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Cubic Yard Calculator

Construction

Calculate cubic yards of concrete, dirt, gravel, or mulch needed for your project from length, width, and depth. Instant cubic feet and cubic yard totals.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated July 1, 2026

1500
1500
0.548

Cubic Yards

1.23
Cubic Feet
33.33

This calculator computes your Cubic Yards, Cubic Feet from the values you enter.

Inputs
Length (ft)Width (ft)Depth (in)
Outputs
Cubic YardsCubic Feet

What is a Cubic Yard?

A cubic yard calculator converts the length, width, and depth of an area into cubic yards, the standard volume unit suppliers use to price and deliver bulk materials like concrete, dirt, gravel, sand, and mulch in the United States. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, the volume of a cube measuring 3 feet on every side.

Getting this number right matters because ordering too little material means a delayed project and a second delivery, while ordering too much wastes money and leaves you with excess material to dispose of. The formula, length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in ÷ 12), divided by 27, converts a flat area measurement into the three-dimensional volume a supplier actually needs to fill.

This calculator is a natural companion to the Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator when you already know your area's total square footage, and to the Board Foot Calculator if your project also involves lumber. For driveways, patios, or footings specifically, pair it with the Concrete Calculator for a materials-specific breakdown.

Why Use a Cubic Yard Calculator?

Converting a flat measurement, length and width, into a volume that accounts for depth is easy to get wrong by hand, especially when depth is measured in inches while length and width are in feet. A cubic yard calculator removes that unit-conversion risk and gives you an accurate order quantity in seconds.

A common use case is pouring a concrete slab: measure the slab's footprint in feet, set the depth to the slab's thickness in inches, and the calculator returns exactly how many cubic yards of concrete to order from the ready-mix supplier. Another is spreading mulch or topsoil over a garden bed, enter the bed dimensions and a 2–3 inch depth to know how many cubic yards to buy in bulk instead of guessing with individual bags.

Who Should Use This Calculator?

Homeowners and DIYers use this calculator before pouring a patio, setting fence posts, or refreshing a mulch bed, so they order the right amount of material on the first trip. General contractors use it to quickly quote concrete, gravel, or fill dirt volumes during project estimation. Landscapers rely on it daily to calculate topsoil, mulch, and gravel quantities for beds, paths, and drainage projects.

Excavation and grading crews use it to estimate cut-and-fill volumes for site prep work. Anyone working across multiple material types on a single job should also check the Gravel Calculator and Square Yards Calculator for related unit conversions.

What Insights Does the Cubic Yard Calculator Give You?

Cubic Yards is the primary result, the volume of material needed, expressed in the unit that suppliers use for pricing and delivery. This is the number you'll give a concrete plant, gravel yard, or mulch supplier when placing an order.

Cubic Feet is the intermediate volume calculated before the final cubic-yard conversion. This is useful if you're working with a supplier or spec that quotes material in cubic feet, or if you want to verify the calculator's math step by step.

Both figures update live as you adjust length, width, or depth, so you can quickly test different depths (for example, comparing a 3-inch versus 4-inch mulch layer) to see the volume impact before committing to an order.

How to use this Cubic Yard calculator

  1. Measure the Length (ft) of the area you're filling and enter it, use the slider or type an exact value.
  2. Measure the Width (ft) of the area and enter it the same way.
  3. Set the Depth (in), the thickness of the material layer, such as 4 inches for a concrete slab or 3 inches for a mulch bed.
  4. Read the Cubic Yards result, this is the figure to give your supplier when ordering.
  5. Check Cubic Feet if you need the intermediate volume for cross-checking or for a supplier that quotes by the cubic foot.
  6. Add a 5–10% buffer to your final order to account for spillage, uneven ground, or material compaction.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

The cubic yard formula is:

Cubic Feet = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × (Depth (in) ÷ 12)

Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet ÷ 27

The depth is divided by 12 to convert from inches to feet, matching the units of length and width, and the final cubic-foot figure is divided by 27 because one cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft).

Worked example: For a patio slab 10 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 4 inches deep:

Cubic Feet = 10 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 100 × 0.333 = 33.33 cubic feet

Cubic Yards = 33.33 ÷ 27 = 1.23 cubic yards

At an estimated $150 per cubic yard for ready-mix concrete, this slab would cost roughly $185 in material before delivery fees and tax, always confirm current pricing with your local supplier.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a unit of volume equal to 27 cubic feet, the space occupied by a cube measuring 3 feet on each side. It is the standard unit used in the United States for ordering bulk materials like concrete, dirt, gravel, sand, and mulch, since suppliers price and deliver these materials by the cubic yard.
How does the Cubic Yard Calculator work?
You enter the length and width of the area in feet and the depth of material in inches. The calculator multiplies length × width × (depth ÷ 12) to get cubic feet, then divides by 27 to convert to cubic yards, updating instantly as you adjust any value.
What is the formula for cubic yards?
Cubic Yards = (Length in feet × Width in feet × Depth in inches ÷ 12) ÷ 27. The depth is divided by 12 first to convert inches to feet so that all three dimensions are in the same unit before multiplying.
Why is depth measured in inches instead of feet?
Most fill materials like mulch, gravel, and topsoil are applied in relatively thin layers, often just a few inches, so inches give a more practical and precise input than fractional feet. The calculator automatically converts inches to feet internally before computing volume.
What is the difference between cubic feet and cubic yards?
Cubic feet and cubic yards both measure volume, but a cubic yard is a much larger unit, one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. Suppliers typically quote and deliver bulk materials in cubic yards because ordering by cubic feet would result in impractically large numbers for most projects.
How do I calculate cubic yards of concrete for a slab?
Enter the slab's length and width in feet and its thickness in inches as the depth, a typical driveway or patio slab is 4 inches thick. The result gives you the cubic yards of concrete to order, and you should always add 5–10% extra to account for spillage, uneven subgrade, and form loss.
Can I use this calculator for mulch or topsoil?
Yes, the same length × width × depth formula applies to any bulk fill material, including mulch, topsoil, sand, and gravel. Just enter the area dimensions and your desired depth (2–4 inches is typical for mulch beds) to get the cubic yards needed.
How many cubic yards are in a standard concrete truck?
A standard ready-mix concrete truck typically carries about 10 cubic yards, though capacity varies by truck and supplier. Compare your calculated cubic yard total against the truck's capacity to determine if you need a full load, a partial load, or multiple deliveries.
Should I round up when ordering cubic yards of material?
Yes, most contractors and suppliers recommend adding a 5–10% buffer to your calculated cubic yards to account for spillage, compaction, and uneven ground. Running short mid-pour or mid-project is far more costly than having a small amount of extra material left over.
What is the difference between this calculator and the Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator?
This Cubic Yard Calculator takes length and width separately and multiplies them for you, which is convenient when you're measuring a rectangular area directly. The [Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator](/square-feet-to-cubic-yards-calculator/) is designed for cases where you already know the total square footage of an irregular or pre-measured area and just need to apply a depth.
Does this calculator account for compaction of gravel or dirt?
No, this calculator computes the raw geometric volume based on the dimensions you enter and does not adjust for material compaction. Loose materials like gravel and topsoil often compact by 10–20% once settled or driven over, so order accordingly if compaction is a concern for your project.
What units does the Cubic Yard Calculator use?
Length and width are entered in feet, depth is entered in inches, and the results, Cubic Yards and Cubic Feet, are both standard US volume units used for ordering bulk construction and landscaping materials.
Also known as
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