Cubic Yard Calculator
The Cubic Yard Calculator is a general-purpose volume tool for ordering any bulk material sold by the cubic yard or cubic meter — concrete, mulch, gravel, sand, soil, or fill dirt. Because this tool returns volume only, converting that figure into a weight — useful when a supplier quotes gravel or sand by the ton rather than the yard — requires a separate density figure for your specific material, which can range from roughly 700–900 lb per cubic yard for mulch to over 4,000 lb per cubic yard for wet concrete. The height/depth field caps at 240 inches (20 ft) in U.S. mode and 600 cm (6 m) in metric mode, which comfortably covers excavation and fill projects but isn't meant for estimating a full basement pour or similar large-scale earthwork — split those into stages instead. Like the material-specific calculators on this site, it treats your area as a perfectly uniform block, so irregular excavations with sloped sides or varying depth should be broken into simpler shapes and summed rather than run as one calculation.
Switch between U.S. Customary and Metric units.
How This Tool Works
Pick your units, then enter the length and width of your area and the height/depth of material to get cubic feet and cubic yards — or liters and cubic meters.
Formula & Method
Volume = length × width × height. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. In metric, enter length and width in meters with height in centimeters to get liters and cubic meters.
Example Calculation
A 15×9 ft area filled 18 inches (1.5 ft) deep: cubic feet = 15 × 9 × 1.5 = 202.5 cubic feet. Cubic yards = 202.5 ÷ 27 = 7.5 cubic yards exactly. In metric, a 4×3 m area filled 25 cm deep: volume = 4 × 3 × 0.25 = 3.00 m³, which equals exactly 3,000 liters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?+
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (a 3×3×3 ft cube), or about 0.765 cubic meters.
Can I calculate volume in cubic meters?+
Yes — switch the unit toggle to Metric and enter length and width in meters with the depth in centimeters. Volume is returned in liters and cubic meters.
Do suppliers sell in cubic yards or tons?+
It depends on the material — concrete and mulch are usually sold by the cubic yard (or cubic meter), while gravel and sand are often sold by weight. Check with your supplier for their pricing unit.
Should I round up my order?+
Yes, most suppliers recommend ordering 5–10% extra to account for settling, spillage, and slightly uneven ground.
How do I convert cubic yards into a weight in tons?+
Multiply your cubic yards by the density of your specific material — roughly 1.4 tons per cubic yard for crushed gravel, about 1 ton per cubic yard for topsoil, and up to 2 tons per cubic yard for wet concrete. Densities vary by supplier and moisture content, so confirm the exact figure with them before ordering by weight.
What's the maximum depth I can enter?+
In U.S. units the height/depth field accepts up to 240 inches (20 feet); in metric it's capped at 600 cm (6 meters). For deeper excavations or multi-stage pours, split the project into sections and run the calculator once per section.
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<a href="https://everyfix.net/tools/cubic-yard-calculator/">Cubic Yard Calculator</a> by <a href="https://everyfix.net">EveryFix</a>Related Tools
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