What a cubic yard is
A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet, or 36 × 36 × 36 = 46,656 cubic inches. In metric it is 0.7646 m³, and one cubic meter is 1.308 cubic yards. Soil, mulch, gravel, sand and ready-mix concrete are all sold by the cubic yard in the US, often shortened to “yard.”
How to calculate cubic yards
Multiply the three sizes in feet, then divide by 27.
depth in inches: cubic yards = length × width × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = length × width × depth (in) ÷ 324
For other shapes, find the area in square feet first: a circle is π × (diameter ÷ 2)², a triangle is base × height ÷ 2. Then multiply by the depth in feet and divide by 27. The calculator does all of these, and you can add or subtract areas.
Example: an area measured in feet and inches
A 12 × 18 ft area to be covered 4 inches deep:
- Area: 12 × 18 = 216 sq ft
- Depth: 4 ÷ 12 = 0.3333 ft
- Volume: 216 × 0.3333 = 72 cu ft
- Cubic yards: 72 ÷ 27 = 2.67 cu yd (the same as 216 × 4 ÷ 324)
Example: sizes in meters
An area 5 m × 3 m, 10 cm deep:
- Volume: 5 × 3 × 0.10 = 1.50 m³
- Cubic yards: 1.50 ÷ 0.7646 = 1.96 cu yd
You can enter meters and centimeters directly in the calculator.
How much area a cubic yard covers
Divide 324 by the depth in inches to get the square feet one cubic yard covers (324 = 27 cubic feet × 12 inches per foot).
| Depth | 1 cu yd covers | Cu yd per 100 sq ft | Cu yd per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 0.31 | 3.09 |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 0.62 | 6.17 |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 0.93 | 9.26 |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 1.23 | 12.35 |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | 1.85 | 18.52 |
Clemson Extension uses the same 324 sq ft at 1 inch for mulch.[1] Colorado State’s rule that 3 cubic yards covers 1,000 sq ft about 1 inch deep is a rounded version of the 3.09 in the table.[2]
Common mistakes
- Using inches as feet. A 10 × 10 ft area 3 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 0.25 = 25 cu ft = 0.93 cu yd. Typing 3 as feet gives 300 cu ft = 11.11 cu yd, 12 times too much.
- Dividing by 9. Nine is for square yards (3 × 3 ft). Dividing the 25 cu ft by 9 gives 2.78, three times the real 0.93 cu yd.
- Forgetting that some materials pack down. Crusher run compacted for a base needs about 1.4 times the finished volume[3][4], and soil settles after spreading (our estimate: about 15%, or 20% for compost). The calculator adds these allowances when you pick the material; see the table below.
- Mixing loose and compacted weights. Tons per yard are for loose material as delivered. Compacted base weighs much more per yard, so don’t use it to convert an order.
Cubic yards to tons, by material
Stone, sand and soil are often sold by the ton. Multiply cubic yards by the weight per yard. The last column shows how much fits in one pickup trip carrying 2,000 lb of cargo, capped at the 2 cu yd an 8 ft bed holds level.[5][6]
| Material | Tons per cu yd | Order factor | Cu yd per pickup trip | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #57 crushed stone (about ¾ in, clean) | 1.25–1.45 | — | 0.69 | [3][7][8][9][10] |
| Pea gravel (rounded, about ⅜ in) | 1.25–1.50 | — | 0.67 | [11][12][13] |
| Crusher run / road base | 1.30–1.60 | × 1.4 | 0.63 | [3][14][15][4] |
| Sand, damp (typical as delivered) | 1.40–1.55 | — | 0.65 | [11][8][12] |
| Topsoil | 0.80–1.30 | × 1.15 | 0.77 | [14][16] |
| Fill dirt | 1.00–1.20 | × 1.15 | 0.83 | [14] |
| Compost | 0.40–0.80 | × 1.2 | 1.25 | [17][18] |
| Shredded hardwood mulch | 0.20–0.40 | — | 2.00 | [19][20] |
“Order factor” is the allowance for compaction (crusher run) or settling (soil and compost). The soil and compost factors are our estimates; no published standard gives them. Pickup trips use the heavy end of the weight range.
