Area 1
Area 1: 50.00 cu ft | 1.85 cu yd
Volume Summary
Total Cubic Yards
1.85 cy
2.04 tons of topsoil | 0.19 truckloads
12,800+ estimates calculated this month
Cubic Yard Guide: Volumes, Weights, and Material Coverage
Formulas, density charts, and coverage guidelines for calculating cubic yards on any project.
How to Calculate Cubic Yards
A cubic yard is a volume measurement equal to 27 cubic feet (3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft). To calculate cubic yards, convert all dimensions to feet, multiply them together to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
- Step 1: Measure length and width in feet. Convert depth from inches to feet by dividing by 12.
- Step 2: Multiply all three dimensions to get cubic feet. For a rectangle: Length x Width x Depth (ft).
- Step 3: Divide cubic feet by 27 to convert to cubic yards.
- Cylinder: Pi x (Diameter / 2)^2 x Depth (ft), then divide by 27.
- Triangle: 0.5 x Base x Height x Depth (ft), then divide by 27.
Common conversions to keep handy:
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 46,656 cubic inches
- 1 cubic foot = 0.037 cubic yards = 1,728 cubic inches
- 12 inches depth = 1 foot | 6 inches depth = 0.5 feet | 4 inches = 0.333 feet
Key Takeaways
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- Divide total cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards
- Convert depth from inches to feet before multiplying
Cubic Yards to Tons Conversion
Tons = Cubic Yards x Material Density. Different materials weigh very different amounts per cubic yard, which affects delivery costs and how many truck trips you need.
- Topsoil: 1.1 tons per cubic yard
- Gravel / Crushed Stone: 1.4 tons per cubic yard
- Sand: 1.3 tons per cubic yard
- Mulch (wood): 0.4 tons per cubic yard
- Concrete (wet): 2.0 tons per cubic yard
- Dirt / Fill: 1.15 tons per cubic yard
Weight matters for two reasons. First, suppliers often sell heavy materials like gravel and sand by the ton, not by the yard. Second, dump trucks have weight limits. A standard 10-yard dump truck is rated for about 14 tons, but heavy materials like concrete fill the truck by weight before it reaches volume capacity.
Order lightweight materials like mulch by the cubic yard. Order heavy materials like gravel and sand by the ton to make sure you get the right quantity.
Key Takeaways
- Gravel and sand are often sold by the ton, not the yard
- Concrete weighs 2.0 tons per cubic yard -- heaviest common material
- Mulch weighs only 0.4 tons per cubic yard -- lightest common material
How Much Material Do I Need?
Coverage depends on material type, depth, and project requirements. Here are guidelines for the most common contractor and homeowner projects.
- Driveway gravel (4" depth): A 20 ft x 40 ft driveway needs about 10 cubic yards (14 tons) of crushed stone.
- Garden / raised bed soil (12" depth): A 4 ft x 8 ft raised bed requires about 1.2 cubic yards of topsoil.
- Concrete slab (4" thick): A 10 ft x 10 ft slab needs roughly 1.2 cubic yards of concrete.
- Mulch for landscaping beds (3" depth): A 200 sq ft bed area requires about 1.9 cubic yards of mulch.
- Sand for paver base (1" depth): A 100 sq ft patio base needs about 0.3 cubic yards of sand.
- Fill dirt for grading: A low spot 10 ft x 10 ft x 6 inches deep needs about 1.9 cubic yards.
Always order 5-10% extra to account for settling, spillage, and uneven subgrades. For concrete, talk to your ready-mix supplier -- they often round up to the nearest quarter yard to avoid being short.
Key Takeaways
- Order 5-10% extra to account for settling and waste
- 1 cubic yard of topsoil covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep
- A standard dump truck holds 10 cubic yards of material
Last updated: 2026-05-21
Quick Answer: How Do You Calculate Cubic Yards?
