🧱 Cubic Yard Calculator
By ToolNimba Construction Team · Updated 2026-06-19
Enter the length, width and depth of the area. Volume in cubic feet is length x width x depth (all in feet), then divided by 27 to get cubic yards. Add a waste allowance of 5 to 10 percent when ordering.
A cubic yard is the standard unit that concrete, soil, gravel, sand and mulch are sold and delivered in across North America. This calculator turns the length, width and depth of your project into the number of cubic yards (and cubic meters) you need to order. Enter each measurement in feet, inches or meters, set how many identical areas you have, and read off the volume straight away, plus an optional cost from a price per cubic yard.
What is the Cubic Yard Calculator?
A cubic yard is the volume of a cube that measures one yard (3 feet) on every side. Because 3 x 3 x 3 = 27, one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. That single conversion is the heart of every yardage calculation: work out the volume of your area in cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. The volume in cubic feet is simply length x width x depth, with all three measurements expressed in feet.
The part that trips most people up is the depth. Slabs, driveways, garden beds and gravel layers are usually only a few inches deep, not feet, so the depth has to be converted before it goes into the formula. Four inches is 4 divided by 12, or 0.3333 feet, not 4 feet. This calculator lets you pick the unit for each dimension separately, so you can leave length and width in feet and enter the depth in inches without doing the conversion by hand.
Materials are ordered by volume, but they behave differently once delivered. Concrete is a liquid that fills the form exactly, so the calculated cubic yards is what you pour. Loose materials like soil, mulch and gravel settle and compact, and there is always spillage and uneven ground, so suppliers and contractors typically add a waste allowance of 5 to 10 percent on top of the bare calculation. Concrete in particular is hard to top up once a pour starts, so rounding up to the next quarter yard is common practice.
When to use it
- Working out how many cubic yards of ready-mix concrete to order for a slab, footing, patio or driveway.
- Estimating cubic yards of topsoil, compost or fill dirt for a garden bed, lawn or landscaping project.
- Calculating gravel, sand or road base for a base layer, path or drainage trench.
- Figuring out how much mulch or bark to buy to cover flower beds to a set depth.
How to use the Cubic Yard Calculator
- Enter the length of the area and choose its unit (feet, inches or meters).
- Enter the width and its unit the same way.
- Enter the depth or thickness, then pick the unit (inches is common for slabs and layers).
- Set the number of identical areas if you have more than one, and optionally a price per cubic yard.
- Read off the cubic yards, cubic meters and cubic feet, plus the estimated cost.
Formula & method
Worked examples
A concrete slab 10 ft long, 10 ft wide and 4 inches thick.
- Convert depth to feet: 4 / 12 = 0.3333 ft
- Cubic feet = 10 x 10 x 0.3333 = 33.33 ft³
- Cubic yards = 33.33 / 27 = 1.23 yd³
- Cubic meters = 33.33 x 0.0283168 = 0.94 m³
Result: 1.23 cubic yards (about 0.94 cubic meters). Order 1.25 to 1.5 yards to allow for waste.
A garden bed 20 ft long, 4 ft wide, filled with 6 inches of topsoil.
- Convert depth to feet: 6 / 12 = 0.5 ft
- Cubic feet = 20 x 4 x 0.5 = 40 ft³
- Cubic yards = 40 / 27 = 1.48 yd³
- Add 10 percent for settling: 1.48 x 1.10 = 1.63 yd³
Result: 1.48 cubic yards of soil, or about 1.63 cubic yards once a 10 percent allowance is added.
Cubic yards needed to cover an area at common depths (length x width in square feet)
| Area (sq ft) | 2 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep | 12 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0.62 yd³ | 1.23 yd³ | 1.85 yd³ | 3.70 yd³ |
| 200 | 1.23 yd³ | 2.47 yd³ | 3.70 yd³ | 7.41 yd³ |
| 500 | 3.09 yd³ | 6.17 yd³ | 9.26 yd³ | 18.52 yd³ |
| 1000 | 6.17 yd³ | 12.35 yd³ | 18.52 yd³ | 37.04 yd³ |
Key volume conversion factors
| Conversion | Factor |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 27 cubic feet |
| 1 cubic yard | 0.7646 cubic meters |
| 1 cubic foot | 0.0283 cubic meters |
| 1 cubic meter | 1.308 cubic yards |
| inches to feet | divide by 12 |
| meters to feet | multiply by 3.28084 |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Entering depth in feet when it is really inches. A 4 inch slab is 0.33 feet deep, not 4 feet. Typing 4 in a feet field overstates the volume twelvefold. Use the inches unit for slab thickness and layer depths, or divide inches by 12 first.
- Forgetting to divide by 27. Cubic feet and cubic yards are not the same. The area times depth gives cubic feet, which must be divided by 27 to reach the cubic yards that suppliers actually sell.
- Ordering exactly the calculated amount. Loose materials settle and spill, ground is rarely level, and concrete cannot easily be topped up mid-pour. Add a waste allowance of 5 to 10 percent and round up to a sensible order size.
- Mixing units within one calculation by hand. If you measure length in feet and depth in inches, both must be converted to the same unit before multiplying. This tool handles that per dimension, but doing it manually is a common source of error.
Glossary
- Cubic yard
- A volume equal to a cube 1 yard (3 feet) on each side, which works out to 27 cubic feet. The standard sales unit for concrete and bulk materials.
- Cubic foot
- A volume equal to a cube 1 foot on each side. There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard.
- Cubic meter
- The metric unit of volume, a cube 1 meter on each side. One cubic yard is about 0.765 cubic meters.
- Depth
- How thick the layer or slab is, measured downward. Often given in inches for slabs, paths and garden layers.
- Waste allowance
- Extra material, typically 5 to 10 percent, added to cover settling, spillage and uneven ground.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Measure length, width and depth in feet, multiply them together to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. If a measurement is in inches, divide it by 12 first; if it is in meters, multiply by 3.28084. This calculator does the unit conversions for you.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet and 3 x 3 x 3 = 27. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27.
How many cubic yards of concrete do I need for a slab?
Take the slab length and width in feet, multiply by the thickness converted to feet (for example 4 inches is 0.333 feet), then divide the result by 27. A 10 by 10 ft slab 4 inches thick needs about 1.23 cubic yards, and most people round up to 1.25 or 1.5 yards.
How much is a cubic yard in cubic meters?
One cubic yard equals about 0.7646 cubic meters, and one cubic meter is about 1.308 cubic yards. This calculator shows both units side by side so you can order in whichever your supplier uses.
Should I order extra material?
Yes. Loose materials such as soil, gravel and mulch settle and spill, and ground is rarely perfectly level, so a 5 to 10 percent waste allowance is normal. Concrete is hard to top up once a pour begins, so rounding up to the next quarter yard is wise.
Does this work for dirt, gravel and mulch as well as concrete?
Yes. The cubic yard volume is the same for any material, since it depends only on the dimensions you measure. Concrete fills the form exactly, while loose materials compact, so add a waste allowance for soil, gravel, sand and mulch.