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Cubic Yard Calculator: Convert Feet and Inches to Yards
Calculate cubic yards for any bulk material, from soil and gravel to mulch and concrete. Enter the area and depth, and get cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters and the weight in tons.
How to calculate cubic yards
A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side, which holds 27 cubic feet. Find the volume in cubic feet first, then divide by 27. Depth is usually measured in inches, so divide it by 12 to convert to feet:
cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
Worked examples
- Garden bed, 12 × 10 ft, 6 in deep: 12 × 10 × 0.5 = 60 cu ft ÷ 27 = 2.22 cu yd.
- Round tree ring, 8 ft across, 3 in of mulch: 3.1416 × 4 × 4 × 0.25 = 12.6 cu ft = 0.47 cu yd.
- Patio slab, 20 × 15 ft, 4 in thick: 100 cu ft = 3.7 cu yd of concrete.
Quick reference: coverage of one cubic yard
| Depth | Area one cubic yard covers |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft |
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
Suppliers sometimes sell by the ton instead of the yard. Approximate weights per cubic yard: mulch 0.3 to 0.5 tons, topsoil about 1.1 tons, sand 1.35 tons, gravel 1.4 tons, and concrete about 2 tons. A half-ton pickup can safely carry about 1 cu yd of gravel or soil, but 2 to 3 cu yd of mulch.
Calculators for specific materials
For bag counts and material-specific advice, use the mulch, gravel, topsoil, sand and concrete calculators.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width in feet by depth in inches, divide by 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. A 12 × 10 ft area 6 in deep is 2.22 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
324 sq ft at 1 in deep, 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in and 81 sq ft at 4 in.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27, because a cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft.