Cubic Yard Calculator
Measure the area and depth; get the yards or bags to order.
Sources checked 9 November 2026
Cubic yard calculator
How to calculate cubic yards: the formula
Measure the length, width and depth in feet and multiply them for the volume in cubic feet, then divide the cubic feet by 27 to convert to cubic yards. A cubic yard is a cube that measures 3 ft on each side: it holds 27 cubic feet, or 46,656 cubic inches. Sizes measured in feet and inches work too: divide the inches by 12 first, so 3 in deep is 0.25 ft. A 10 × 12 ft mulch bed, 3 in deep is 12 × 10 × 0.25 = 30 cu ft, or 1.11 cu yd. With 10% extra, order 1.22 cu yd: 1.5 yd where yards are sold in halves, or 17 bags of 2 cu ft. The steps below follow the sizes in the calculator above and change as you type.
Read the tape into feet
12′ 0″ = 12 ft. 10′ 0″ = 10 ft. 3″ = 3 ÷ 12 = 0.250 ft.
Area times depth for each piece
- 12.00 × 10.00 = 120.00 sq ft; × 0.250 ft deep = 30.00 cu ft
Divide by 27 for cubic yards
30.00 ÷ 27 = 1.11 cu yd
Add the extra
1.11 × 1.10 = 1.22 cu yd. That is the number to order.
Bags: divide by the bag size, round up
33.00 cu ft (with 10% extra) ÷ 2 = 16.5, so 17 bags of 2 cu ft.
Cubic yards = length × width × depth ÷ 27 × (1 + extra)
12.00 × 10.00 × 0.250 = 30.00 cu ft; ÷ 27 = 1.11 cu yd; × 1.10 = 1.22 cu yd
All sizes in feet.
Cubic yards from square feet
If you know the area, multiply the square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 (27 cubic feet × 12 inches): one cubic yard spread 1 in deep covers 324 square feet. 1,000 sq ft at 3 in deep is 1,000 × 3 ÷ 324 = 9.26 cu yd. In the calculator, pick Known area for a piece and type its square feet; the square footage calculator works out an area of any shape first.
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep | 6 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 | 1.85 |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 | 1.85 | 2.47 | 3.7 |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 | 4.63 | 6.17 | 9.26 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.17 | 9.26 | 12.35 | 18.52 |
Worked out: area × depth in feet ÷ 27, no extra added.
Round beds, rings and pieces taken away
Each piece in the calculator has its own shape and its own depth, so a bed 3 in deep and a path 2 in deep can go in one order. For a round bed, pick Circle and measure across it; a ring is a bed around a tree, the trunk area left out; a border is a band around a patio.
Measuring a round bed as a square orders about 27% too much, since a circle fills π/4 of the square around it. Set a piece to Taken away for a patio, a shed or a tree ring inside the area, and the total comes out net.
| Shape | Formula | Example, feet | Area, sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectangle | length × width | 12 × 10 | 120 |
| Triangle | base × height ÷ 2 | 10 × 6 ÷ 2 | 30 |
| Trapezoid | (top + bottom) ÷ 2 × height | (6 + 10) ÷ 2 × 8 | 64 |
| Circle | 3.1416 × radius² | 3.1416 × 5² | 78.54 |
| Half circle | 3.1416 × radius² ÷ 2 | 3.1416 × 5² ÷ 2 | 39.27 |
| Ring | 3.1416 × (outer radius² − inner radius²) | 3.1416 × (5² − 3²) | 50.27 |
| Oval | 3.1416 × half length × half width | 3.1416 × 6 × 4 | 75.4 |
| Border | outer area − inner area | 12 × 10 − 8 × 6 | 72 |
Sizes in feet give square feet. 3.1416 is π rounded; the calculator uses π in full.
How many square feet a cubic yard covers
One cubic yard covers 324 ÷ the depth in inches: 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, 81 sq ft at 4 in.
| Depth | Sq ft per cu yd |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 |
| 2 in | 162 |
| 3 in | 108 |
| 4 in | 81 |
| 6 in | 54 |
| 12 in | 27 |
Worked out: 27 cu ft ÷ (depth in inches ÷ 12).
