³ |
| Liters | 764.554857984 L |
| Cube dimensions | 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft |
The square footage covered by one cubic yard depends entirely on the spreading depth. A thin layer covers more ground than a thick one. For any uniform layer, coverage in square feet = cubic yards × 324 ÷ depth in inches.
| Material depth | 1 yd³ covers | 2 yd³ cover |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 648 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 324 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 216 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 108 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft | 54 sq ft |
For landscaping, spread depth is especially important: the University of Florida IFAS Extension mulch guide explains how coverage changes with thickness. A recommended mulch depth for one application does not establish the proper thickness for gravel bases, soil grading or concrete slabs.
Use the following yardage table when you know an area in square feet but still need to choose the fill depth. Values are rounded to hundredths of a cubic yard and exclude ordering allowances.
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 yd³ | 0.93 yd³ | 1.23 yd³ | 1.85 yd³ |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 yd³ | 1.85 yd³ | 2.47 yd³ | 3.7 yd³ |
| 300 sq ft | 1.85 yd³ | 2.78 yd³ | 3.7 yd³ | 5.56 yd³ |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 yd³ | 4.63 yd³ | 6.17 yd³ | 9.26 yd³ |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.17 yd³ | 9.26 yd³ | 12.35 yd³ | 18.52 yd³ |
The detailed cubic yard coverage chart covers additional depths and practical applications.
The volume formula is the same regardless of material, but the correct ordering method changes. Concrete is generally quoted in cubic yards, crushed stone may be sold by the ton, mulch often comes in bulk or cubic-foot bags, and soil or fill dirt can settle or compact. The dedicated tools below address these material-specific questions.
Estimate ready-mix concrete for a patio, slab or pad from its footprint and thickness. Footings, thickened edges and post holes need separate measurements; bagged concrete requires the yield on the product label.
Concrete Cubic Yard CalculatorPlan a gravel driveway, pathway or stone base using the required finished depth. If your supplier quotes crushed stone by the ton, convert volume using that specific aggregate's bulk density.
Gravel Cubic Yard CalculatorCalculate bark or wood mulch for rectangular and circular planting beds. Compare bulk deliveries with bags labeled in cubic feet, and account for the existing layer when topping up.
Mulch Cubic Yard CalculatorEstimate soil for new planting beds, raised lawn areas or topdressing. The finished depth and soil blend matter, and loose delivered soil may settle after placement.
Topsoil Cubic Yard CalculatorEstimate backfill volume for a measured space or a change in grade. Distinguish the finished compacted volume from loose truck-delivered fill when planning larger earthwork jobs.
Fill Dirt Cubic Yard CalculatorCalculate their geometric volume with the main tool. For weight, use a supplier-specific bulk density; bags and loads must be compared by their labeled units. Specialized calculators for these materials can be added as the resource expands.
A standard length × width × depth calculation works for rectangular spaces with reasonably uniform thickness. For other layouts, calculate the surface area of the shape first, then multiply by depth to obtain volume. Use consistent units throughout.
Surface area = length × width. Multiply by depth in inches and divide by 324. Use this for slab pads, straight paths and rectangular beds.
Surface area = π × radius². The radius is half the measured diameter. Multiply by depth in inches and divide by 324.
Area = ½ × base × perpendicular height. Multiply that area by a uniform material depth and convert to cubic yards.
Break a complex space into measured sections and sum their volumes. For variable depth or significant grading, take multiple elevation measurements rather than assuming one thickness.
If your project includes an excavation, tapered fill or changing grades, this basic calculator is a starting point only. Excavated bank, loose and compacted volumes should not be treated as identical.
The examples below demonstrate the same formula applied to four common projects. Their results represent the measured geometric volume, not a guaranteed delivery size. Each project can have different allowance, density and purchasing considerations.
That is 30 cubic feet of mulch. It equals fifteen 2-cubic-foot bags by labeled volume, before any extra allowance.
Estimate mulchThis is the geometric volume at a uniform 4-inch depth, not a guaranteed loose delivery quantity or weight.
Estimate gravelCheck slab thickness, edges and subgrade before choosing a ready-mix order quantity.
Estimate concreteA uniform 2-inch soil layer has this volume before settling, contouring or supplier recommendations.
Estimate topsoilCalculating cubic yards gives you a geometric volume. Purchasing material can involve extra variables: the depth after installation, uneven ground, waste, delivery measurements and the supplier's order increments. The most useful estimate separates these factors instead of hiding them inside a single default percentage.
