Yard Cost & Materials Estimator

Yardage Calculator

Calculate decking boards, fasteners, and total cost based on deck size, board dimensions, and material pricing.

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One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 108 square feet at 3 inches deep. Enter your area dimensions and desired depth in the calculator above to get the exact cubic yards needed for your project.

The yardage calculator works for mulch, topsoil, fill dirt, gravel, sand, compost, decomposed granite, concrete, and any other material sold by the cubic yard. Enter length, width, and depth — the calculator converts to cubic yards automatically and adds a 10% waste factor.Material delivery minimums are typically 1 to 3 cubic yards. Calculating exact yardage before ordering prevents both costly shortfalls and expensive leftover material that must be hauled away. A 10% overage buffer is automatically included in all estimates.

How to Use the Yardage Calculator

Enter 3 values for a rectangle or circle area: dimensions (length x width or diameter), depth in inches, and material type. For irregular shapes, break the area into rectangles and add the results. The calculator returns cubic yards, cubic feet, and estimated material cost.

Enter area dimensions — length and width in feet for rectangular areas; diameter for circular areas
Set depth in inches — mulch is typically 2 to 4 inches; topsoil 4 to 6 inches; gravel base 4 to 6 inches; concrete 4 inches
Select material type — affects density, compaction factor, and price per yard estimate
Add waste factor — calculator auto-adds 10%; increase to 15% for irregular shapes or sloped areas
Check delivery minimums — most suppliers require 1 to 3 cubic yard minimum; the calculator flags orders below minimum

Cubic Yards Coverage Chart — Quick Reference

This chart shows how much area one cubic yard covers at common depths. Use it for quick estimates without the calculator.

Depth	Coverage per 1 Cubic Yard	Common Use
1 inch	324 sq ft	Top dressing lawns, light mulch refresh
2 inches	162 sq ft	Standard mulch application, compost top dressing
3 inches	108 sq ft	New mulch bed installation, weed suppression layer
4 inches	81 sq ft	Gravel base, concrete slab, topsoil for planting
6 inches	54 sq ft	Deep fill, raised bed soil, road base gravel
8 inches	40.5 sq ft	Deep topsoil replacement, heavy fill projects
12 inches	27 sq ft	Major grading, drainage fill, foundation backfill

Cubic Yards by Material — Coverage and Cost

Different materials have different densities, compaction rates, and price points. Use this table to cross-check the calculator output and compare delivered cost per cubic yard in your region.

Material	Typical Depth	Price per Cubic Yard	Weight per Cu Yd	Common Use
Mulch (shredded wood)	2 – 4 inches	$25 – $50/cu yd	400 – 800 lbs	Landscape beds, tree rings, pathways
Topsoil (screened)	4 – 6 inches	$15 – $50/cu yd	2,000 – 2,200 lbs	Lawn repair, raised beds, grading
Fill Dirt (unscreened)	6 – 12 inches	$5 – $25/cu yd	2,000 – 2,200 lbs	Grading, backfill, low areas
Compost	2 – 4 inches	$30 – $70/cu yd	1,000 – 1,400 lbs	Garden beds, lawn amendment, top dressing
Pea Gravel	2 – 3 inches	$35 – $65/cu yd	2,600 – 2,800 lbs	Pathways, play areas, drainage
Crushed Stone / Road Base	4 – 6 inches	$25 – $55/cu yd	2,700 – 3,000 lbs	Driveway base, patio sub-base, drainage
Decomposed Granite (DG)	3 – 4 inches	$40 – $80/cu yd	2,700 – 2,900 lbs	Pathways, xeriscaping, low-maintenance beds
Sand (washed)	1 – 2 inches	$20 – $45/cu yd	2,600 – 2,900 lbs	Paver leveling, play sand, concrete mix
Concrete (ready-mix)	4 inches	$120 – $200/cu yd delivered	4,000 lbs (approx)	Slabs, footings, driveways, patios
River Rock / Decorative Stone	2 – 3 inches	$75 – $200/cu yd	2,700 – 3,200 lbs	Landscape accents, dry creek beds, erosion control

Yardage Calculations for Common Projects

These pre-calculated examples cover the most common residential yardage questions. For custom dimensions, use the calculator above.

Mulch for a 400 sq ft landscape bed at 3 inches deep

400 sq ft x 3 inches / 324 = 3.7 cubic yards. With 10% waste factor: 4.1 cubic yards. Order 4 to 4.5 cubic yards.

Topsoil for a 20×30 ft lawn repair area at 4 inches deep

600 sq ft x 4 inches / 324 = 7.4 cubic yards. With 10% waste: 8.1 cubic yards. Order 8 to 9 cubic yards.

Gravel base for a 12×16 patio at 4 inches deep

192 sq ft x 4 inches / 324 = 2.4 cubic yards. With 10% waste: 2.6 cubic yards. Order 3 cubic yards (most suppliers have a 1 to 3 yard minimum).

