Cubic Yards Calculator

Calculate cubic yards for any material — gravel, mulch, topsoil, sand, concrete, or fill dirt. Choose from rectangle or cylinder shape, select material type for weight estimate, and get cost per cubic yard.

📦 Cubic Yards Calculator

Shape

Material

Length (ft)

Width (ft)

Depth (inches)

Depth Unit

Cost per Cu Yd ($)

VOLUME

Cubic Feet50.00 cu ft

Cubic Yards1.85 cu yd

Cubic Meters1.42 cu m

Coverage Area100.00 sq ft

WEIGHT

Estimated Weight2.59 tons

Buy (rounded up)2 cu yd

COST

Material Cost$100

💡 How to Calculate Cubic Yards

A cubic yard is a volume measurement equal to 27 cubic feet (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft). It's the standard unit for ordering bulk landscaping and construction materials like gravel, mulch, topsoil, fill dirt, sand, and concrete in the United States. Understanding how to calculate cubic yards saves money by preventing over-ordering and project delays from under-ordering.

Depth is often measured in inches but must be converted to feet before calculating. A 3-inch layer of mulch is 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 feet deep. Most materials compact 10–20% after settling, so consider ordering slightly more than the calculated amount.

Measure area first with our square footage calculator. For concrete projects, use our concrete calculator. For gravel, see our gravel calculator.

Cubic Yards Formulas

Rectangular / Square Area

The most common calculation for driveways, garden beds, and rectangular patios:

Cubic Yards = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27

Example: A 12 ft × 14 ft patio with 4-inch gravel base: 12 × 14 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 2.07 cubic yards.

Circular / Cylinder Area

For round garden beds, tree rings, fire pit bases, and circular patios:

Cubic Yards = π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² × Depth (ft) ÷ 27

Example: A 10 ft diameter round flower bed with 3-inch mulch: π × 5² × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 0.73 cubic yards.

Step-by-Step: How to Calculate Cubic Yards

Step 1: Measure the Area

Measure the length and width (or diameter for circles) in feet. Use a tape measure for accuracy. For irregular shapes, break the area into rectangles and circles, calculate each separately, and add the results.

Step 2: Measure the Depth

Decide the desired material depth. Common depths: 2–3 inches for mulch and decorative stone, 4–6 inches for gravel driveways, 4 inches for concrete slabs, 6–8 inches for road base.

Step 3: Convert Units

All measurements must be in the same unit. Convert inches to feet by dividing by 12. Convert yards to feet by multiplying by 3. Then multiply L × W × D.

Step 4: Divide by 27

Divide the volume in cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Round up to the next whole or half yard — most suppliers sell in full or half-yard increments. Add 10% extra for waste and compaction.

Material Weight per Cubic Yard

Material	Weight per Cu Yd (tons)	Weight per Cu Yd (lbs)	Common Use
Topsoil	1.0–1.3	2,000–2,600	Gardens, lawns, raised beds
Mulch (wood chips)	0.4–0.8	800–1,600	Landscaping, garden beds, playgrounds
Gravel / Crushed Stone	1.3–1.5	2,600–3,000	Driveways, drainage, road base
Sand	1.3–1.5	2,600–3,000	Paver base, sandboxes, concrete mix
Fill Dirt	1.0–1.3	2,000–2,600	Grading, filling holes, foundation backfill
Concrete (wet)	1.8–2.0	3,600–4,000	Slabs, footings, foundations
River Rock	1.4–1.6	2,800–3,200	Decorative landscaping, drainage
Compost	0.5–0.7	1,000–1,400	Garden amendment, soil enrichment

How Much Area Does 1 Cubic Yard Cover?

The coverage depends on the depth of material applied. One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet:

Depth	Coverage (sq ft)	Best For
1 inch	324 sq ft	Light top-dressing
2 inches	162 sq ft	Mulch (light layer)
3 inches	108 sq ft	Standard mulch, decorative stone
4 inches	81 sq ft	Concrete slabs, gravel base
6 inches	54 sq ft	Driveway gravel, road base
12 inches (1 ft)	27 sq ft	Raised beds, deep fill

How Much Is a Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side — 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. To visualize it:

Size: About the size of a standard washer/dryer set — roughly a 3×3×3 ft cube.
Wheelbarrows: A standard wheelbarrow holds about 3 cubic feet — so 1 cubic yard = about 9 wheelbarrow loads.
Bags: A 2 cubic foot bag of mulch = about 13.5 bags per cubic yard.
Weight: Ranges from 800 lbs (mulch) to 4,000 lbs (concrete) depending on material.

Truck Bed Capacity

Vehicle	Bed Size	Capacity (cu yd)	Max Weight (lbs)
Compact Truck (short bed)	5 ft bed	~0.9	~1,200
Standard Truck (6 ft bed)	6 ft bed	~1.3	~1,500
Full-Size Truck (8 ft bed)	8 ft bed	~2.0	~2,000
Dump Truck (small)	—	5–8	~13,000
Dump Truck (standard)	—	10–14	~26,000

Warning: A cubic yard of gravel weighs about 2,800 lbs. Most pickup trucks have a payload capacity of 1,200–2,000 lbs. Never exceed your truck's payload rating — it damages the suspension, brakes, and frame. For heavy materials, limit to half a cubic yard per trip or get delivery.

2025 US Material Cost Guide

Material	Cost per Cu Yd	Cost per Ton	Delivery (typical)
Topsoil	$25–$50	$20–$40	$50–$100
Mulch	$20–$45	$30–$60	$50–$100
Gravel (crushed)	$40–$65	$25–$50	$50–$150
Sand	$25–$50	$20–$40	$50–$100
Fill Dirt	$10–$25	$8–$20	$50–$100
Concrete (ready-mix)	$120–$160	—	$50–$200 (truck fee)
River Rock	$50–$80	$40–$60	$50–$150
Compost	$30–$50	$25–$45	$50–$100

Pro tip: Buying in bulk (by the cubic yard) is 50–70% cheaper than buying bags from a hardware store. A 2 cu ft bag of mulch costs $3–$5 (~$40–$67/cu yd equivalent). Bulk mulch is $20–$45/cu yd.

A 10×10 ft area at 6 inch depth = 10 × 10 × 0.5 = 50 cu ft ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards. For gravel, that's roughly 2.6 tons (1 cu yd of gravel ≈ 1.4 tons).