Cubic Yard Calculator
A cubic yard is a cube three feet on a side, and almost nobody is ordering a cube. This converts the shape you actually have into yards, in whatever units you measured it in.
Convert dimensions to cubic yards
What a cubic yard weighs, by material
| Material | Weight per cubic yard | Pounds per cubic foot | One ton is |
|---|
What a cubic yard is, physically
A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. That is 27 cubic feet, and it is the unit every bulk material in North America is priced in: concrete, gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch. A pick-up truck bed holds about two of them. A standard wheelbarrow holds 6 cubic feet, so moving one yard by hand is four and a half trips.
The reason the arithmetic goes wrong is that people measure in square feet. An area tells you nothing about volume until you multiply by a depth, and depth is where inches and feet get mixed. A 10 by 10 foot patio is 100 square feet. At 4 inches thick it is 33.3 cubic feet, which is 1.23 cubic yards. At 6 inches the same patio is 1.85 yards. Same area, half again the concrete.
Converting the units you measured in
Length, width and depth must be in the same unit before you multiply. The conversion that causes most of the errors is inches to feet, because the divisor is 12 and the depth of a slab is almost always given in inches while the other two dimensions are in feet.
- Inches to feet: divide by 12. Four inches is 0.333 feet.
- Yards to feet: multiply by 3.
- Metres to feet: multiply by 3.28084.
- Cubic feet to cubic yards: divide by 27.
- Cubic feet to cubic metres: multiply by 0.028317.
What a cubic yard weighs
Volume is what you order, weight is what the truck is allowed to carry, and the two only line up if you know the density. This is the single number that turns a yard into tons, and it varies by a factor of six across the materials people order most.
| Material | Pounds per cubic yard | Tons per cubic yard | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | 4,050 | 2.0 | Slabs, footings, pads |
| Crushed stone | 2,800 | 1.4 | Driveway base, drainage |
| Sand | 2,700 | 1.35 | Bedding, mortar, fill |
| Topsoil | 2,200 | 1.1 | Lawn and bed building |
| Gravel, pea | 2,700 | 1.35 | Beds, play areas |
| Mulch or wood chips | 700 | 0.35 | Beds, paths |
Typical values for dry material. Moisture moves sand and topsoil by 10 to 20 percent, so confirm the figure with the supplier before you let a weight limit decide the order.
How many bags make a cubic yard
Bagged material exists for small jobs and it is priced accordingly. The count depends entirely on the bag, and the bag yield is printed on it rather than guessed.
| Bag size | Yield per bag | Bags per cubic yard | Bags for 1.23 yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 lb | 0.30 cu ft | 90 | 111 |
| 50 lb | 0.375 cu ft | 72 | 89 |
| 60 lb | 0.45 cu ft | 60 | 74 |
| 80 lb | 0.60 cu ft | 45 | 56 |
Forty-five 80 lb bags is 3,600 pounds of material, which is why nobody bags a full cubic yard unless the site is unreachable. Above about half a yard, price a bulk delivery or a one-ton pallet bag and compare the delivered cost against the bag count.
Ordering in yards when the supplier quotes tons
Aggregate yards often quote per ton because the truck is weight-limited, then sell to homeowners by the yard because that is what the customer can measure. Multiply yards by the density above to get tons, and add the waste allowance to the order rather than to the estimate afterwards.
For concrete the units flip: it is always ordered in cubic yards, never in tons, and a short load under about one yard carries a fee that can exceed the material itself. Round up to the next quarter yard rather than the next full yard when the pour is small.
The mistake this page exists to prevent: a 10 by 10 area at 4 inches is 1.23 cubic yards, not 100. Square feet is an area, cubic yards is a volume, and the only thing between them is the depth you forgot to multiply by. Every year, people order a hundred of something they needed one of.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
Twenty-seven. A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side, so 3 times 3 times 3 equals 27 cubic feet. To go the other way, divide cubic feet by 27.
How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?
Multiply square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27. A 100 square foot slab at 4 inches is 100 times 0.333, which is 33.3 cubic feet, or 1.23 cubic yards. Square feet alone cannot become cubic yards without a depth.
How many cubic yards is a 10x10 slab?
At 4 inches thick, 1.23 cubic yards. At 6 inches, 1.85 cubic yards. At 5 inches, 1.54 cubic yards. The area is the same in all three; only the depth changes the volume.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
About 4,050 pounds for concrete, 2,800 for crushed stone, 2,700 for sand, 2,200 for topsoil and roughly 700 for mulch. Density varies with moisture and gradation, so confirm it with your supplier if a weight limit applies.
How many 80 lb bags are in a cubic yard?
Forty-five, at the standard yield of 0.60 cubic feet per bag. For 60 lb bags it is 60, for 50 lb bags 72, and for 40 lb bags 90. Add a waste allowance on top of the count rather than rounding up afterwards.
How many cubic yards fit in a pickup truck?
A full-size pickup with a 6 foot bed holds about 2 cubic yards level, and less than that in practice because the payload limit is usually reached first. Two yards of concrete weighs more than 8,000 pounds, well past most half-ton trucks.
Is a cubic yard the same as a yard of concrete?
Yes. "A yard of concrete" means one cubic yard, which is 27 cubic feet. Concrete is always sold by the cubic yard in the United States, and a full truck typically carries 9 to 10 yards.
Disclaimer: This calculator converts the dimensions you enter into volume and estimates weight from a typical density for the material selected. Actual density varies with moisture and gradation, and suppliers may quote in different units. Confirm the quantity and the unit with your supplier before ordering.
Citing this page? FigureMill, “Cubic Yard Calculator” (last reviewed October 31, 2026). Conversion of length, width and depth in feet, inches, yards or metres into cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic metres, material weight and bag counts. https://figuremill.com/materials/cubic-yard-calculator
Related: Concrete calculator · Gravel calculator · Topsoil calculator · Concrete pad calculator · All material calculators