Cubic Yard Calculator
Pick a shape, enter its size and how deep you're filling it. You'll get cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters, what to order, and roughly what that volume weighs in common materials.
- Tested formulas
- Feet or metric
- Printable shopping list
2 Volume
Updates as you type| Cubic feet | 40 cu ft |
|---|---|
| Cubic yards | 1.481 yd³ |
| Cubic meters | 1.133 m³ |
| Weight if it's gravel / crushed stone | 2.07 tons (4,148 lb) |
| Weight if it's sand | 2 tons (4,000 lb) |
| Weight if it's topsoil | 1.63 tons (3,259 lb) |
| Weight if it's wood / bark mulch | 0.59 tons (1,185 lb) |
Weights are typical for dry, loose material. Ask your supplier what their material weighs per yard. For concrete, use the concrete calculator, which also counts bags.
Quick answer
Cubic yards = length × width (in feet) × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 12 × 10 ft area 4 inches deep is 40 cubic feet, or 1.48 cubic yards; order 1.5. One cubic yard covers 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
Cubic yards for common areas
| Area | 2" deep | 3" deep | 4" deep | 6" deep | 12" deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 × 10 ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 | 3.70 |
| 12 × 12 ft | 0.89 | 1.33 | 1.78 | 2.67 | 5.33 |
| 10 × 20 ft | 1.23 | 1.85 | 2.47 | 3.70 | 7.41 |
| 20 × 20 ft | 2.47 | 3.70 | 4.94 | 7.41 | 14.81 |
| 20 × 30 ft | 3.70 | 5.56 | 7.41 | 11.11 | 22.22 |
Cubic yards, rounded to two places. Use the calculator above for your exact size.
How to work out cubic yards
A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, which holds 27 cubic feet. To get there from your measurements:
- Find the area in square feet. For a rectangle that's length × width.
- Turn the depth into feet by dividing inches by 12, then multiply. That's cubic feet.
- Divide by 27.
For a 12 × 10 ft area filled 4 inches deep: 120 sq ft × (4 ÷ 12) = 40 cubic feet, and 40 ÷ 27 = 1.48 cubic yards. Steps 2 and 3 fold into one shortcut: square feet × inches ÷ 324.
Other shapes
- Circle: area = 3.1416 × (diameter ÷ 2)². A round bed 12 ft across has 113 sq ft.
- Triangle: area = base × height ÷ 2. Measure the height square to the base, not along a sloped side.
- Odd shapes: split them into rectangles, circles and triangles, then add the areas. Choose "I know the area" and enter the total.
How much a cubic yard covers
Deeper fills need more material for the same patch of ground. One cubic yard spreads over:
| Depth | Covers |
|---|---|
| 1" | 324 sq ft |
| 2" | 162 sq ft |
| 3" | 108 sq ft |
| 4" | 81 sq ft |
| 6" | 54 sq ft |
| 12" | 27 sq ft |
Ordering
Landscape and aggregate yards sell bulk material by the cubic yard, often in quarter or half yards, and some quarries sell gravel by the ton. The weights in the results use typical figures for dry, loose material. If the supplier quotes in tons, ask what their material weighs per yard, because it changes with stone type and moisture. Material also packs down: if you'll compact it, under a slab or a patio base, ask the supplier how much their material settles and add that.
For the material itself, use the matching calculator: gravel, mulch, topsoil, sand or concrete.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
Twenty-seven. A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
Multiply the square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324. For 200 sq ft at 3 inches: 200 × 3 ÷ 324 = 1.85 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
324 divided by the depth in inches: 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, 81 at 4 inches and 27 at a foot deep.
How many cubic yards are in a ton?
It depends on the material. At the typical weights used here, a ton of gravel is about 0.71 cubic yards, a ton of sand 0.74, and a ton of topsoil 0.91.
Last reviewed 2026-10-23. See how we calculate for our sources and assumptions.