Volume
0 cu yd
Cubic feet
0
Square feet
0
Weight
0 t
Dump trucks
0
Your volume
Pick your material calculator
This is the general hub. For material-specific bags, tons and delivery tips, jump to:
How to calculate cubic yards
Cubic yards is the standard way bulk material — gravel, sand, soil, mulch and ready-mix concrete — is sold and delivered in the US. Use this cubic yard calculator to size any order. The formula is simple:
Cubic yards = (length ft x width ft x depth ft) ÷ 27
If your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 to convert to feet first. To convert an area in square feet to cubic yards, multiply the square footage by the depth in feet, then divide by 27. To convert cubic yards to tons, multiply by the material’s density — pick a material above and the calculator estimates the weight.
Quick reference
| Conversion | Rule |
|---|---|
| Cubic feet → cubic yards | divide by 27 |
| Cubic yards → cubic feet | multiply by 27 |
| Square feet → cubic yards | x depth (ft) ÷ 27 |
| Cubic yards → tons | x density (t/yd) |
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length x width x depth with every measurement in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 (there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard). If your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first. For example, 20 ft x 10 ft x 6 in = 20 x 10 x 0.5 = 100 cu ft = 3.7 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a cubic yard is 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft = 27 cu ft. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27; to go the other way, multiply by 27.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
Square feet is an area, so you also need a depth. Multiply the area (sq ft) by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For instance, 300 sq ft at 4 inches (0.333 ft) deep is 300 x 0.333 = 100 cu ft = 3.7 cubic yards.
How do I convert cubic yards to tons?
Multiply the cubic yards by the material’s density in tons per cubic yard. Typical values are about 1.4 tons/yd for gravel, 1.35 for sand, 1.1 for screened topsoil and 0.5 for bark mulch. Pick a material above and this calculator estimates the tonnage for you. Weight varies with moisture, so confirm with your supplier.
How many cubic yards are in a dump truck?
A standard dump truck carries roughly 10 to 14 cubic yards of loose material, while smaller trucks and trailers carry 1 to 5 yards. Because bulk material is sold by the yard, knowing your total in cubic yards makes ordering delivery straightforward.
How many cubic yards are in a ton?
It depends on the material’s density, so there is no single answer. As a rule of thumb, one ton is about 0.7 cubic yards of gravel, 0.75 of sand, 0.9 of screened topsoil and 2 cubic yards of bark mulch. Going the other way, a cubic yard of gravel weighs roughly 1.4 tons and a yard of topsoil about 1.1 tons. Pick a material above to convert cubic yards to tons exactly.
How many cubic feet are in a yard of mulch?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard of mulch — the same as any other material, because it is a pure volume conversion. Since mulch is bagged in 2 or 3 cubic-foot bags, a cubic yard equals about 13.5 of the 2 cu ft bags or 9 of the 3 cu ft bags.