Free Cubic Yard Calculator
Use this cubic yard calculator to turn length, width and depth in any units into cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres.
Bulk landscape and building materials are sold by the cubic yard. One cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side, or 27 cubic feet.
To get cubic yards, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. If you measured depth in inches, divide it by 12 first.
Cubic feet to cubic yards: an example
A 12 × 10 ft area, 6 in deep: 120 sq ft × 6 in ÷ 12 = 60 cu ft. Divide by 27 to get 2.22 cubic yards.
How deep should it be?
| Use | Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch beds | 2 to 3 in | |
| Gravel paths | 2 to 3 in | |
| Topsoil for lawns | 4 to 6 in | |
| Concrete slabs | 4 to 6 in |
Coverage per cubic yard
| Depth | Sq ft per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 |
| 2 in | 162 |
| 3 in | 108 |
| 4 in | 81 |
| 6 in | 54 |
| 12 in | 27 |
Buying tips
- Measure in the units you like; the calculator converts everything. Mixed units are fine: feet for length, inches for depth.
- For irregular areas, split them into rectangles, circles and triangles and add each one.
- Choose a material to see the estimated weight in tons, which matters when a supplier sells by the ton.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27. For depth in inches, divide by 12 first: 10 ft × 10 ft × 3 in = 10 × 10 × 0.25 = 25 cu ft = 0.93 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet (3 × 3 × 3).
Is this a yardage calculator?
Yes. Landscape and concrete suppliers often call the cubic yards in an order the yardage. Enter your area and depth here to get it.
How many cubic yards are in a cubic metre?
One cubic metre is about 1.31 cubic yards; one cubic yard is about 0.76 cubic metres.
How accurate is this cubic yard calculator?
The cubic yard calculator gives the exact volume for the measurements you enter, then adds 0% extra (you can change it). Measure carefully: an error of one inch in depth changes a 3 inch layer by a third.
How the cubic yard calculator works
Volume = area × depth. Each area is worked out from its shape (length × width, π × radius², or ½ × base × height), converted to square feet, multiplied by the depth in feet, and added up. Cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards.The extra percentage is then added, and bag counts are rounded up to whole bags. See how we calculate for every figure we use.