Calculate cubic yards of concrete, soil, gravel, mulch or any bulk material for rectangular, circular or triangular areas. Enter the area dimensions and depth, then get the volume in cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters instantly.
Enter dimensions to calculate.
A cubic yard is a cube measuring 3 feet on each side. There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard. For a rectangular area, the formula is:
Volume (yd³) = (Length ft × Width ft × Depth ft) ÷ 27
For example, a patio area 12 ft × 20 ft at 4 inches (0.33 ft) deep requires: (12 × 20 × 0.33) ÷ 27 = 2.96 cubic yards of concrete — round up to 3 yards. Always round up when ordering bulk materials.
Bulk materials are commonly sold by the cubic yard in the US. Here are typical weights per cubic yard to help you plan deliveries:
When ordering ready-mix concrete, the minimum load is typically 1 yard. For smaller quantities, consider purchasing pre-mixed bags from a hardware store — one 80 lb bag yields roughly 0.6 cubic feet, so you need 45 bags per cubic yard.
A 10×10 ft slab at 4 inches thick requires (10 × 10 × 0.333) ÷ 27 = 1.23 cubic yards. Order 1.5 yards to allow for waste and uneven sub-base.
A 4×8 ft raised bed 12 inches deep requires (4 × 8 × 1) ÷ 27 = 1.19 cubic yards of soil. Add 10% for settling.
You cannot directly convert square feet (area) to cubic yards (volume) without knowing the depth. Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27.