Cubic Yard & Materials Estimator

Cubic Yard Calculator

Calculate cubic yards and total material cost based on dimensions with unit flexibility and real-time results.

Shape

Length

Width

Depth / Thickness

Total Volume

0 Cubic Yards

0 Cubic Feet

Most landscaping and concrete projects need between 1 and 10 cubic yards of material. One cubic yard covers roughly 100 square feet at 3 inches deep, 80 square feet at 4 inches deep, or 54 square feet at 6 inches deep. Concrete, gravel, mulch, topsoil, and sand are all sold and delivered by the cubic yard.

Enter your project length, width, and depth in the calculator above to get total cubic yards needed, plus a material cost estimate by product type — concrete, mulch, gravel, topsoil, or sand.

Landscape supply yards round up to the nearest half or full cubic yard. A 9.2 cubic yard order is delivered as 9.5 or 10 yards. Always order 5–10% extra to cover settling, compaction, and edge spillage — running short mid-pour or mid-spread costs more than the extra material.

How to Use the Cubic Yard Calculator

Enter 3 values to get your cubic yard estimate: project length (in feet), project width (in feet), and depth (in inches). The calculator converts inches to feet, multiplies length × width × depth, and divides by 27 to convert cubic feet to cubic yards.

Measure length and width — in feet; for circular areas, use radius × radius × 3.14 (π) instead of length × width
Enter depth in inches — 2 inches for mulch top-up, 3–4 inches for new mulch beds, 4–6 inches for gravel driveways, 4 inches for slabs
Select material type — concrete, mulch, gravel, topsoil, or sand; each has different price per cubic yard and weight per yard
Add a 5–10% overage — for settling, compaction, and waste; the calculator adds 10% by default
Check delivery minimum — most supply yards charge a flat delivery fee plus per-yard cost; many require a 2 or 3 yard minimum order

Cubic Yard Formula — How the Math Works

A cubic yard is 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet, or 27 cubic feet. To calculate cubic yards from a rectangular project area, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27.

Standard Formula

Cubic Yards = (Length in feet × Width in feet × Depth in feet) ÷ 27

If your depth is in inches, divide it by 12 first. Example: 20 ft × 10 ft × 4 inches = 20 × 10 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 2.47 cubic yards.

Circular Area Formula

Cubic Yards = (π × Radius² × Depth in feet) ÷ 27

Example: A round patio 10 feet across (radius 5 ft) at 4 inches deep = 3.14 × 25 × 0.333 ÷ 27 = 0.97 cubic yards.

Cubic Yard Coverage Chart — How Much Area One Yard Covers

One cubic yard of material covers different square footage depending on spread depth. Use this table to spot-check the calculator output before placing an order.

Spread Depth	Coverage per Cubic Yard	Typical Use	Yards per 1,000 sq ft
1 inch	324 sq ft	Mulch top-up, light dressing	3.1 yd³
2 inches	162 sq ft	Mulch refresh on existing beds	6.2 yd³
3 inches	108 sq ft	New mulch, topsoil over sod	9.3 yd³
4 inches	81 sq ft	Concrete slab, gravel base	12.3 yd³
5 inches	65 sq ft	Heavy gravel, driveway base	15.4 yd³
6 inches	54 sq ft	Driveway, paver base, fill dirt	18.5 yd³
8 inches	40 sq ft	Thick concrete pad, heavy fill	24.7 yd³
12 inches (1 ft)	27 sq ft	Trench backfill, deep planting	37.0 yd³

Cubic Yard Cost by Material — 2026 US Averages

Material price per cubic yard varies by region, supplier, and order size. Delivered prices include fuel surcharges and supply-yard markup; pickup prices are lower but require a truck or trailer. All ranges below reflect mid-2026 US averages.

Material	Price per Cubic Yard	Weight per Yard	Coverage at 3 in.	Typical Use
Concrete (ready-mix)	$140 – $200	3,700 – 4,000 lb	N/A (poured at 4–6 in.)	Slabs, footings, driveways
Mulch (hardwood)	$30 – $60	400 – 800 lb	108 sq ft	Garden beds, weed suppression
Mulch (dyed / premium)	$45 – $80	400 – 800 lb	108 sq ft	Decorative landscaping
Gravel (crushed stone)	$30 – $65	2,400 – 2,900 lb	108 sq ft	Driveway, drainage, base
Pea gravel	$40 – $75	2,800 – 3,000 lb	108 sq ft	Walkways, patios, planters
Topsoil (screened)	$25 – $50	1,800 – 2,200 lb	108 sq ft	Lawns, gardens, grading
Sand (concrete / mason)	$25 – $40	2,600 – 3,000 lb	108 sq ft	Paver base, mortar mix
Fill dirt	$10 – $25	2,000 – 2,800 lb	108 sq ft	Bulk grading, low-spot fill
Compost	$30 – $55	1,000 – 1,500 lb	108 sq ft	Garden amendment, soil boost
River rock	$50 – $100	2,500 – 2,800 lb	108 sq ft	Decorative ground cover

Cubic Yard Estimate by Project Size — Common Examples

Most residential projects fall between 1 and 10 cubic yards. Driveways and large patios scale into the 15–30 yard range. Commercial slabs and bulk grading start at 50 yards and up.

Project	Dimensions	Cubic Yards Needed
Mulch — small flower bed (3 in. deep)	10 ft × 4 ft × 3 in.	0.4 yd³ (order 1 yd³)
Mulch — large garden bed (3 in. deep)	30 ft × 8 ft × 3 in.	2.2 yd³
Topsoil — new lawn (4 in. deep)	40 ft × 30 ft × 4 in.	14.8 yd³
Concrete — sidewalk (4 in. deep)	30 ft × 4 ft × 4 in.	1.5 yd³
Concrete — patio slab (4 in. deep)	20 ft × 20 ft × 4 in.	4.9 yd³
Concrete — 2-car driveway (4 in. deep)	20 ft × 24 ft × 4 in.	5.9 yd³
Concrete — 2-car garage slab (4 in.)	24 ft × 24 ft × 4 in.	7.1 yd³
Gravel — driveway base (4 in.)	50 ft × 12 ft × 4 in.	7.4 yd³
Gravel — full driveway (6 in.)	80 ft × 12 ft × 6 in.	17.8 yd³
Sand — paver patio base (2 in.)	16 ft × 16 ft × 2 in.	1.6 yd³
Fill dirt — yard grading (6 in.)	60 ft × 40 ft × 6 in.	44.4 yd³

Cubic Yards of Concrete — Slab, Footing, and Column Math

Concrete is ordered by the cubic yard from ready-mix suppliers. Most residential pours fall between 1 and 10 cubic yards. Short-load fees apply to orders under 3 yards; minimum order at most suppliers is 1 yard.

Slab Thickness	100 sq ft	400 sq ft	1,000 sq ft
4 inches (standard slab)	1.23 yd³	4.94 yd³	12.35 yd³
5 inches (heavy slab)	1.54 yd³	6.17 yd³	15.43 yd³
6 inches (driveway / garage)	1.85 yd³	7.41 yd³	18.52 yd³
8 inches (heavy duty)	2.47 yd³	9.88 yd³	24.69 yd³

Footings, columns, and circular pours use different math. For a footing 16 inches wide by 8 inches deep by 40 linear feet, the volume is 1.33 × 0.667 × 40 ÷ 27 = 1.32 cubic yards. For a round Sonotube column 12 inches in diameter by 8 feet deep, the volume is 3.14 × 0.5² × 8 ÷ 27 = 0.23 cubic yards. Always order at least one extra cubic yard on multi-pour projects — running short on a footing pour can crack the slab above.

Cubic Yards of Mulch — Garden Bed Math

Mulch is sold by the cubic yard (loose) and by the 2 cubic foot bag (bagged). One cubic yard equals 13.5 bagged units, but bulk delivery is significantly cheaper per cubic foot for orders over 2 yards.

New bed (3 inch depth) — recommended depth for new installations; suppresses weeds and retains moisture
Top-up bed (1–2 inch depth) — refresh existing mulch; restores color and replaces decomposed material
Around trees (2–3 inch depth) — keep mulch 3 inches away from trunk; volcano mulching damages bark
Playground (6–9 inch depth) — use shredded engineered wood fiber (EWF); required for fall-zone safety

Mulch math: a 30 ft × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep equals 30 × 10 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 2.78 cubic yards. Order 3 cubic yards (rounded up) for $90–$180 delivered.

Cubic Yards of Gravel — Driveway and Drainage Math

Gravel is sold by the cubic yard (volume) and by the ton (weight). One cubic yard of crushed stone weighs roughly 1.4 tons. Driveways typically use a 4–6 inch compacted depth, which requires ordering 20–30% extra material to account for compaction.

