Cubic Yard Calculator

Q: How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27.

Q: How much does a cubic yard of gravel, concrete, or topsoil weigh?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Gravel weighs about 105 lb/ft³, so a yard is roughly 2,835 lb (about 1.4 tons). Concrete is about 150 lb/ft³, or roughly 4,050 lb (2 tons) per yard. Topsoil is lighter at about 80 lb/ft³, around 2,160 lb (1.1 tons), and mulch is very light at about 20 lb/ft³, around 540 lb per yard.

Q: How much area does a cubic yard cover?

One cubic yard (27 ft³) covers about 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 ft² at 2 inches, 108 ft² at 3 inches, and 81 ft² at 4 inches. Coverage halves each time you double the depth.

Q: Should I order extra material for waste?

Yes. Add 5–10% for spillage, compaction, and uneven ground. For concrete, 5–10% covers spillage and slab-bottom irregularities; for gravel and soil, 10% is common because bulk material compacts and settles. The calculator's waste field adds this buffer to your order automatically.

Q: How many bags of material are in a cubic yard?

It depends on the bag's volume. A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so a 0.5 ft³ bag yields 54 bags per yard, a 1 ft³ bag yields 27, and a 2 ft³ mulch bag yields about 14. Enter your bag size in the Material & Cost tab to get an exact bag count.

1

Pick the shape of your area

Choose rectangle, circle, triangle, or border. Most slabs, driveways, and beds are rectangles; a round patio or fire-pit pad is a circle; an L-shaped path can be split into pieces on the Multi-Area tab.

2

Enter length, width, and depth

Type the dimensions in feet (or switch the length unit). Set the depth in INCHES — this is where most people slip up. A 4-inch slab is 0.33 ft deep, not 4 ft. The depth selector defaults to inches for exactly this reason.

3

Add a waste factor

Add 5–10% overage for spillage, compaction, and uneven subgrade. Concrete pours usually add 5–10%; bulk gravel and soil often add 10% because they settle. The waste field bumps your order so you don't come up short mid-job.

4

Read cubic yards, bags, and cost

The result card shows cubic yards with and without waste, plus cubic feet and meters. Open Material & Cost to pick a material (sets the weight in tons), enter a price per yard, and see bags, truckloads, and total cost.

Cubic yards

yd³ = (Length × Width × Depth_ft × Qty) ÷ 27

Compute the footprint area in square feet, multiply by the depth converted to feet (inches ÷ 12), then divide by 27 because a cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet.

Order with waste

yd³_order = yd³ × (1 + waste% ÷ 100)

Multiply the base cubic yards by one plus the waste fraction. A 5% waste factor on 1.23 yd³ gives 1.29 yd³ to order.

Weight in tons

tons = ft³ × density(lb/ft³) ÷ 2,000

Multiply cubic feet by the material's bulk density and divide by 2,000 lb per US ton. Densities used: gravel 105, sand 100, topsoil 80, mulch 20, concrete 150, crushed stone 100 lb/ft³.

Cubic yard (yd³) A volume 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. It is the standard unit for ordering bulk concrete, gravel, soil, and mulch by the truckload.

Cubic foot (ft³) A volume 1 ft × 1 ft × 1 ft. Bagged materials are usually sold by the cubic foot (commonly 0.5, 1, or 2 ft³ bags). 27 ft³ make one cubic yard.

Bulk density The weight of a material per cubic foot (lb/ft³). It varies by material and moisture — wet sand is heavier than dry — and converts volume into the tonnage a supplier delivers.

Waste factor A percentage added to the calculated volume to cover spillage, compaction, over-excavation, and uneven ground. Typically 5–10%, so you order slightly more than the exact figure.

Truckload The volume a dump truck carries, commonly about 10 cubic yards for a standard tandem. Dividing your order by truck capacity tells you how many deliveries to expect.

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Homeowner pouring a slab

A 10 ft × 10 ft shed pad at 4 inches of concrete.

Length × Width 10 × 10 ft Depth 4 in Waste 0%

Area is 100 ft². Depth 4 in = 0.333 ft, so volume is 33.3 ft³ → 33.3 ÷ 27 = 1.23 yd³. At concrete's 150 lb/ft³ that's about 2.5 tons. Adding 5% waste nudges the order to 1.30 yd³ — order 1.5 yd³ if the supplier sells in half-yard increments.

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Gardener topping up a bed

A 200 ft² raised bed with 3 inches of mulch.

Total area 200 ft² Depth 3 in Waste 10%

200 ft² × 0.25 ft = 50 ft³ → 1.85 yd³ before waste. With 10% settling allowance that's about 2.04 yd³. Mulch is light (≈20 lb/ft³), so the full order weighs only ~0.55 tons — easy to spread by hand over a weekend.

