Why cubic yards?
In the US, soil, mulch, gravel, sand and concrete are sold by the cubic yard: a cube 3 feet on each side. Measurements, though, usually come in feet and inches, or in metres elsewhere. Getting from one to the other by hand is where most ordering mistakes happen.
This cubic yard calculator takes length, width and depth in any mix of feet, inches, yards, metres or centimetres, for a box shape or a round hole or column, and gives the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic metres and litres. Multiply by a count for several identical areas, such as fence post holes.
How to use it
- Choose Box or slab for anything with straight sides, or Round hole or column.
- Enter the measurements and pick a unit for each. Depth is often in inches even when the area is in feet.
- Enter how many identical areas there are.
- Read the cubic yards, then the same volume in other units.
The cubic yard formula
box: cubic feet = length × width × depth (all in feet)
cylinder: cubic feet = π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth
cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27A cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet, not 3. That is the most common slip: dividing cubic feet by 3 instead of 27 gives an order nine times too big.
Worked example: 10 by 10 feet, 4 inches deep
- Depth in feet: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.333 ft
- Volume: 10 × 10 × 0.333 = 33.33 cubic feet
- In cubic yards: 33.33 ÷ 27 = 1.23 cubic yards
The area holds 1.23 cubic yards. Suppliers often sell in half or whole yards, so order 1.5 yards and allow for settling or waste as the material needs.
How far a cubic yard goes
| Depth | Covers |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft |
For a depth in inches, divide 324 by the depth to get the square feet one cubic yard covers. Loose materials settle once spread, so order a little over the figure.
Measuring odd shapes
Few real areas are perfect rectangles. Split an L shaped patio into two rectangles, measure each, and add the results. For a sloping site, measure the depth at several points and use the average. A rough sketch with measurements written on it saves a lot of guesswork, and makes it easy to check the order later.
Material by material
- Stone and gravel by weight: the gravel calculator.
- Garden beds: the mulch calculator and topsoil calculator, with bag counts.
- Slabs and footings: the concrete calculator, with premix bags.
- Paving: the asphalt calculator, in tons.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Convert every measurement to feet, multiply length by width by depth to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. An area 10 feet by 10 feet and 4 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 0.333 = 33.33 cubic feet, or 1.23 cubic yards. The calculator converts the units for you.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, because a yard is 3 feet and a cubic yard is 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep. It is also about 0.765 cubic metres. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.
How do I convert cubic metres to cubic yards?
Divide the cubic metres by 0.764554857984, or multiply by about 1.308. So 2 cubic metres is about 2.62 cubic yards. Enter your measurements in metres above, and the calculator gives both cubic yards and cubic metres together, with litres too.
How do I work out cubic yards for post holes?
Choose Round hole or column, enter the hole diameter and depth, and set how many holes there are. A 1 foot wide hole 3 feet deep holds about 2.36 cubic feet; ten of them need about 0.87 cubic yards, less the space the posts take up.
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