Measure the space and calculate yardage. For a uniform layer, square footage multiplied by depth determines cubic volume.
When a supplier quotes by US short ton, multiply cubic yards by the relevant bulk density in short tons per cubic yard. Density depends on the material, moisture and state.
Compare cubic feet per bag against 27 cubic feet per cubic yard. Truck capacities may be limited by both volume and permitted payload weight.
Compare the price of equivalent material quantities, then include delivery, minimum orders and unloading costs. An apparent bulk bargain may not suit a very small project.
Suppose a calculated project requires 4.94 cubic yards and the supplier quotes $65 per cubic yard. The arithmetic gives an illustrative material cost of 4.94 × $65 ≈ $321. This is a worked example, not a current local price quote. Delivery charges, taxes, rounding to purchasable increments and any appropriate allowance are additional.
If the supplier charges by weight, use our cubic yards to tons converter with the material's documented bulk density before comparing prices.
Multiply length in feet by width in feet by depth in inches, then divide by 324. For a 20-foot by 10-foot area at 4 inches deep, 20 × 10 × 4 ÷ 324 = about 2.47 cubic yards. If all three dimensions are in feet, divide their product by 27 instead. Keep measurement units consistent.
Exactly 27 cubic feet. One yard is three feet, so a cube measuring 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet has 27 cubic feet of volume. To change cubic feet into cubic yards, divide by 27; to convert cubic yards into cubic feet, multiply by 27.
Coverage depends on thickness. One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, or 81 at 4 inches. The formula is 324 ÷ depth in inches. These are mathematical coverage values and do not include settling, spillage or compaction.
A 10 × 10 foot area is 100 square feet, but you still need a depth. At 2 inches deep it needs about 0.62 cubic yard; at 3 inches, about 0.93; and at 4 inches, about 1.23. Multiply 100 by the depth in inches and divide by 324.
No. Square feet describe a flat area; cubic yards describe three-dimensional volume. To convert, supply a thickness or fill depth. For example, 500 square feet covered 3 inches deep equals (500 × 3) ÷ 324, or approximately 4.63 cubic yards.
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so 27 ÷ 2 = 13.5 bags by labeled volume. Since bags are generally sold whole, you would purchase 14 two-cubic-foot bags to meet at least one cubic yard before any added allowance. Check the package volume, not only its weight.
There is no universal answer. Cubic yards measure volume and US short tons measure weight. You need the specific material's bulk density, which varies with gradation, moisture and how tightly it is packed. Ask your supplier for tons per cubic yard and use that factor for a reliable order estimate.
Measure the circle's diameter in feet and divide it by two to find the radius. Multiply π by radius squared to find square feet, then multiply by the material depth in inches and divide by 324. For a 10-foot-diameter circle at 3 inches deep, the volume is about 0.73 cubic yard.
No. A linear yard measures length, a square yard measures area, and a cubic yard measures volume. One cubic yard can be visualized as a three-foot cube. You cannot convert an area or length directly to cubic yards without enough additional dimensions to calculate volume.
Not automatically. A simple percentage may help with some installation waste, but it is not a universal compaction or settlement factor. Concrete, decorative mulch, gravel base and structural fill require different planning assumptions. Check finished depth, surface irregularities, material state, supplier rounding and any project specification before choosing an allowance.
It depends on the total quantity, bag size, price per bag, bulk price per cubic yard, delivery charges and unloading requirements. Convert both options to the same volume before comparing. A large bulk load can have a lower material price but still cost more for a small project after delivery fees.
Your calculation describes a geometric space at a specified depth. The delivery may be measured in a loose state, and soil or aggregate can settle or compact after placement. Uneven grade, excavated voids, moisture and supplier measurement methods also affect the result. Confirm which volume state the supplier quotes.
Our calculator uses standard geometric formulas and the defined relationship 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ = 46,656 in³. The exact international yard is 0.9144 meters, giving 0.764554857984 cubic meters per cubic yard. Calculations retain precision internally and round only the displayed results.
Material weight estimates use editable, illustrative densities, not fixed universal conversions. The optional extra allowance changes the planned quantity but does not calculate a validated compaction factor. The tool is intended for planning; verify structural work, significant earthwork and order quantities with the relevant supplier or project professional.
Continue with a material-specific estimate, convert units, or review the calculation behind your result.