Cubic Yard Calculator
Work out how many cubic yards of topsoil, gravel, concrete or mulch you need for a rectangular, circular or triangular area. Enter the dimensions and a depth, and get the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres at once — plus how many bags or dump-truck loads to order.
1.47 yd³
39.6 ft³ · 1.121 m³ · density used: 2,000 lb/yd³
Before waste: 1.33 yd³ (2,933 lb / 1.47 tons with waste). ≈ 40 bags (1 cu ft each) or 1 truckload at 12 yd³/truck.
27 ft³ = 1 yd³ = 0.7646 m³. Densities are medians of published ranges (topsoil ≈ 2,000 lb/yd³, gravel ≈ 2,800 lb/yd³, concrete ≈ 4,000 lb/yd³, mulch ≈ 800 lb/yd³). Truck capacity 10-14 yd³ per standard load. How we calculate →
How do you calculate cubic yards?
Cubic yards is a volume measurement: length × width × depth ÷ 27 when every dimension is in feet (27 cubic feet make one cubic yard). A 12 ft × 12 ft area at 3 inches deep is 12 × 12 × (3 ÷ 12) = 36 ft³, or 36 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.33 yd³ — the exact number this calculator returns for that input.
This calculator also handles circular areas (π × radius² × depth) and triangular areas (½ × base × height × depth), so you don't have to convert an odd-shaped bed into a rectangle by hand.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
Exactly 27 cubic feet make one cubic yard (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 ft³). One cubic yard also equals about 0.7646 cubic metres. The calculator shows all three units — cubic feet, cubic yards and cubic metres — from the same input so you can order material in whichever unit your supplier quotes.
How many bags or truckloads do I need?
Bagged material is sold in fixed volumes: topsoil typically in 1 cu ft bags, mulch in 2 cu ft bags, bagged gravel around 0.5 cu ft, and premixed concrete in 80 lb bags that yield about 0.6 cu ft each. Divide your total volume (with waste added) by the bag size to get the bag count — always round up.
For bulk delivery, standard dump trucks carry roughly 10 to 14 cubic yards per load, with 12 yd³ the most commonly quoted median capacity. The calculator lets you pick a truck size and shows how many loads your project needs.
Material density table (lb per cubic yard)
Weight depends entirely on the material: topsoil ≈ 2,000 lb/yd³, gravel (bank-run/crushed) ≈ 2,800 lb/yd³, concrete (wet mix) ≈ 4,000 lb/yd³, and mulch ≈ 800 lb/yd³ — mulch is roughly a fifth the weight of concrete for the same volume, which matters for delivery vehicle limits and cost per yard.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards are in a 12x12 area at 3 inches deep?
12 ft × 12 ft × (3 ÷ 12) ft = 36 ft³, which is 36 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.33 cubic yards. Enter your own length, width and depth above for an exact figure at any depth.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil, gravel or concrete weigh?
Roughly 2,000 lb for topsoil, 2,800 lb for gravel, 4,000 lb for wet-mix concrete, and 800 lb for mulch — the calculator applies the exact figure for the material you pick.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide cubic feet by 27 (there are 27 ft³ in 1 yd³). 100 ft³ is therefore about 3.7 yd³. The calculator shows cubic feet, cubic yards and cubic metres together so no manual conversion is needed.
How many bags of topsoil or mulch equal a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so at 1 cu ft per bag that's 27 bags of topsoil, or about 13-14 bags of mulch at 2 cu ft per bag. Enter your area and depth above and the calculator converts straight to a bag count for the material you select.
How many cubic yards fit in a dump truck?
Most standard dump trucks carry 10 to 14 cubic yards per load, with 12 yd³ the typical median. Pick a truck capacity above and the calculator returns the number of loads your total volume requires.
Related material calculators
- Gravel Calculator — cubic yards and tons by material (gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel, sand).
- Concrete Calculator — bags and cubic yards for slabs, footings and posts.
- Flooring Calculator — square footage and boxes needed by flooring type.
Researched & verified by the Calcuris Data & Research Team. How we build and check our tools →