How to calculate cubic yards
Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27.
cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27
- Measure the area in feet. Split odd shapes into rectangles, circles and triangles.
- Convert the depth to feet. Depth is normally in inches, so divide by 12: 3 in = 0.25 ft.
- Multiply length × width × depth to get cubic feet.
- Divide by 27, because a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet.[1]
Example: a 10 × 10 ft bed covered 3 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 0.25 = 25 cubic feet, and 25 ÷ 27 = 0.926 cubic yards. A 20 × 12 ft area at 4 inches is 20 × 12 × 0.333 = 80 cubic feet, or 2.96 cubic yards.
How much is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: a cube 3 ft long, 3 ft wide and 3 ft high, or about 0.765 cubic meters.[1] Spread flat, one cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
| Depth | Square feet | Square meters |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 | 30.1 |
| 2 in | 162 | 15.1 |
| 3 in | 108 | 10 |
| 4 in | 81 | 7.5 |
| 6 in | 54 | 5 |
| 12 in | 27 | 2.5 |
The weight of a cubic yard depends on the material: about 2,700–3,100 lb for loose gravel,[2] but only a few hundred pounds for wood chips.[6] That is why this landscape calculator works out the volume first and then the weight, bags or cost for the material you pick, so it doubles as a landscaping calculator for stone, soil, sand and mulch.
Cubic yards for common areas and depths
100 sq ft needs 0.31 cubic yards for every inch of depth: 0.93 at 3 inches and 1.23 at 4 inches.
| Area | 1 in | 2 in | 3 in | 4 in | 6 in | 12 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.15 | 0.31 | 0.46 | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.85 |
| 100 sq ft | 0.31 | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 | 3.7 |
| 200 sq ft | 0.62 | 1.23 | 1.85 | 2.47 | 3.7 | 7.41 |
| 300 sq ft | 0.93 | 1.85 | 2.78 | 3.7 | 5.56 | 11.11 |
| 500 sq ft | 1.54 | 3.09 | 4.63 | 6.17 | 9.26 | 18.52 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 3.09 | 6.17 | 9.26 | 12.35 | 18.52 | 37.04 |
Read across for your area and down for your depth. For other sizes, the coverage chart works the other way round: how many square feet one cubic yard covers.
Yard calculator for each material
Each material has its own yard calculator with the right depths, weights and bag sizes built in.
- GravelCrushed stone in yards and tons, depth by use
- Pea gravelPatios, paths and play areas
- RockRiver rock, lava rock and landscape rock
- Crushed stone#57 stone and crusher run, yards and tons
- MulchBeds and tree rings, in yards or bags
- TopsoilNew lawns, beds and top-dressing
- SandDry or damp, bedding and fill
- Paver baseCompacted base plus bedding sand
- Raised bed soilSeveral beds at once, in bags or yards
- Gravel drivewayBase and surface layers with compaction
- Gravel in tonsUS tons or metric tonnes, bulk bags
- Fill dirtHoles and low spots, with compaction
From cubic yards to tons
Multiply cubic yards by the weight of one cubic yard: about 1.35–1.55 US tons for loose gravel and 0.95–1.1 for dry topsoil.
Stone, sand and soil are often sold by weight. Multiply cubic yards by the weight of one cubic yard of that material. Weights vary with the rock type, the grading and above all moisture, so they are given as ranges:
| Material | lb per yd³ | US tons per yd³ | kg per m³ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel / crushed stone | 2,700–3,100 | 1.35–1.55 | 1,600–1,840 | [2][3] |
| Pea gravel | 2,700–3,100 | 1.35–1.55 | 1,600–1,840 | [2] |
| River rock | 2,700–3,100 | 1.35–1.55 | 1,600–1,840 | [2] |
| Paver base / road base | 2,490–3,240 | 1.25–1.62 | 1,480–1,920 | [3][4] |
| Sand, dry | 2,600–2,900 | 1.3–1.45 | 1,540–1,720 | [2][5] |
| Topsoil / loam, dry | 1,900–2,200 | 0.95–1.1 | 1,130–1,310 | [2] |
| Wood chip mulch | 240–470 | 0.12–0.24 | 140–280 | [6] |
The calculator above uses these ranges when you pick a material. To convert a quoted tonnage into yards, use the tons to cubic yards converter.
Metric: cubic meters and tonnes
One cubic meter is 1.308 cubic yards, and every calculator here also works in meters.
Switch the calculator to Meters & cm and it works in square meters, cubic meters, liters and tonnes. One cubic meter is 1.308 cubic yards; one cubic yard is 0.765 m³.[1] The cubic meter calculator starts in metric every time.
