Cubic Yard Calculator
Enter the length, width and depth of your area to get cubic yards, tons and bag counts for gravel, soil, mulch, sand or stone.
You need
1.23 cubic yards
- Cubic feet
- 33.33
- Cubic meters
- 0.94
Or in bags: 67 x 0.5 cu ft, 34 x 1 cu ft, 17 x 2 cu ft
How to use the cubic yard calculator
- Pick the shape of your area: rectangle or circle.
- Choose feet and inches, or meters and centimeters.
- Enter the length and width (or diameter) and how deep you want the material.
- Add a waste percentage if you want extra for compaction and uneven ground.
- Pick a material to see its weight in tons, or leave it on volume only.
Cubic yard formula
Cubic yards = (length x width x depth) / 27
- Length, width, depth: all in feet. Convert inches to feet by dividing by 12.
- 27: the number of cubic feet in one cubic yard.
For a circle, replace length x width with 3.1416 x radius x radius, where the radius is half the diameter. To get weight, multiply cubic yards by the material's weight per cubic yard.
Worked example
You want 4 inches of gravel on a 12 by 10 foot patio base. Depth in feet is 4 / 12 = 0.333. Volume is 12 x 10 x 0.333 = 40 cubic feet. Divide by 27 to get 1.48 cubic yards.
Loose gravel weighs about 2,565 pounds per cubic yard (U.S. EPA), so 40 / 27 x 2,565 = 3,800 pounds, or1.9 tons. With 10% extra for compaction, order about 1.63 cubic yards.
Cubic yards per 100 square feet
How much material covers 100 square feet (a 10 by 10 foot area) at common depths.
| Depth | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 0.31 |
| 2 in | 0.62 |
| 3 in | 0.93 |
| 4 in | 1.23 |
| 6 in | 1.85 |
| 12 in | 3.7 |
Typical weight per cubic yard
Loose (uncompacted) weights from the U.S. EPA conversion table. Wet or compacted material weighs more, so ask your supplier for their number. More materials: material weight chart.
| Material | Pounds | Tons |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 2,565 | 1.28 |
| Crushed stone | 2,700 | 1.35 |
| Rock | 2,570 | 1.29 |
| Sand | 2,441 | 1.22 |
| Topsoil | 2,392 | 1.2 |
| Fill dirt | 2,052 | 1.03 |
| Mulch (wood chips) | 500 | 0.25 |
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet deep, and 3 x 3 x 3 = 27.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material. The U.S. EPA conversion table lists loose gravel at 2,565 lb (about 1.28 tons), sandy loam soil at 2,392 lb (about 1.2 tons) and shredded wood chips at 500 lb (0.25 tons). Wet material weighs more.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
Divide 324 by the depth in inches. One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep and 108 square feet at 3 inches (UF/IFAS Extension). At 2 inches, about 162 square feet.
How do I convert inches of depth to yards?
Divide the inches by 36. For example, 4 inches is 4 / 36 = 0.111 yards, or 4 / 12 = 0.333 feet.
Should I order extra material?
Usually yes. Loose material settles when compacted, and ground is rarely flat. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension suggests rounding up to the nearest yard or half yard when buying bulk soil, compost or mulch. Use the waste field to add a margin.
How many bags make a cubic yard?
27 one-cubic-foot bags, 54 half-cubic-foot bags, or 14 two-cubic-foot bags (13.5 rounded up).