Cubic Yards Calculator
How many cubic yards of concrete, mulch, topsoil or gravel do you need? Enter the area and the depth in inches and get yards to order, bags and approximate weight.
- Exact volume
- 1.481 yd³
- Cubic feet
- 44 ft³
- Cubic meters
- 1.25 m³
- Approx. weight
- 3.3 US tons
- 80 lb bags (0.6 ft³ each)
- 74 bags
Weights are typical dry-to-moist averages (4,050 lb/yd³ for concrete); ask your supplier for their figure.
Why 1 cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, not 3
A yard is 3 feet, so it's tempting to divide cubic feet by 3. But a cubic yard is 3 ft long and 3 ft wide and 3 ft tall. Stack it one layer at a time.
1 × (3 × 3) = 9 ft³
Same logic for area: 1 yd² = 9 ft², and 1 m³ = 1,000,000 cm³.
How to calculate cubic yards
- Measure length and width in feet and multiply to get square feet.
- Convert depth to feet: inches ÷ 12 (4 in = 0.333 ft).
- Multiply area × depth for cubic feet.
- Divide by 27 for cubic yards.
Example: a 12 × 10 ft patio slab 4 in thick is 120 × 0.333 = 40 ft³ ÷ 27 = 1.48 yd³. With 10% extra, order about 1.6 yd³.
Coverage of one cubic yard
| Depth | Covers |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² |
Questions people ask
How many square feet does a yard of concrete cover at 4 inches?
About 81 ft². At 6 in it covers 54 ft².
How many bags of concrete make a yard?
About 45 bags of 80 lb (0.6 ft³ each), or 60 bags of 60 lb (0.45 ft³).
How much does a cubic yard of mulch cover?
About 108 ft² at 3 in deep, which is the depth most extension services recommend for weed control.
Is a "yard" of material the same as a cubic yard?
Yes. Landscape and concrete suppliers say "yard" to mean a cubic yard: 27 ft³.
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