Cubic Yard Calculator

Accurately calculate cubic yards, cubic feet, tonnage, and store bag counts for mulch, soil, gravel, and concrete projects.

Dimensions & Settings

Length Span

Width Cross span

Diameter Across

Depth / Thickness Layer

Material

Waste Margin

Price per Cu. Yard (Optional) Cost

Results Breakdown

Total Volume Required

1.85

Cubic Yards (yd³)

Includes +10% waste margin

Cubic Feet (ft³) 50.00

Cubic Meters (m³) 1.41

Estimated Weight 1,480 lbs

Estimated Tons 0.74 tons

2.0 Cu. Ft Bags: 25 Bags

1.5 Cu. Ft Bags: 34 Bags

80 lb Concrete Bags: 84 Bags

Estimated Cost: $0.00

Was this cubic yard calculator helpful?

What is a Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard (yd³) is an imperial and US customary unit of volume measurement equal to the space inside a cube whose dimensions are each 1 yard (3 feet, or 36 inches) in length, width, and height.

Because surface areas are commonly measured in feet while application depth or slab thickness is measured in inches, converting accurately to cubic yards prevents costly under-ordering or excessive delivery surcharges for bulk mulch, topsoil, sand, stone, and ready-mix concrete.

Standard Conversion Equivalents: 1 Cubic Yard = 27 Cubic Feet = 46,656 Cubic Inches = 0.7645 Cubic Meters = ~200 Gallons.

How to Calculate Cubic Yards

Follow three simple steps to calculate exact material quantities and avoid ordering shortfalls.

Select Shape & Dimensions

Choose rectangular beds, circular rings, or triangular corners. Input dimensions in your preferred unit (feet, yards, inches, or meters).

Specify Layer Depth & Margin

Input depth in inches. Add an optional 5% to 15% waste margin to account for grading irregularities, material settling, and ground slope.

Get Instant Yards, Tons & Bags

Review your total volume in cubic yards and cubic feet, total estimated tonnage for haulage, and exact pre-bagged counts for retail pickup.

Cubic Yard Calculator Formulas

Use these proven mathematical formulas to calculate volume accurately across any project geometry.

Rectangles & Slabs

yd³ = (L × W × D_ft) ÷ 27

For driveways, standard garden beds, footings, and rectangular patio slabs.

Circles & Tree Rings

yd³ = (π × r² × D_ft) ÷ 27

For circular planters, fire pit surroundings, and round sonotube concrete piers.

Triangles & Corners

yd³ = (0.5 × B × H × D_ft) ÷ 27

For angled lawn borders, corner landscape beds, and triangular paving slabs.

Related Calculators

Explore more structural, framing, and architectural measurement tools.

What Our Users Say About Us

Trusted by over 12,000 users worldwide for accurate material estimates.

★★★★★

"Accurately estimated the 6 cubic yards of mulch I needed for our flower beds. Didn't waste money ordering extra."

Marcus Vance

★★★★☆

"The 10% waste buffer was spot on for our patio pour. Straightforward layout, worked well on my phone."

Elena Rodriguez

★★★★½

"Instant calculation of tons alongside yards gave my supplier the exact tonnage for gravel delivery. Saved money and time."

David S. Chen

★★★☆☆

"Calculations are accurate. Took a minute to realize depth defaults to inches while length is in feet, but easy once you notice."

Sarah Jenkins

★★★★★

"I use this tool frequently to quote customer flagstone gravel bases directly on-site. Very dependable."

Carlos Mendez

★★★½☆

"The circular mode worked fine for our ring border, though I'd love to see a hollow ring option in future updates."

Amanda Taylor

★★★★☆

"Accurately estimated 4.5 yards of topsoil for our lawn leveling project. The weight estimation helped verify my trailer payload."

Brett Campbell

★★★★½

"The copy summary button is very convenient. I clicked copy and texted the yardage and bag counts directly to my supplier."

Rachel Moore

★★★★★

"Clean, fast, and completely free of annoying ads or popups. Best yardage calculator available on the web."

Keith Thompson

Frequently Asked Questions

Find quick, authoritative answers to common volume, dimension, and conversion questions.

To figure out cubic yards, measure your project's length and width in feet, and depth in inches. Multiply Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) and divide the result by 324. Alternatively, convert all three measurements to feet, multiply them together to get total cubic feet, and divide by 27.

A linear "yard" measures length (3 feet), whereas a "cubic yard" measures volume (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet). However, in landscaping, construction, and quarry supply, ordering "a yard" of mulch, dirt, or gravel is standard contractor shorthand for one cubic yard.

Calculate the square footage of your space (Length in feet × Width in feet), multiply by your intended dirt depth in inches, and divide by 324:

          Cubic Yards = (Length ft × Width ft × Depth in) ÷ 324
        

For example, a 10 ft by 12 ft garden bed filled 6 inches deep requires (10 × 12 × 6) ÷ 324 = 2.22 cubic yards of dirt. Adding 5% to 10% is recommended to account for soil settling.

In cubic feet (volume), one cubic yard equals exactly 27 cubic feet (ft³). In linear dimensions, it measures 3 feet long by 3 feet wide by 3 feet high.

The physical dimensions of a cubic yard are 3 feet long × 3 feet wide × 3 feet high (36 inches × 36 inches × 36 inches, or 1 yd × 1 yd × 1 yd). At various spread depths:

1 inch deep: 324 square feet
2 inches deep: 162 square feet
3 inches deep: 108 square feet
4 inches deep: 81 square feet

There are exactly 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard. Because 1 yard equals 3 feet, volume is calculated as 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 ft³. To convert any measurement from cubic feet to cubic yards, simply divide by 27.

Need Help with Your Project?

Have questions about bulk material estimates, irregular excavations, or contractor delivery volumes? Reach out to our calculation team.

Summary copied to clipboard!