Driveway Length	Width	Depth	Yards Needed
30 ft (1-car)	10 ft	4 in.	3.7 yd³ (order 4)
50 ft (1-car)	12 ft	4 in.	7.4 yd³ (order 8)
80 ft (longer drive)	12 ft	4 in.	11.9 yd³ (order 12)
100 ft (rural drive)	12 ft	6 in.	22.2 yd³ (order 24)
150 ft (long rural)	14 ft	6 in.	38.9 yd³ (order 40)

Cubic Yard to Ton Conversion — Bulk Material Weights

Some suppliers price by the ton instead of the cubic yard. Conversion depends on material density: dry sand and gravel run 1.3–1.5 tons per cubic yard, while wet sand and topsoil can exceed 1.6 tons per cubic yard.

Material	1 Cubic Yard =	1 Ton =
Gravel (crushed stone, dry)	1.4 – 1.5 tons	0.67 – 0.71 yd³
Pea gravel	1.4 – 1.5 tons	0.67 – 0.71 yd³
Sand (dry)	1.3 – 1.5 tons	0.67 – 0.77 yd³
Sand (wet)	1.5 – 1.7 tons	0.59 – 0.67 yd³
Topsoil (dry)	0.9 – 1.1 tons	0.91 – 1.11 yd³
Topsoil (wet)	1.1 – 1.3 tons	0.77 – 0.91 yd³
Mulch (hardwood)	0.2 – 0.4 tons	2.5 – 5.0 yd³
River rock	1.25 – 1.4 tons	0.71 – 0.80 yd³
Concrete	2.0 tons	0.50 yd³

How to Order Cubic Yards — Delivery vs Pickup

Bulk materials are delivered by dump truck or picked up at the supply yard. Most residential dump trucks haul 5–10 cubic yards per load; tandem dump trucks haul 12–20 yards. Order capacity and delivery fees vary by region.

Standard delivery range — 10–20 miles from supply yard included in base fee; additional miles add $5–$15 per mile
Minimum order — most yards require 2–3 cubic yards minimum for delivery; below that, pickup or bagged is cheaper
Delivery fee — flat $50–$150 per trip in most regions; multi-load deliveries reduce per-yard cost
Driveway access — confirm truck can reach the dump location; tight turns and soft lawns may require wheelbarrow shuttle
Pickup option — many yards rent or sell heavy-duty contractor bags (1 cubic yard) for small orders; price varies by material

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard. A cubic yard is 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27. To convert cubic yards to cubic feet, multiply by 27.

How many bags of mulch equal a cubic yard?

One cubic yard equals approximately 13.5 standard 2-cubic-foot bags of mulch, or 9 standard 3-cubic-foot bags. Bagged mulch costs $4–$8 per bag retail; bulk mulch costs $30–$60 per cubic yard delivered. For orders over 5 bags, bulk delivery is almost always cheaper.

How much does a cubic yard weigh?

Weight per cubic yard varies by material: mulch weighs 400–800 lb, topsoil weighs 1,800–2,200 lb, sand weighs 2,600–3,000 lb, gravel weighs 2,400–2,900 lb, and concrete weighs about 4,000 lb. A full-size pickup truck is rated for roughly 1–2 cubic yards of heavy material; do not overload light-duty trucks.

How many cubic yards in a dump truck?

A standard single-axle dump truck hauls 5–7 cubic yards. A tandem-axle dump truck hauls 10–14 cubic yards. A tri-axle truck hauls 16–20 cubic yards. Tractor-trailer dump rigs can carry up to 25 cubic yards. Most residential deliveries arrive in a single-axle or tandem-axle truck.

How much area does 1 yard of concrete cover

One cubic yard of concrete covers 81 square feet at 4 inches deep, 65 square feet at 5 inches deep, or 54 square feet at 6 inches deep. A typical 4-inch residential slab uses 1 cubic yard per 80 square feet; always order 5–10% extra to cover form variations and finish trim.

Should I order extra material?

Yes — order 5–10% extra for nearly every project. Mulch and topsoil settle and compact after delivery. Gravel compacts up to 25% when rolled into a driveway base. Concrete forms vary in actual volume and finish trim consumes material. Running short mid-project means a second delivery fee, a partial-load surcharge, and time lost waiting for material.