Multiply Length x Width x Depth (all in feet) and divide by 27. That's it. The only part that trips people up is depth - if your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first to get feet. A 10 x 20 ft driveway at 6 inches of gravel: (10 x 20 x 0.5) / 27 = 3.7 cubic yards. That's about 5.2 tons of gravel (3.7 x 1.4 tons/cy). Most suppliers sell gravel by the ton, so know which unit you need before you call.
Material Density Reference: Cubic Yards to Tons
Suppliers sell some materials by cubic yard, others by ton. This table shows the conversion so you can order the right amount either way.
| Material | Tons per CY | 10 CY weighs | Typically sold by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil | 1.1 tons | 11 tons | Cubic yard |
| Gravel (crushed stone) | 1.4 tons | 14 tons | Ton or cubic yard |
| Sand (dry) | 1.3 tons | 13 tons | Ton or cubic yard |
| Mulch (organic) | 0.4 tons | 4 tons | Cubic yard |
| Fill dirt | 1.15 tons | 11.5 tons | Cubic yard |
| Ready-mix concrete | 2.0 tons | 20 tons | Cubic yard |
Moisture content shifts weights 5-15%. Always confirm with your supplier before ordering by ton.
Where Cubic Yard Calculations Go Wrong
- Forgetting to convert inches to feet before calculating. This is the most common mistake. If your depth is 4 inches and you use 4 instead of 0.333, your order comes out 12x too high. Divide inches by 12 first, every time. Write it down if you have to.
- Skipping the 10% waste factor. Uneven ground, depth variation, and small spills add up fast. Order 10% more than your calculated number on every job. Running short and placing a second order costs time, delivery fees, and sometimes a week's delay if the material is on backorder.
- Mixing up tons and cubic yards. Your calculator gives cubic yards. Your supplier quotes in tons. One yard of gravel is 1.4 tons. One yard of mulch is only 0.4 tons. Don't just hand the yard number to a supplier who sells by weight - do the conversion first or you'll get a different quantity than you ordered.
- Not asking how the supplier sells it. Some yards sell gravel by ton, some by cubic yard. Call and ask before you calculate, not after. It takes 30 seconds and prevents a lot of confusion on delivery day.
- Ignoring compaction. Gravel and fill dirt compact 10-15% after spreading and traffic. A 6-inch gravel driveway base may need 6.5-7 inches of material installed to finish at 6 inches. Most experienced contractors account for this by adding 15% to the base calculation.
- Calculating area instead of volume. I've seen contractors order 200 square feet of topsoil instead of 200 square feet at 4 inches deep. Square feet is area. You need volume - cubic yards. Depth is the part that turns area into volume, and skipping it means ordering way too little material.
Related Calculators
- Gravel Calculator - Get tons and cubic yards for driveways, drainage, and base material with delivery cost estimates.
- Concrete Calculator - Calculate cubic yards and bag count for slabs, footings, columns, and steps.
- Mulch Calculator - Cubic yards and bag count for landscaping beds, with coverage by depth and mulch type.
- Sand Calculator - Tons and cubic yards for fill sand, bedding sand, mason sand, and concrete sand.
- Contractor Estimate Template - Turn your material quantities into a professional line-item estimate.
If you're bidding excavation, grading, or material work, try EstimationPro free - it builds the full estimate with material quantities and labor, sends the proposal automatically, and follows up so you close more jobs without extra admin work.
How to Use This Calculator
Choose your shape
Select Rectangle, Cylinder, or Triangle to match the shape of the area you are filling. Rectangle covers most driveways, beds, and slabs. Cylinder works for round planters, columns, and circular pads. Triangle covers wedge-shaped fill areas.
Select your material
Pick the material you are ordering -- topsoil, gravel, sand, mulch, concrete, or fill dirt. Each material has a different density, which the calculator uses to convert cubic yards to tons for ordering and delivery planning.
