Calculator 02 / 08
Cubic yard calculator
Turn measurements into cubic yards for any bulk material — gravel, soil, mulch or sand. Volume only: no density, no guesswork about weight.
- Outputs
- ft³ · yd³ · m³
- Material basis
- Volume only — no density
- Method
- Formulas & sources
What a cubic yard is
A yard is 3 feet, so a cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. The most common mistake is dividing cubic feet by 3 (linear yards) or by 9 (square yards). Volume in cubic feet must be divided by 27.
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| cubic feet | cubic yards | ÷ 27 (× 0.037037) |
| cubic yards | cubic feet | × 27 |
| cubic yards | cubic metres | × 0.764555 |
| cubic metres | cubic yards | × 1.307951 |
| cubic feet | cubic metres | × 0.0283168 |
| square feet × inches | cubic yards | ÷ 324 (12 × 27) |
Worked example
A bed 12 ft × 10 ft, filled 4 in deep: 120 ft² × (4 ÷ 12) ft = 40 ft³. 40 ÷ 27 = 1.48 yd³, or 1.13 m³.
Shortcut for square feet and inches: ft² × inches ÷ 324. Here 120 × 4 ÷ 324 = 1.48 yd³.
Volume first, weight second
This page is deliberately material-agnostic: a cubic yard of mulch and a cubic yard of gravel are the same volume but very different weights. When you know the material, carry the same measurements into a material calculator — the buttons under the result do that — and the weight and bag count are added.
Questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
You need a depth. Multiply square feet by depth in inches and divide by 324. For example, 200 ft² at 3 in deep is 200 × 3 ÷ 324 = 1.85 cubic yards.
How big is a cubic yard?
A cube 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, about 0.765 cubic metres. Spread 3 inches deep, one cubic yard covers 108 square feet.
How do I calculate cubic yards for a circle?
Area of a circle is π × (diameter ÷ 2)². Multiply by depth in feet and divide by 27. Choose ‘Circle’ in the calculator and enter the diameter.