Cubic Yards Calculator
Convert any length, width and depth into cubic yards and cubic feet — enter your dimensions in feet or inches to size bulk material like concrete, gravel, mulch and soil.
How to calculate cubic yards
A cubic yard is a measure of volume — the amount of space a bulk material like concrete, gravel, mulch or soil fills. To find it, multiply length × width × depth with every dimension in feet, then divide by 27. The calculator above lets you enter each dimension in feet, inches or yards and converts for you, which matters when your depth is in inches.
cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. A handy shortcut for landscaping, where depth is usually in inches, is square feet × inches ÷ 324 = cubic yards.
Cubic yard conversions
| 1 cubic yard equals | Value |
|---|---|
| Cubic feet | 27 ft³ |
| Cubic meters | 0.7646 m³ |
| Covers at 2″ deep | 162 sq ft |
| Covers at 4″ deep | 81 sq ft |
Sizing a specific material? Use the mulch, sand, soil or concrete calculators, which add bags, tons and cost on top of the volume.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are exactly 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. So to convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27; to go the other way, multiply by 27.
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth with every dimension in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. If your depth is in inches — common for mulch, gravel or soil — divide the inches by 12 first, or use the shortcut: square feet × inches ÷ 324 = cubic yards. The calculator handles the unit conversion for you.
How many cubic yards are in a ton?
It depends on the material’s density. Gravel and sand run about 1.4 tons per cubic yard, so a ton is roughly 0.7 cubic yards; topsoil is lighter at about 1.1 tons per yard. There is no single conversion — you need the material’s weight per cubic yard.
What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is the volume of a cube that is one yard (3 feet) on each side — 27 cubic feet. Bulk landscape and building materials such as concrete, gravel, mulch, sand and topsoil are sold and delivered by the cubic yard.