Enter your dimensions
Type in the length, width (or diameter, base, height for other shapes) in feet and the depth in inches. Add multiple areas if your project has more than one section -- the calculator totals all of them.
Read your results
See total cubic feet, cubic yards, tons, and truckloads. Use cubic yards when ordering from a landscape supplier and tons when ordering heavy materials like gravel and sand that are sold by weight.
Cubic Yard Calculation Formulas
Rectangle: CY = (Length x Width x Depth in ft) / 27
Cylinder: CY = (π x (Diameter/2)² x Depth in ft) / 27
Triangle: CY = (0.5 x Base x Height x Depth in ft) / 27
Tons = Cubic Yards x Material DensityWhere:
- Length, Width
- = Dimensions in feet
- Depth
- = Depth in inches -- divide by 12 to convert to feet before calculating
- 27
- = Cubic feet per cubic yard (3 x 3 x 3)
- Material Density
- = Tons per cubic yard -- varies by material (gravel 1.4, concrete 2.0, mulch 0.4)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply Length x Width x Depth (all in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. The formula is: CY = (L x W x D) / 27. Convert depth from inches to feet by dividing by 12 first. For example, a 10 ft x 10 ft area at 6 inches deep: (10 x 10 x 0.5) / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are exactly 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard (3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft = 27). To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27. To go the other direction, multiply cubic yards by 27. This is the single most important conversion for material ordering.
How do I convert cubic yards to tons?
Multiply cubic yards by the material density: Tons = Cubic Yards x Density. Common densities: topsoil 1.1 tons/cy, gravel 1.4 tons/cy, sand 1.3 tons/cy, mulch 0.4 tons/cy, concrete 2.0 tons/cy, and fill dirt 1.15 tons/cy. For example, 5 cubic yards of gravel = 5 x 1.4 = 7 tons.
How many cubic yards fit in a dump truck?
A standard single-axle dump truck holds about 10 cubic yards of material. A tandem or tri-axle truck holds 14-16 cubic yards. However, heavy materials like gravel and concrete hit the truck weight limit before the volume limit. One truckload of gravel (10 cy x 1.4 tons/cy) weighs 14 tons, which is near the legal limit for many trucks.
How many cubic yards of topsoil do I need?
For a new lawn area, plan on 4-6 inches of topsoil. For a 1,000 sq ft lawn at 4 inches deep: (1,000 x 0.33) / 27 = 12.3 cubic yards. Raised garden beds typically need 12 inches of soil: a 4 x 8 ft bed = (4 x 8 x 1) / 27 = 1.2 cubic yards. Always add 10% for settling and uneven ground.
How much does a cubic yard of material weigh?
Weight varies widely by material: topsoil 1,800-2,200 lbs (about 1.1 tons), gravel 2,400-2,800 lbs (1.4 tons), sand 2,400-2,700 lbs (1.3 tons), mulch 400-800 lbs (0.4 tons), wet concrete 3,600-4,000 lbs (2.0 tons), and fill dirt 2,000-2,300 lbs (1.15 tons). Moisture content can shift these numbers by 5-15%.
How many cubic yards do I need for a 10x10 area at 4 inches deep?
A 10 x 10 ft area at 4 inches deep requires: (10 x 10 x 0.333) / 27 = 1.23 cubic yards. At 6 inches deep that increases to (10 x 10 x 0.5) / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards. For a concrete slab at 4 inches, you would order 1.5 cubic yards to account for the 10% waste factor. Use the calculator above to dial in exact quantities for any combination of dimensions and depth.
How do I calculate cubic yards for an irregular-shaped area?
Break the area into rectangles, calculate each section separately, then add the totals. For an L-shaped patio, split it into two rectangles, calculate cubic yards for each, and sum them. For a trapezoidal area, use the formula: CY = (0.5 x (Width1 + Width2) x Length x Depth in feet) / 27. The calculator handles rectangles, cylinders, and triangles - combine multiple entries for complex shapes.
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