How deep to spread mulch, topsoil, compost and sand
The depth of each material sets the order more than anything else: 4 in takes twice the yards of 2 in. These depths come from extension services, a federal handbook and the makers' own instructions; the chips under each depth field in the calculator set the common ones.
| Material and job | Depth | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch in beds and tree rings | 2 to 4 in | Illinois Extension |
| Mulch, once settled | 2 to 3 in | Illinois Extension |
| Topsoil for a new lawn | 4 in at least, 6 in or more is better | NMSU Extension |
| Topsoil for a new lawn, ideally | 6 to 8 in | Virginia Cooperative Extension |
| Garden soil for a bed | 2 to 3 in, mixed into the top 6 to 8 in | Miracle-Gro |
| Compost on a lawn | 1/8 to 1/4 in | Minnesota PCA |
| Compost before seeding a lawn | 1 to 2 1/2 in, tilled into the top 6 in | Minnesota PCA |
| Paver bedding sand | 1 in, on a 6 to 8 in base for a patio | Unilock |
| Playground wood chips or mulch | 9 in kept; place 12 in | U.S. CPSC |
From each guide as written: University of Illinois Extension, New Mexico State University Extension, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Unilock, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
We found no national standard for the depth of gravel on a driveway or a path: it is set locally, so ask your county or your supplier. The gravel calculator and the mulch calculator go deeper on their material.
Bags or bulk: what one cubic yard is
A cubic yard is 27 cu ft, 0.7646 m³ or 201.97 US gallons. Divide 27 by the bag size for the bags in a yard and round up.
| Bag size | Bags per cu yd |
|---|---|
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 |
| 1 cu ft | 27 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 |
Worked out: 27 cu ft ÷ the bag size. Round up when you buy. Sizes as sold: Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose, Scotts Nature Scapes Color Enhanced Mulch.
Bulk suppliers sell by the yard. Some sell only whole or half yards, and some deliver only from 1 or 3 yd up, so the calculator rounds the bulk order up to the next half yard. For cubic feet, gallons and small bags, the cubic feet calculator fits better.
How much extra to order
Loose material settles and compacts, so order extra to account for compaction and waste. The calculator adds 10% on its own line: one landscape supplier advises about 10% more for mulch and 5 to 10% for gravel. Change it to suit your material.
Under play equipment, loose fill packs down by at least 25%. The U.S. CPSC asks for 12 in to be placed where 9 in must stay, so set the extra to 33%.
Mulch also thins over the years as it breaks down: in a UF/IFAS trial, pine bark and cypress mulch laid 9 cm deep were down to 6 cm after 2 years. That is a top-up next season, not part of the first order.
Cubic yard calculator FAQ
How do I calculate the amount of dirt in cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27. Add about 10% for settling.
Is 27 cubic feet equal to 1 cubic yard?
Yes, exactly: 3 × 3 × 3 ft. A cubic yard is also 46,656 cu in or 0.7646 m³.
How many 50 lb bags of concrete make 1 cubic yard?
72, for a mix whose 50 lb bag yields 0.375 cu ft (Quikrete Concrete Mix). Check the yield printed on your bag; the concrete calculator counts 80, 60 and 40 lb bags.
How many cubic yards is 1,000 square feet?
It depends on the depth: 3.09 at 1 in, 6.17 at 2 in, 9.26 at 3 in, 12.35 at 4 in and 18.52 at 6 in.
How many square feet does a cubic yard of mulch cover?
324 ÷ the depth in inches: 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 at 3 in, 81 at 4 in.
How many 5-gallon buckets are in a cubic yard?
About 40.4: a cubic yard is 201.97 US gallons.
How many bags of mulch or soil make a yard?
13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, 18 of 1.5 cu ft or 27 of 1 cu ft. Round up when you buy.
Related calculators
Sources
Unit definitions, depths, bag sizes, settling and how suppliers sell on this page come from these documents, checked 9 November 2026.
- NIST Handbook 44 (2025), Appendices B and C, Units of Measurement
- University of Illinois Extension, Proper Mulching Techniques
- University of Illinois Extension, Mulch Madness, July 2017
- New Mexico State University Extension, Guide H-509, Turfgrass Establishment, revised December 2016
- Virginia Cooperative Extension, Publication 426-718, Establishing Lawns, 2017
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, How do I use my compost?, February 2013
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Public Playground Safety Handbook, Pub. 325
- UF/IFAS Extension, FOR 69, Landscape Mulches: How quickly do they settle?
- Bulk Direct Landscape Supply, How Much Mulch Do I Need?, March 2025
- Gardener's Supply, bulk materials page
- Heritage Landscape Supply Group, bulk mulch page, Mid-Atlantic
- Mulch Mound, delivery policy
- Scotts Nature Scapes Color Enhanced Mulch product page
- Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose product page
- Unilock, Understanding Paver Installation, Basic Tech Guide
- Quikrete, Concrete Mix No. 1101 data sheet, revised October 2022