Concrete for a 20×20 ft slab at 4 inches thick

400 sq ft x 4 inches / 12 / 27 = 4.9 cubic yards. With 10% waste: 5.4 cubic yards. Standard concrete order: 5.5 cubic yards. Note: concrete is ordered by the cubic yard; minimum delivery is typically 1 yard, with per-yard short-load fees under 5 yards.

Fill dirt for a 10×20 ft low area at 8 inches deep

200 sq ft x 8 inches / 324 = 4.9 cubic yards. With 10% waste and compaction factor of 1.2: 5.9 cubic yards. Fill dirt compacts 15 to 25% after settling — the calculator accounts for this automatically.

Cubic Yards vs Cubic Feet vs Tons — Material Conversion

Some materials are sold by the ton rather than the cubic yard. Use these conversions when comparing supplier quotes across different units.

Conversion	Formula	Example
Cubic yards to cubic feet	Multiply cubic yards by 27	3 cu yd x 27 = 81 cu ft
Cubic feet to cubic yards	Divide cubic feet by 27	81 cu ft / 27 = 3 cu yd
Cubic yards of gravel to tons	Multiply by 1.35	5 cu yd x 1.35 = 6.75 tons
Cubic yards of topsoil to tons	Multiply by 1.10	5 cu yd x 1.10 = 5.5 tons
Cubic yards of mulch to tons	Multiply by 0.25 – 0.40	5 cu yd x 0.30 = 1.5 tons (light/dry)
Cubic yards of concrete to tons	Multiply by 2.00	5 cu yd x 2.00 = 10 tons
Square feet to cubic yards at 3 inches	Divide sq ft by 108	540 sq ft / 108 = 5 cu yd
Square feet to cubic yards at 4 inches	Divide sq ft by 81	405 sq ft / 81 = 5 cu yd

Material Ordering Tips — Avoid Shortfalls and Waste

Always add 10% to the calculated amount — irregular edges, sloped areas, and delivery settlement cause consistent shortfalls without a buffer
Check the delivery minimum before calculating — most landscape suppliers require 1 to 3 cubic yards; small jobs may require a short-load fee
Order mulch in bulk for jobs over 5 cubic yards — bulk delivery is 40 to 60% cheaper than bagged mulch from a garden center
Ask for compaction factor on fill dirt and gravel — fill materials compact 15 to 30% after settling; the calculator uses a 1.20 compaction factor by default
Confirm weight limits before delivery — one cubic yard of gravel weighs 2,700 to 3,000 lbs; heavy trucks can damage driveways and soft ground
For concrete, order 5% extra and have a pump or chute plan — partial cubic yard returns are charged at full price by most batch plants

Mulch Depth Guide — What Depth Is Right?

Depth	Best Use	Notes
1 inch	Lawn top dressing, existing bed refresh	Too shallow for weed suppression
2 inches	Annual mulch refresh over existing layer	Adds to existing; check total depth before ordering
3 inches	New bed installation, weed suppression	Ideal starting depth for most landscape beds
4 inches	Established beds, high-weed pressure areas	Maximum effective depth; deeper reduces oxygen to soil
6+ inches	Pathway material (wood chips, DG)	Not appropriate for plant beds — can cause crown rot

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cubic yards of mulch do I need for 500 sq ft at 3 inches?

500 sq ft at 3 inches deep requires 4.6 cubic yards of mulch. With a 10% waste buffer, order 5 cubic yards. At bulk pricing of $30 to $50 per cubic yard, a 500 sq ft mulch installation costs $150 to $250 in material plus delivery.

How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?

Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches, then divide by 324. For example: 800 sq ft at 3 inches = 800 x 3 / 324 = 7.4 cubic yards. The formula works for any material and any rectangular area. For circular areas, calculate the area first (pi x radius squared) then apply the same formula.

How many cubic yards are in a pickup truck?

A standard full-size pickup truck bed holds approximately 1 to 2 cubic yards of loose material depending on truck size and bed height. A short-bed half-ton holds 1 cubic yard safely; a long-bed with sideboards holds 2 cubic yards. Gravel and wet soil are very heavy — stay under 1 cubic yard for safety and suspension protection.

How much does a yard of topsoil cost?

Screened topsoil costs $15 to $50 per cubic yard for bulk delivery, depending on quality and region. Fill dirt (unscreened, may contain clay and debris) runs $5 to $25 per cubic yard. Premium blended topsoil with compost runs $45 to $90 per cubic yard. Delivery adds $50 to $150 for most residential orders, making small jobs ($100 in material) cost-comparable to buying bagged soil at the garden center.

What is the difference between cubic yards and square yards?

A square yard is a unit of area (length x width = 9 square feet). A cubic yard is a unit of volume (length x width x height = 27 cubic feet). Landscaping materials — mulch, topsoil, gravel, and concrete — are sold by cubic yards, not square yards. Carpeting and turf are sold by square yards. These units are not interchangeable; the yardage calculator above uses cubic yards for all material volume calculations.