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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.

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.

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.

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

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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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