Cubic Yard Calculator
To calculate cubic yards, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27: one cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, or 27 cubic feet. For example, a 12 × 10 ft bed filled 3 inches (0.25 ft) deep holds 30 cubic feet, which is 1.11 cubic yards.
How to calculate cubic yards
- Measure the area. Measure the length and width in feet. If you already know the area, use the square footage instead.
- Convert the depth to feet. Divide the depth in inches by 12. For example, 3 inches is 0.25 feet.
- Find the cubic feet. Multiply length × width × depth, or square feet × depth, to get cubic feet.
- Divide by 27. Divide the cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, because one cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet.
- Round up to order. Round up to the amount your supplier sells, and add extra if you want a margin for settling or spills.
Worked example: a 12 × 10 ft bed, 3 inches deep: 12 × 10 × 0.25 = 30 cubic feet, and 30 ÷ 27 = 1.11 cubic yards. Rounded up to the next half yard, you'd order 1.5 cubic yards.
Square feet to cubic yards
Square feet measure area, so you need a depth to get volume: cubic yards = square feet × depth in feet ÷ 27. For example, 500 sq ft at 3 inches deep is 500 × 0.25 = 125 cubic feet, or 4.63 cubic yards.
| 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 |
| 250 sq ft | 1.54 yd³ | 2.31 yd³ | 3.09 yd³ | 4.63 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 |
To go the other way, from cubic yards to square feet, choose How far will it go? in the calculator: square feet = cubic yards × 27 ÷ depth in feet.
How to calculate cubic feet
Multiply length × width × height, all in feet. If you measured in inches, divide each measurement by 12 first, or multiply the three inch measurements and divide by 1,728 (12 × 12 × 12).
For example, a raised bed 4 ft long, 2 ft wide and 18 inches (1.5 ft) deep holds 4 × 2 × 1.5 = 12 cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards: 12 ÷ 27 = 0.44 cubic yards.
How big is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet high. It holds 27 cubic feet (46,656 cubic inches), or about 0.76 cubic meters. That's the same as:
- 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet, or 9 bags of 3 cubic feet
- 4.5 loads of a 6-cubic-foot wheelbarrow
Spread out, a cubic yard covers less ground the deeper you lay it:
| Depth | Area covered |
|---|---|
| 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 |
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. Convert inches to feet first by dividing by 12. For example, 20 ft × 10 ft × 4 in (0.333 ft) is 66.7 cubic feet, or 2.47 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is a cube 1 yard (3 feet) on each side, so 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards, or multiply cubic yards by 27 to get cubic feet.
How do you convert square feet to cubic yards?
Multiply the square footage by the depth in feet, then divide by 27. Square feet measure area, not volume, so you need a depth. For example, 500 sq ft at 3 inches (0.25 ft) deep is 125 cubic feet, or 4.63 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
Divide 324 by the depth in inches. 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.
Is 1 yard the same as 1 cubic yard?
For mulch, gravel, soil and other bulk material, yes. When suppliers sell "a yard" of material, they mean one cubic yard (27 cubic feet). Cubic yards measure volume, so they convert to linear yards only once you know the width and depth: one cubic yard spread 3 ft wide and 3 inches deep makes a strip 36 ft (12 linear yards) long.
How big is a cubic yard?
A cube 3 ft long, 3 ft wide and 3 ft high: 27 cubic feet, or about 0.76 cubic meters. That's 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags, and spread 3 inches deep it covers 108 square feet.
How do you measure cubic feet?
Measure length, width and height in feet and multiply them; convert inches to feet first by dividing by 12, or multiply in inches and divide by 1,728. For example, a 4 ft × 2 ft raised bed 18 inches (1.5 ft) deep holds 12 cubic feet.
How much is 10 cubic yards?
10 cubic yards is 270 cubic feet, about 7.6 cubic meters. Spread 3 inches deep it covers 1,080 sq ft; at 4 inches, 810 sq ft.
How many cubic yards is 25 cubic feet?
25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cubic yards, just under one cubic yard.
Material calculators
Sources and methodology
The calculator uses exact unit definitions: 1 yard = 3 feet = 36 inches = 0.9144 meters, so a cubic yard is exactly 27 cubic feet, or about 0.7646 cubic meters. Circles use π × (diameter ÷ 2)² and triangles use base × height ÷ 2. Coverage is cubic feet ÷ depth in feet. Results are rounded for display, and the order amount is rounded up to the next half cubic yard.