Ordering a little extraVolume math assumes a perfectly flat base; manufacturers' own yield tables point out that they make no allowance for waste or uneven ground.[7] The "Add extra" option adds 5–15% to every result for that. For aggregate bases that are compacted, use the paver base calculator, which adds a separate compaction allowance.
More tools and guides
- Concrete calculator for slabs, footings, walls, steps and post holes, in bags or yards
- Cubic feet calculator for boxes, planters and cylinders
- Rebar calculator and asphalt calculator for slabs and driveways
- Acreage calculator for lots and fields, and the firewood cord calculator
- Square yard calculator for areas only
- Bags per cubic yard for 0.5 to 3 cu ft and liter bags
- Cubic feet to cubic yards
- How much a cubic yard weighs
- How to measure irregular areas
- How much a yard of concrete weighs and the concrete slab cost calculator
- Brick calculator for walls, with mortar
- Grass seed calculator for new lawns and overseeding
- Fence calculator and fence post spacing
- Depth guides: mulch, gravel, topsoil
Bags or bulk: how many bags make the same volume?
One cubic yard is 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, 9 bags of 3 cu ft or 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft, so bag counts climb fast as the area grows.
| Area | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags | 0.5 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.46 | 7 | 5 | 25 |
| 100 sq ft | 0.93 | 13 | 9 | 50 |
| 200 sq ft | 1.85 | 25 | 17 | 100 |
| 500 sq ft | 4.63 | 63 | 42 | 250 |
Mulch is commonly sold in 2 or 3 cu ft bags[8] and bagged stone in 0.5 cu ft bags;[9] the bags per cubic yard chart lists every size.
Common cubic yard mistakes
The most common mistake is forgetting to convert inches to feet: 10 × 10 × 3 gives 300, but the correct volume is 10 × 10 × 0.25 = 25 cubic feet.
- Not dividing the depth by 12. Multiplying feet by inches makes the answer 12 times too big.
- Dividing by 9 instead of 27. Nine turns square feet into square yards; cubic feet need 27.[1]
- Ordering the compacted volume. Loose gravel shrinks to about 0.86 of its volume when compacted, so a compacted layer needs about 17% more loose material.[2]
- Mixing up tons and tonnes. A metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 10% more than a US ton of 907 kg.[1]
- Going by a bag's weight. Bag counts depend on the volume printed on the label, not the weight.
Recommended depths by use
Most landscape jobs fall between 1 and 6 inches: 2–4 inches of mulch, at least 2 inches of gravel on a path, 4–6 inches of topsoil for a new lawn and 4 inches of compacted base under patio pavers.
| Job | Depth | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch on most beds | 2–4 in | [10] |
| Gravel garden path | 2 in minimum | [11] |
| Gravel mulch to stop weeds | 4 in | [12] |
| Topsoil for a new lawn | 4–6 in, settled | [13] |
| Base under patio pavers | 4 in (100 mm) compacted | [14] |
| Bedding sand under pavers | 1 in (25 mm) | [14] |
| Concrete house floor slab | at least 3½ in | [15] |
How to estimate the cost
Cost is the volume times your supplier's price: cubic yards × price per yard, tons × price per ton, or bags × price per bag. Enter your own quotes in the calculator's price fields and it shows all three totals side by side.
To compare a price per ton with a price per yard, convert with the material's weight. Loose gravel weighs about 1.35–1.55 US tons per cubic yard,[2] so a quote of 40 per ton is about 54–62 per yard. The tons to yards calculator does the conversion for other materials.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. Convert inches to feet first by dividing by 12.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet.[1]
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
324 sq ft at 1 inch deep, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches and 81 at 4 inches.
How many cubic yards do I need for a 10 × 10 area?
0.31 yd³ at 1 inch, 0.62 at 2 inches, 0.93 at 3 inches and 1.23 at 4 inches.
What is a yard of dirt or gravel?
A cubic yard: the volume of a cube 3 ft on each side. Landscape suppliers sell bulk material by this unit, or by the ton.
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement
- FM 5-434 Earthmoving Operations, Tables 1-1 and 1-2 (material weights, swell and conversion factors)
- Conversion Factors for Construction Materials and Common Minerals (from BLM Handbook H-3890-1)
- Driving Surface Aggregate (DSA) Handbook
- QUIKRETE Mason Sand No. 1961-56 data sheet
- Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors
- QUIKRETE Play Sand calculator (No. 1113)
- How to Determine the Amount of Mulch Needed for a Garden Bed
- Hardscapes product line
- Tree Care Basics: Proper Mulching Techniques
- Gravel Pathways in the Garden
- Mulching (CMG GardenNotes #245)
- Lawn Establishment
- Construction of Interlocking Concrete Pavements (PAV-TEC-002-22)
- 2025 California Residential Code, Section R506 Concrete Floors (on Ground), based on the International Residential Code