Table of Contents
- How to Use This Cubic Yard Calculator
- What Is a Cubic Yard?
- Cubic Yard Formulas by Shape
- Coverage: How Much Area Does One Cubic Yard Cover?
- Material Weight per Cubic Yard
- Always Add a Waste Factor
- 2026 Material Costs per Cubic Yard
- Bags vs. Bulk: Which Should You Buy?
- Cubic Yard Estimates for Common Projects
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Use This Cubic Yard Calculator
This calculator handles six different shapes so you get the right volume no matter the layout of your project. Select your shape using the tabs at the top, then enter your dimensions.
The input unit selector at the top left lets you enter measurements in inches, feet, yards, centimeters, or meters. All values convert automatically. You do not need to do any unit math yourself.
Each shape panel shows a labeled diagram and the formula it uses. Key inputs for each shape:
- Rectangle / Box: Length, width, and depth. Works for slabs, beds, driveways, trenches, and containers.
- Circle / Cylinder: Diameter and depth. Works for round gardens, ponds, pools, tree rings, and columns.
- Triangle / Prism: Base, height, and depth. Works for triangular beds, wedge-shaped fills, and corner areas.
- Trapezoid: Top width, bottom width, height, and depth. Works for tapered driveways, sloped retaining fills, and irregular beds.
- Ring / Annulus: Outer diameter, inner diameter, and depth. Works for donut-shaped tree rings, circular path borders, and ring planters.
- Cone / Pyramid: Base diameter and height. Works for mulch piles, soil mounds, and stockpile estimates.
The material type selector enables weight estimates. Once you choose a material, the results panel shows total weight in pounds, short tons, and kilograms, plus an estimate of 80 lb bags needed. Select “None” if you only need volume. Results update in real time as you type.
What Is a Cubic Yard?
A cubic yard is a unit of volume equal to a cube that measures 3 feet on every side: 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet tall. That works out to 27 cubic feet, or 46,656 cubic inches.
Visualizing a cubic yard helps when you are ordering bulk materials. One cubic yard is roughly the size of a standard front-loading washing machine. It fills the bed of a standard half-ton pickup truck to the brim, though most drivers load only about 0.5 to 0.75 cubic yards to stay within the truck’s payload limit.
Landscaping and construction materials in the US are sold by the cubic yard because it is a practical unit for both suppliers and buyers. Ready-mix concrete trucks carry roughly 8 to 10 cubic yards per load. Dump trucks carry 10 to 14 cubic yards. A typical landscape supplier’s front-loader bucket holds about 1 cubic yard per scoop.
Key cubic yard conversions:
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- 1 cubic yard = 46,656 cubic inches
- 1 cubic yard = 0.7646 cubic meters
- 1 cubic yard = 764.6 liters
- 1 cubic yard = 201.97 US gallons
Cubic Yard Formulas by Shape
Every formula below produces cubic yards when all dimensions are entered in feet. If you measure in inches, divide each dimension by 12 first. If you measure in meters, multiply each dimension by 3.28084 to convert to feet.
Rectangle
The most common calculation used in landscaping and construction.
Cubic Yards = (Length × Width × Depth in feet) ÷ 27
Example: A garden bed 12 ft long, 4 ft wide, and 6 inches (0.5 ft) deep = (12 × 4 × 0.5) ÷ 27 = 0.89 cubic yards.
Circle / Cylinder
Used for round areas like tree rings, ponds, and circular pads.
Cubic Yards = (π × radius² × Depth in feet) ÷ 27
Example: A circular bed 10 ft across (5 ft radius) filled 4 inches (0.333 ft) deep = (3.14159 × 25 × 0.333) ÷ 27 = 0.97 cubic yards.
Triangle / Prism
Used for corner beds and wedge-shaped fills.
Cubic Yards = (0.5 × Base × Height × Depth in feet) ÷ 27
Trapezoid
Used when the top and bottom widths differ, such as a tapered driveway apron.
Cubic Yards = (0.5 × (Top Width + Bottom Width) × Height × Depth in feet) ÷ 27
Ring / Annulus
Used for donut-shaped areas where the center is hollow, such as a mulch ring around a tree.
Cubic Yards = (π × (Outer Radius² − Inner Radius²) × Depth in feet) ÷ 27
Cone
Used for estimating stockpiled material or tapered mounds.
Cubic Yards = (⅓ × π × radius² × Height in feet) ÷ 27
For irregular areas that do not match a single shape, break the space into two or more simple shapes, calculate each separately, and add the results together. This works reliably for L-shaped beds, kidney-shaped pools, and curved pathways.
Coverage: How Much Area Does One Cubic Yard Cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at a depth of 1 inch. To find coverage at any other depth, divide 324 by the depth in inches.