The calculator starts with #57 stone because clean stone barely settles, so it adds no allowance and the cubic yards shown are exactly the volume of your shape. Pick another material to get its weight, bags and trips.
Truckloads
A single-axle dump truck carries about 6 cubic yards and a tandem-axle truck usually 12 or 14, both by volume.[21] Heavy materials can reach the truck’s legal weight before the bed is full, so ask your supplier how many yards they deliver per load.
Questions people ask
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in feet, and divide by 27. With the depth in inches, multiply length × width × depth and divide by 324. A 10 × 10 ft area 3 inches deep is 0.93 cubic yards.
How much area can 1 cubic yard cover?
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches, 54 sq ft at 6 inches.
How do I convert cubic yards to square feet?
You need the depth. Square feet = cubic yards × 324 ÷ depth in inches. For example, 3 cubic yards spread 4 inches deep covers 3 × 324 ÷ 4 = 243 sq ft.
Related calculators
Sources
- Clemson Cooperative Extension, HGIC 1604 Mulch. Depth by mulch type; keep mulch 6–12 in from buildings. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Colorado State University Extension, CMG GardenNotes: Soils, Fertilizers and Soil Amendments. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Tennessee Department of Transportation, Roadway Design Guidelines, Chapter 4 (rev. 03/20/15). Loose and compacted weights of mineral aggregate base and crushed stone. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Penn State Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies, Driving Surface Aggregate (DSA) Handbook (2025). 8 in loose compacts to 6 in. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Landscape Recycling Center (Champaign–Urbana), Measurements. Pickup bed capacities. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Ford Motor Company, 2026 F-150 specifications. Maximum payload 2,440 lb in the best configuration. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Federal Highway Administration, Strength Characterization of Open-Graded Aggregates for Structural Backfills (FHWA-HRT-15-034). Laboratory densities of #57, #67, #8 and #89 stone. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Martin Marietta, Product Calculator (material density table). Checked 2026-09-26.
- Vulcan Materials, Aggregate Tonnage Estimator. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Luck Stone, Product Calculator. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Caterpillar, Caterpillar Performance Handbook, Edition 50: Weight of Materials. Checked 2026-09-26.
- U.S. Army, FM 5-434 Earthmoving Operations, Table 1-2: Material weight and swell. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Lowe’s (product listing), Kolor Scape 0.5 cu ft pea gravel, 48 lb. Bag weight and volume. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WHRP), Weight-Volume Relationships and Conversion Factors for Soils and Aggregates (Project 0092-22-05, 2023). Unit weights of base aggregate, and FHWA/Church loose, bank and compacted weights of topsoil, loam and clay. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Federal Highway Administration / South Dakota LTAP, Gravel Roads Construction and Maintenance Guide (FHWA-OTS-15-002, 2015). Volume loss of gravel on compaction; minimum lift thickness. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Topsoil.com (supplier blog), Cubic Yard of Topsoil Weight: 1,500–3,000 lbs Explained. Dry, moist and saturated topsoil weights (secondary source). Checked 2026-09-26.
- Oregon State University Extension, Interpreting Compost Analyses (EM 9217). Screened compost at 50% moisture weighs about 1,000 lb per cubic yard. Checked 2026-09-26.
- University of New Hampshire Extension, Purchasing Compost (tip sheet). Checked 2026-09-26.
- NIST Fire Research Division, Suzuki and Manzello, bulk densities of landscape mulches. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Cornell Waste Management Institute / NRAES, On-Farm Composting Handbook, Appendix A Table 1. Bulk weights of wood chips, bark and leaves. Checked 2026-09-26.
- Texas Department of Transportation, Seal Coat and Surface Treatment Manual: Haul Trucks, Size. Single-axle about 6 cu yd; tandem 12–14 cu yd. Checked 2026-09-26.