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Cubic Yard Calculator

Work out cubic yards for soil, gravel, mulch, sand or concrete from feet, inches, yards or meters, with waste and cost.

Results

ItemValue
Loose materials settle, and ground is rarely flat, so a small extra amount is common. Check your supplier’s minimum order and delivery charge.

Quick Answer

To find cubic yards, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. A 12 ft by 10 ft area, 4 inches deep, is 40 cubic feet, or 1.48 cubic yards. With 10% extra, order about 1.63 cubic yards.

Last updated: 2 November 2026 · How we calculate this: cubic feet ÷ 27 conversion

Table of Contents

How This Cubic Yard Calculator Works

Bulk materials such as topsoil, mulch, gravel, sand and concrete are sold by the cubic yard. Pick a shape, enter the sizes in any unit, and the calculator converts everything to feet and gives cubic yards.

Quick explanation: 1 cubic yard = 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet.

  • Mixed units: length in feet and depth in inches is fine.
  • Waste: add 5% to 10% for settling and uneven ground.
  • Weight: for tons, use our Gravel Calculator.

Core Formulas

  • Rectangle area: length × width
  • Circle area: π × diameter² ÷ 4
  • Triangle area: base × height ÷ 2
  • Cubic feet: area × depth (ft)
  • Cubic yards: cubic feet ÷ 27

To change inches to feet, divide by 12. One cubic yard is about 0.765 cubic meters.

Worked Example

You want to fill a round bed 8 ft across with soil, 6 inches deep.

  • Area = π × 8² ÷ 4 = 50.27 sq ft
  • Cubic feet = 50.27 × 0.5 = 25.13 cu ft
  • Cubic yards = 25.13 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cu yd

Common Depths

  • Mulch: often 2 to 4 inches.
  • Topsoil for lawns: often 4 to 6 inches.
  • Gravel paths: often 2 to 4 inches.
  • Concrete slabs: often 4 inches for patios.

These are rough guides. Check what suits your project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Multiply length, width and depth in feet, then divide by 27.

There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard.

One cubic yard covers about 81 square feet at 4 inches deep, or 162 square feet at 2 inches.

Change the depth to feet by dividing by 12, then multiply by the area and divide by 27.

It depends on the material. Gravel is about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so a ton is about 0.7 cubic yards.

References & Sources

SourceUsed ForLink
NIST, Unit conversion US customary volume units. https://www.nist.gov/pml/owm/metric-si/unit-conversion
Wikipedia, Cubic yard Definition and conversions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubic_yard