Free cubic yards calculator
Get the exact volume in cubic yards for concrete, mulch, gravel, topsoil, and any bulk material — the unit US suppliers quote, calculated instantly from your dimensions.
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Standard geometry formulas. 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ = 0.7646 m³.
Results are estimates. Consult a professional.
How the cubic yards calculator works
Cubic yards are the standard unit US bulk-material suppliers use to quote concrete, mulch, topsoil, gravel, and fill. To find the volume in cubic yards, you first find the volume in cubic feet — length times width times depth, all in feet — then divide by 27, because one cubic yard is a 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft cube, which is exactly 27 cubic feet.
Worked example: mulch for a 12 × 20 ft garden bed
A homeowner wants to mulch a 12 ft × 20 ft planting bed to a depth of 3 inches. The mulch supplier quotes in cubic yards. How much should she order?
Convert depth: 3 in ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft. Then: 12 × 20 × 0.25 = 60 cu ft. Finally: 60 ÷ 27 = 2.22 cu yd. With a standard 10% overage she would order 2.5 cu yd.
Cubic yards for common areas and depths
This table gives the bare volume in cubic yards for typical landscaping and construction footprints. Add 5–10% waste before placing an order.
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft (100 sq ft) | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 |
| 12 × 20 ft (240 sq ft) | 1.48 | 2.22 | 2.96 | 4.44 |
| 20 × 20 ft (400 sq ft) | 2.47 | 3.70 | 4.94 | 7.41 |
| 30 × 30 ft (900 sq ft) | 5.56 | 8.33 | 11.11 | 16.67 |
| 40 × 60 ft (2,400 sq ft) | 14.81 | 22.22 | 29.63 | 44.44 |
Values = (area × depth in ft) ÷ 27. Depths shown are common landscaping and concrete thicknesses. Waste not included.
Practical uses and ordering tips
Almost every US bulk-material supplier quotes in cubic yards — ready-mix concrete trucks, mulch delivery services, topsoil and gravel yards, and even landfill disposal haulers. Use this calculator any time you need to convert an area-and-depth measurement into the unit your supplier is quoting.
- Concrete slabs and footings — ready-mix trucks deliver in cubic yards; this is the number you give when you call.
- Mulch and bark — landscape suppliers sell in 1-yard or half-yard scoops; a 2–3 inch layer is typical for weed suppression.
- Topsoil and fill — raised beds and lawn leveling; 4–6 inches of fresh topsoil is a common starting depth for new beds.
- Gravel and crushed stone — driveways, drainage layers, and path bases typically need 2–4 inches; heavy-traffic driveways need 6 or more.
- Sand — patio bases, sandbox fill, and playground surfacing; always add 10% for settling and compaction loss.
How accurate is the cubic yards calculator?
The conversion math is exact: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet by definition, and the formula is standard geometry. If your length, width, and depth measurements are accurate, the calculator's output is accurate to the decimal.
Real-world orders should always include a waste margin. Ground surfaces are rarely perfectly flat, compaction reduces delivered volume (gravel and mulch can settle 10–20% over time), and material clings to delivery equipment. For concrete, the standard addition is 5–10%; for loose materials like mulch or topsoil, 10% is a safe floor. Oddly shaped areas — L-shapes, curves, irregular borders — are best split into simpler rectangles and triangles and summed.
Terms used in cubic yard calculations
About this cubic yards calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser — no data is sent to any server. Enter your measurements, get your cubic yard figure instantly, and adjust the waste margin to match your project. Nothing is stored or tracked.
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