What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a volume of 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. That is 27 cubic feet, or about 0.765 cubic metres. In the United States, bulk landscaping materials such as gravel, mulch, topsoil, sand and ready-mixed concrete are sold by the cubic yard, so it is the unit to use when you order a delivery.
How to use this calculator
- Choose a rectangle or a circle, then enter the size of the area. You can mix units, for example feet for length and width and inches for depth.
- Enter the depth you want to fill or cover.
- Leave the waste allowance at 5%, or raise it if the ground is uneven or the job is messy.
- Read the result in cubic yards. If you choose a material, you also get an estimated weight in US tons and metric tonnes.
For jobs made of several shapes, such as an L-shaped bed, calculate each part separately and add the results together.
Quick formula: cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 324. For example, a 10 ft × 10 ft area at 3 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 3 ÷ 324 = 0.93 cubic yards. The calculator above does this for you and adds the waste allowance.
Worked examples
Garden bed. A bed 12 ft long, 4 ft wide and 3 inches deep holds 12 × 4 × 0.25 = 12 cubic feet, or 0.44 cubic yards. With 5% waste, that is about 0.47 cubic yards.
Round planter or fire-pit base. A circle 8 ft across and 4 inches deep has an area of about 50.3 square feet. At 4 inches (one third of a foot) deep that is 16.8 cubic feet, or 0.62 cubic yards.
Driveway base. A drive 50 ft long and 12 ft wide with a 4-inch layer needs 200 cubic feet, which is 7.4 cubic yards before any waste allowance.
How far does one cubic yard go?
| Depth | Area covered by 1 cubic yard | Cubic yards for 100 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 0.31 |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 0.62 |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 0.93 |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 1.23 |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft | 1.85 |
| 12 inches | 27 sq ft | 3.70 |
Converting cubic yards
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 27 cubic feet |
| 1 cubic yard | 0.765 cubic metres |
| 1 cubic yard | 202 US gallons (approx.) |
| 1 cubic metre | 1.308 cubic yards |
| 1 US ton | 0.907 metric tonnes |
Tips for ordering
- Measure the length and width in more than one place. Real areas are rarely perfect rectangles.
- Round up to the next half yard, because a second delivery costs more than a little extra material.
- Ask the supplier whether they price by volume or weight, and what the minimum order is. Many suppliers have a minimum load or a delivery fee on small orders.
- Material settles, compacts and gets lost in the spread. A 5 to 10 percent allowance is common.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard? 27.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards? Divide by 27.
How do I convert cubic metres to cubic yards? Multiply by 1.308.
How many wheelbarrow loads is a cubic yard? A standard wheelbarrow holds roughly 2 to 3 cubic feet, so a cubic yard is about 9 to 13 loads.
Is the weight estimate exact? No. Weight depends on the material, moisture and compaction. Use it as a guide and confirm with your supplier.