The cubic yard is the trade unit for ordering concrete, gravel, soil, and mulch — but the inputs trip people up, especially depth in inches. This guide explains why yd³ is the unit suppliers use, how to measure depth correctly, why you should order with waste, and how volume and weight relate when a truck shows up.

Why a cubic yard is the bulk-material unit

Suppliers price and deliver loose materials by the cubic yard because a yard is a convenient truck-scale volume: a standard tandem dump truck carries roughly 10–14 yd³. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so the whole game is converting your project's footprint and depth into cubic feet, then dividing by 27. Bagged products at the store are sold by the cubic foot instead, which is why the same project can be quoted as '1.23 yards' from a supplier or '34 half-cubic-foot bags' at the register.

Measuring depth correctly

The single biggest error is mixing units on depth. Length and width are almost always in feet, but depth is usually specified in inches — a 4-inch slab, 2 inches of paver base, 3 inches of mulch. You must convert inches to feet (divide by 12) before multiplying, or your answer will be 12× too large. This calculator defaults the depth field to inches and shows the conversion in the formula so the mistake is hard to make. For deep work like fill or footings, switch the depth unit to feet.

Ordering with waste

The exact calculated volume assumes a perfectly level subgrade and zero spillage — neither is real. Bulk gravel and soil compact and settle, slab bottoms follow uneven ground, and some material is always lost to wheelbarrows and wind. Adding 5–10% waste protects you from a short order that halts the job while a second delivery is scheduled. It is far cheaper to have a little left over than to pay a second delivery fee.

Volume versus weight for delivery

You order by volume (cubic yards) but the truck is often limited by weight, and you may be billed by the ton. That is why this tool reports both. A yard of mulch weighs only ~540 lb, but a yard of wet gravel or concrete can top 4,000 lb. Knowing the tonnage helps you confirm a truck can legally carry your order and lets you cross-check a by-the-ton quote against a by-the-yard one.

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?+

Exactly 27. A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27; to go the other way, multiply by 27.

How much does a cubic yard of gravel, concrete, or topsoil weigh?+

A cubic yard is 27 ft³. Gravel at ~105 lb/ft³ is about 2,835 lb (1.4 tons). Concrete at ~150 lb/ft³ is about 4,050 lb (2 tons). Topsoil at ~80 lb/ft³ is about 2,160 lb (1.1 tons), and mulch at ~20 lb/ft³ is only about 540 lb. Moisture raises these — wet material is heavier.

How much area does a cubic yard cover?+

One cubic yard (27 ft³) covers about 324 ft² at 1 inch deep, 162 ft² at 2 inches, 108 ft² at 3 inches, and 81 ft² at 4 inches. Coverage halves every time you double the depth.

Should I order extra material for waste?+

Yes — add 5–10%. Concrete needs 5–10% for spillage and slab-bottom irregularities; gravel and soil often need 10% because they compact and settle. Running short means a second delivery fee and a stalled job, so a small overage is cheap insurance. Use the waste field to build it into the order.

How many bags of material are in a cubic yard?+

It depends on the bag's volume. A cubic yard is 27 ft³, so a 0.5 ft³ bag yields 54 bags, a 1 ft³ bag yields 27, and a 2 ft³ mulch bag yields about 14. Enter your bag size on the Material & Cost tab for an exact count — and remember bulk delivery is almost always cheaper above roughly half a yard.

Does this calculator handle round or irregular areas?+

Yes. Switch the shape to circle (enter the diameter, not the radius), triangle (base and height), or border (outer dimensions minus the inner opening). For an L-shaped or multi-zone project, build each piece on the Calculator tab and add them on the Multi-Area tab to get a combined order.

Shape & Dimensions

Depth & Order

Results

Volume Breakdown

Add Areas

Per-Area Volume

Cubic Yards by Area

Material & Pricing

Order & Cost

Order Volume (waste impact)

How to Use This Calculator

Pick the shape of your area

Enter length, width, and depth

Add a waste factor

Read cubic yards, bags, and cost

Formula & Methodology

Key Terms Explained

Real-World Examples

Homeowner pouring a slab

Gardener topping up a bed

Understanding Cubic Yards for Bulk Materials

Why a cubic yard is the bulk-material unit

Measuring depth correctly

Ordering with waste

Volume versus weight for delivery

Frequently Asked Questions

Cubic Yard Calculator

Shape & Dimensions

Depth & Order

Results

Volume Breakdown

Add Areas

Per-Area Volume

Cubic Yards by Area

Material & Pricing

Order & Cost

Order Volume (waste impact)

How to Use This Calculator

Pick the shape of your area

Enter length, width, and depth

Add a waste factor

Read cubic yards, bags, and cost

Formula & Methodology

Key Terms Explained

Real-World Examples

Understanding Cubic Yards for Bulk Materials

Why a cubic yard is the bulk-material unit

Measuring depth correctly

Ordering with waste

Volume versus weight for delivery

Frequently Asked Questions

Keep Exploring

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