Coverage at common depths:
- 1 inch deep: 324 square feet per cubic yard
- 2 inches deep: 162 square feet per cubic yard
- 3 inches deep: 108 square feet per cubic yard
- 4 inches deep: 81 square feet per cubic yard
- 6 inches deep: 54 square feet per cubic yard
- 12 inches deep: 27 square feet per cubic yard
If you know the area in square feet and the desired depth in inches, you can calculate the cubic yards needed directly: multiply the square footage by the depth in inches, then divide by 324.
Cubic Yards = (Square Feet × Depth in inches) ÷ 324
Example: A 500 sq ft lawn area top-dressed at 1.5 inches deep = (500 × 1.5) ÷ 324 = 2.31 cubic yards.
Recommended depths by material and application:
- Mulch for beds and borders: 2 to 3 inches. Deeper than 4 inches traps moisture around stems and promotes rot.
- Topsoil for new seed lawns: 4 to 6 inches
- Topsoil for sod installation: 3 to 5 inches
- Topsoil for vegetable gardens: 8 to 12 inches
- Gravel for driveways: 4 to 6 inches minimum to support vehicle traffic
- Gravel for decorative paths: 2 to 3 inches
- Concrete slabs (residential): 4 inches standard, 6 inches for heavy vehicles
- Sand base under pavers: 1 to 2 inches
Material Weight per Cubic Yard
Volume and weight are different measurements. Suppliers sell some materials by the cubic yard and others by the ton, which is why converting between the two matters for accurate ordering.
Approximate weights per cubic yard for common materials:
- Topsoil / Loam: 2,700 lbs (1.35 tons)
- Mulch / Bark: 2,200 lbs (1.1 tons)
- Sand: 2,500 lbs (1.25 tons)
- Gravel / Stone: 2,800 lbs (1.4 tons)
- Concrete (wet): 4,050 lbs (2.03 tons)
- Asphalt: 3,600 lbs (1.8 tons)
- Compost: 1,800 lbs (0.9 tons)
- Wood Chips: 1,400 lbs (0.7 tons)
- Crushed Concrete: 3,000 lbs (1.5 tons)
- Clay: 2,700 lbs (1.35 tons)
These figures are approximations. Moisture content has a significant impact. Wet topsoil can weigh 25% more than dry topsoil. If your project requires precise weight, ask your supplier for the actual bulk density of their specific material.
To convert tons to cubic yards: divide the weight in pounds by the material’s pounds-per-cubic-yard density. For example, 5 tons (10,000 lbs) of gravel at 2,800 lbs/yd³ = 10,000 ÷ 2,800 = 3.57 cubic yards.
Standard dump trucks carry 10 to 14 short tons per load. Knowing your total tonnage helps you estimate how many truckloads a project requires.
Always Add a Waste Factor
The raw cubic yard result from any calculator is the theoretical volume of the space you are filling. Real projects require more material than the math alone suggests, for several reasons.
Topsoil and compost compact to 70–80% of their delivered volume after settling. A garden bed that calculates to exactly 3 cubic yards may need 3.3 to 3.5 cubic yards to stay full after the first rain. Gravel settles under traffic and spreads at the edges. Concrete has spillage and requires extra to fill irregular form dimensions.
Recommended waste factors:
- Mulch and topsoil: Add 5 to 10%
- Gravel and base material: Add 10 to 15%
- Concrete: Add 5 to 10%
- Sand base: Add 10%
- Any area with irregular edges or slopes: Add 10 to 15%
A short order is almost always more expensive than a slight overorder. A second delivery typically costs $50 to $200 in delivery fees on top of the material cost. On concrete pours, running short creates a cold joint, a structural weakness where fresh concrete is poured against partially cured concrete. Order more than the exact calculation every time.
2026 Material Costs per Cubic Yard
Material prices vary by region, season, and order size. The figures below are 2026 US national averages for bulk delivery and are intended as planning benchmarks, not supplier quotes.
- Ready-mix concrete: $135 to $175 per cubic yard, plus delivery and potential short-load fees of $40 to $60 per yard for orders under a full truckload (roughly 8–10 yards).
- Topsoil: $20 to $55 per cubic yard delivered, depending on quality and screening.
- Mulch / Wood chips: $25 to $45 per cubic yard bulk delivered. Bagged mulch costs 2 to 3 times more per cubic yard than bulk.
- Gravel / Crushed stone: $30 to $75 per cubic yard, depending on type. Crushed concrete and recycled aggregate run 20 to 40% cheaper than virgin gravel for comparable applications.
- Sand: $25 to $60 per cubic yard for bulk delivery. Fill sand is the cheapest at $15 to $40 per cubic yard; masonry and concrete-grade sand runs $35 to $60 per cubic yard.
- Compost: $30 to $60 per cubic yard bulk delivered.
