Cubic Yard Calculator
Enter your length, width, and depth to get the volume in cubic yards. Works with feet, inches, meters, and centimeters, with an optional waste allowance for real-world ordering.
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Result
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How it works
Cubic yards = (Length × Width × Depth, all converted to feet) ÷ 27
Worked example
A 10 ft × 8 ft slab, 4 in thick: (10 × 8 × 0.33) ÷ 27 ≈ 0.99 cubic yards.
Frequently asked questions
What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a unit of volume equal to a cube measuring 3 feet (36 inches) on every side. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, or about 0.765 cubic meters. It is the standard unit for selling loose materials such as concrete, soil, mulch, sand, and gravel in the United States, and most suppliers quote prices per cubic yard.
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Convert length, width, and depth to feet, multiply them together to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. For example, a 10-foot by 10-foot area that is 3 inches deep is 10 × 10 × 0.25 = 25 cubic feet, which is about 0.93 cubic yards. This calculator converts feet, inches, meters, and centimeters for you automatically.
How much concrete do I need for a 10x10 slab?
A 10 by 10 foot slab that is 4 inches thick needs (10 × 10 × 0.33) ÷ 27 ≈ 1.23 cubic yards of concrete. In practice you should order extra — about 10 to 15 percent — to account for an uneven subgrade, spillage, and settling. For this slab, ordering 1.4 cubic yards gives you a safe margin without significant waste.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are exactly 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a yard is 3 feet and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27; to go the other way, multiply by 27. For example, 54 cubic feet of mulch is 2 cubic yards, and 100 cubic feet of soil is roughly 3.7 cubic yards.
Should I add a waste allowance when ordering?
Yes. Real projects rarely use the exact calculated volume: subgrades are uneven, spills happen, and material settles or compacts. A 5 to 10 percent allowance is typical for concrete and gravel; use up to 20 percent for mulch and soil that will be spread by hand. Use the waste selector in this calculator to see the adjusted order quantity instantly.
How many cubic yards does a typical truck deliver?
A standard ready-mix concrete truck carries about 10 cubic yards per load. Bulk mulch and soil deliveries range from 10 to 30 cubic yards depending on the truck. Bagged products are much smaller: a 40-pound bag of soil is roughly 0.75 cubic feet, so it takes 36 bags to make one cubic yard — buying in bulk is usually far cheaper for large projects.