Enter length, width and depth in any units to convert them to cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters, for ordering soil, mulch, gravel, sand or concrete.
Quick answers
Cubic yards = length × width × depth (all in feet) ÷ 27. Divide inches by 12 first.
A 12 × 10 ft area filled 4 in deep is 40 cu ft, or 1.48 cubic yards.
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, 81 sq ft at 4 in and 54 sq ft at 6 in.
How to use the cubic yard calculator
Measure the length and width of the space, and the depth you want to fill.
Pick units for each field. Mixing feet and inches is fine; the calculator converts everything.
Round up when you order. Most suppliers sell bulk material in whole or half yards.
The formula
Cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27. If the depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first. For a round space, use π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth for the cubic feet, then divide by 27.
Worked example
A 12 × 10 ft area filled 4 inches deep: 12 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 40 cubic feet, and 40 ÷ 27 = 1.48 cubic yards. Order 1.5 yards.
How many square feet one cubic yard covers
Depth
Coverage
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
Common questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
You also need a depth. Multiply square feet by the depth in inches, divide by 12 to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For example, 100 sq ft at 3 in deep is 100 × 3 ÷ 12 ÷ 27 = 0.93 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
It depends on depth: 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 108 sq ft at 3 inches, 81 sq ft at 4 inches and 54 sq ft at 6 inches.
How big is a cubic yard in metric?
One cubic yard is 0.7646 cubic meters. One cubic meter is about 1.308 cubic yards.