Bulk discounts become meaningful at 10 cubic yards or more with most suppliers. Buying 10 or more cubic yards of sand or gravel typically reduces the per-yard cost by 15 to 25%. Concrete pricing is fixed per yard from ready-mix plants, but short-load fees disappear once you hit a full truck minimum.
Bags vs. Bulk: Which Should You Buy?
Bagged material is convenient but expensive. Bulk delivery is cost-effective but requires a way to move and store the material. The tipping point depends on project size and your situation.
One cubic yard equals:
- 27 bags at 1 cubic foot each
- About 13.5 bags at 2 cubic feet each
- About 9 bags at 3 cubic feet each
- About 45 bags of 80 lb concrete mix (at 0.6 cu ft per bag yield)
Bagged material makes sense when you need less than 1 cubic yard, when access is limited (no room for a delivery truck or wheelbarrow path), or when the job site is far from where a truck would drop the load.
Bulk delivery makes sense for anything over about 2 cubic yards. Mulch purchased by the bag costs 2 to 3 times more than bulk. Stone and soil purchased by the bag can cost 3 to 5 times more than bulk. The delivery fee, typically $50 to $150 depending on distance, pays for itself after 2 or 3 cubic yards of most materials.
For concrete specifically: under 2 cubic yards, bagged concrete usually wins on cost. A full cubic yard needs roughly 45 bags of 80 lb mix at $4 to $6 each, totaling $180 to $270, which is competitive with ready-mix. For 2 or more cubic yards, ready-mix is significantly cheaper and structurally superior for most applications.
Cubic Yard Estimates for Common Projects
These are typical volume ranges for common residential projects. Use the calculator above with your specific dimensions for an accurate figure.
- Standard raised garden bed (8 ft × 4 ft × 12 in): about 1.2 cubic yards of topsoil or garden mix
- 4-inch concrete driveway (20 ft × 20 ft): about 5 cubic yards of concrete
- Standard concrete patio (12 ft × 16 ft × 4 in): about 2.4 cubic yards
- Garden bed mulch (500 sq ft at 3 inches): about 4.6 cubic yards of mulch
- Gravel driveway (40 ft × 12 ft × 4 in): about 5.9 cubic yards of gravel
- Lawn top-dressing (1,000 sq ft at 0.5 in): about 1.5 cubic yards of topsoil
- Pool surround (circular, 10 ft radius, 3 in depth): about 2.9 cubic yards of pavers or aggregate
- Concrete footing (8 in wide × 16 in deep × 40 linear ft): about 1.5 cubic yards
- Tree ring (4 ft outer diameter, 1 ft inner diameter, 3 in deep): about 0.04 cubic yards (use the annulus shape)
If your project result is more than 50% above or below typical range for a similar project, re-check your measurements. The most common source of calculation errors is a mixed unit, for example, entering 6 feet when you measured 6 inches, or forgetting to convert depth from inches to feet in a manual calculation. The calculator on this page handles unit conversions automatically.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Measure length, width, and depth in feet. Multiply all three together to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. The formula is Cubic Yards = (Length × Width × Depth) ÷ 27. For circular areas, use the formula π × radius² × depth, then divide by 27. Use the tabs in the calculator above to select your shape and enter measurements in any unit.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are exactly 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard. A cubic yard is a cube that is 3 feet on each side: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. This is why dividing cubic feet by 27 always gives you cubic yards. The figure 27 comes up constantly in landscaping and construction material math.
How much does a cubic yard of material weigh?
Weight depends heavily on the material. Topsoil weighs about 2,700 lbs per cubic yard, sand around 2,500 lbs, gravel around 2,800 lbs, concrete approximately 4,050 lbs, and mulch around 2,200 lbs. Moisture content significantly affects actual weight, so confirm with your supplier for precise figures on large orders.
How much area does one cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep. Divide 324 by your target depth in inches to find coverage for any other depth. At 2 inches it covers 162 sq ft. At 3 inches it covers 108 sq ft. At 4 inches it covers 81 sq ft.
Should I add extra material to my cubic yard calculation?
Always. Add 5 to 10% for mulch and topsoil, which settle after installation. Add 10 to 15% for gravel and compacted base material. For concrete add 5 to 10% to account for spillage and irregular form edges. Ordering the exact calculator result is the most common cause of costly short orders and re-delivery fees.
How many bags of material equal one cubic yard?
For 2 cubic foot bags, you need about 13.5 bags per cubic yard. For 1.5 cubic foot bags, about 18 bags. For 1 cubic foot bags, 27 bags. For 80 lb concrete bags yielding 0.6 cubic feet each, about 45 bags per cubic yard. Bulk delivery is more cost-effective than bags for most projects over 2 cubic yards.
