About the Cubic Yard Calculator
This cubic yard calculator converts the dimensions of a bed, trench, pad or round area into cubic yards — the unit landscape yards and concrete suppliers use to sell bulk material. Enter the length and width in feet and the depth in inches, or choose a circle and enter its diameter, and you get the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters.
It works for mulch, topsoil, compost, sand, gravel, fill dirt and concrete. Enter your supplier’s price per yard to see the cost, and use the quantity field when you have several identical beds or holes.
Bulk material settles and compacts, so many people round up to the next half or whole yard when ordering. Depth is in inches because that is how coverage is usually specified: 2–3 inches for mulch, 4–6 inches for topsoil.
With the default inputs, the volume is 1.48 yd³. Change any value above to recalculate instantly.
How to use the cubic yard calculator
- 1Choose rectangle or circle for the area shape.
- 2Enter the length and width (or diameter) in feet.
- 3Enter the depth of material in inches.
- 4Add the quantity and your supplier’s price per yard.
- 5Round the cubic yards up to the supplier’s ordering increment.
Formula and method
Area is length × width for a rectangle or π × (diameter ÷ 2)² for a circle, in square feet, multiplied by the number of identical areas. Multiplying area by depth in feet (inches ÷ 12) gives cubic feet, and dividing by 27 converts to cubic yards, since a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 feet.
A handy shortcut: one cubic yard spread 1 inch deep covers 324 square feet, so coverage at any depth is 324 ÷ depth in inches. The calculation does not add extra for settling or compaction — round up when ordering.
- Area
- Surface area in square feet
- depth
- Material depth in inches
- 27
- Cubic feet per cubic yard
Worked examples
12 × 10 ft area, 4 in deep
The area is 120 sq ft. At 4 inches (0.333 ft) deep that is 40 cubic feet, and 40 ÷ 27 = 1.48 cubic yards. At $45 a yard the material costs about $67.
Three 8 × 4 ft raised beds, 12 in deep
Each bed is 8 × 4 × 1 = 32 cubic feet, so three beds need 96 cubic feet, or 3.56 cubic yards of soil — about $160 at $45 per yard.
10 ft round tree ring, 3 in of mulch
A 10 ft circle has an area of π × 5² = 78.54 sq ft. At 3 inches deep that is 19.63 cubic feet, or 0.73 cubic yards of mulch.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?+
Multiply length × width in feet by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For example 12 × 10 ft at 4 inches is 40 ft³, or 1.48 yd³.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?+
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?+
It depends on the material: mulch is roughly 400–800 lb per yard, topsoil about 2,000 lb, and gravel or concrete roughly 2,700–4,000 lb. Check your truck or trailer rating before hauling.
How many cubic yards fit in a pickup truck?+
A typical full-size pickup bed holds about 2 cubic yards of light material like mulch, but heavy materials such as gravel or soil are limited by weight, often to about 1 yard or less.
Should I order extra?+
Yes — soil and mulch settle, and edges are rarely exact. Rounding up to the next half yard, or adding about 5–10%, avoids a second delivery fee.