How to calculate cubic yards
Bulk soil, stone, sand, mulch and concrete are all sold by the cubic yard: a cube 3 feet on each side. The math is the same for every material. Here it is with the values the calculator opens with: one 12 x 10 ft area, 3 inches deep, 10% extra, topsoil.
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1
Find the area in square feet
12 ft x 10 ft = 120 sq ft. For other shapes, use the formulas below.
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2
Turn the depth into feet and multiply
3 inches ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft. 120 sq ft x 0.25 ft = 30 cubic feet.
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3
Add extra
Loose material settles and ground is never flat. 30 x 1.10 = 33 cubic feet.
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4
Divide by 27
A cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet, so 33 ÷ 27 = 1.22 cubic yards (0.93 m³).
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5
Round up to what the yard sells
Most suppliers load in half-yard steps, so order 1.5 yards. At the default $25 a yard plus a $100 delivery, that is $138.
Moist topsoil weighs about 1.2 tons per yard, so 1.22 yards is about 1.5 tons, or 2,933 lb. That takes 2 trips in a half-ton pickup, which is why the delivery fee is often worth paying.
Formulas for every shape
Every shape works the same way: area times depth. Only the area formula changes. Keep every measurement in feet, and divide the cubic feet by 27 at the end.
| Shape | Area | Example, 3 in deep |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle | length x width | 12 x 10 ft: 1.11 yd |
| Circle | 3.1416 x diameter² ÷ 4 | 6 ft across: 0.26 yd |
| Triangle | base x height ÷ 2 | 10 x 8 ft: 0.37 yd |
| Ring | 3.1416 x (outer² − inner²) ÷ 4 | 8 ft ring round a 2 ft trunk: 0.44 yd |
A ring is a circle with a smaller circle taken out, such as mulch around a tree or a gravel band around a fire pit. For an odd-shaped bed, split it into rectangles and triangles and add a row for each. Beds with a curved edge are close to a rectangle plus half a circle. When in doubt, measure the longest and widest points and treat it as a rectangle: you will have a little spare, not a shortfall.
How far does a cubic yard go?
Flip the math around and you get a handy rule: one cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep. Divide 324 by your depth in inches.
| Depth | 1 yd covers | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | Top-dressing a lawn with compost |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | Topping up old mulch, sand under pavers |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | New mulch beds, pea gravel paths |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | Topsoil for a new lawn, concrete patio |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft | Gravel driveway base, garden beds |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft | Raised beds, backfill |
These are before any extra. A 4 x 8 raised bed 12 inches deep holds 32 cubic feet, or 1.19 yards, so one yard of soil does not quite fill it.
Converting cubic yards, feet and meters
| 1 of these | Equals |
|---|---|
| Cubic yard | 27 cu ft, 0.765 m³, 765 liters, about 202 US gallons |
| Cubic meter | 1.308 cu yd, 35.3 cu ft, 1,000 liters |
| Cubic foot | 0.037 cu yd, 28.3 liters, about 7.5 US gallons |
| 2 cu ft bag | 13.5 bags make one cubic yard |
The bag line is the one to remember. Bagged soil and mulch come in 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 cubic foot sizes, and it takes 13.5 of the big bags to equal one yard of bulk. Past about a yard, bulk is almost always cheaper, even with a delivery fee. Switch the calculator to m and it works in meters, centimeters and cubic meters, which is how suppliers outside the US quote.
What a cubic yard weighs
Volume is what you order; weight is what breaks a truck. Water makes up a big share of the weight of soil and mulch, so the same yard can weigh a third more after a rain.
| Material | Lb per yd | Yd per half-ton pickup |
|---|---|---|
| Wood mulch | 400–800 | About 2 (bed is full) |
| Compost | about 1,000 | 1.5 |
| Topsoil, moist | 2,200–2,600 | 0.6 |
| Fill dirt | about 2,600 | 0.6 |
| Sand | 2,600–3,000 | 0.55 |
| Gravel, crushed stone | 2,800–3,000 | 0.5 |
| Concrete | about 4,000 | Not by pickup |
The calculator uses the middle of each range: 600 lb for mulch, 1,000 for compost, 2,400 for topsoil, 2,600 for fill, 2,700 for sand, 2,800 for gravel and 4,000 for concrete. A half-ton pickup is assumed to carry 1,500 lb or 2 cubic yards, whichever comes first. A delivery truck is assumed to carry 14 tons or 12 yards; a concrete mixer, 10 yards. Your truck's payload is on the sticker in the driver's door jamb, and it includes the people in the cab.
Which calculator for which job
This page is the general tool: any material, any shape, any mix of areas. For one material, the dedicated calculators go further. The concrete calculator counts bags and compares bags with a ready-mix truck. The gravel calculator handles base and top layers and compaction. The topsoil calculator covers raised beds and soil blends, and the mulch calculator compares bags with bulk by mulch type.
Tips for ordering bulk material
- Measure the depth you will end up with. A bed that looks 4 inches deep often has a 2 inch dip in the middle. Take three or four depth readings and use the average.
- Know what shrinks. Loose soil and fill settle 10% to 20% once they are walked on or watered, and gravel packs down under a plate compactor. Order more for anything you will compact.
- Ask how the yard sells it. Soil and mulch are sold by the yard. Stone and sand are often sold by the ton. Use the weight on this page to convert, but ask for the supplier's own factor.
- Check the minimum and the fee. Many yards have a one-yard minimum and a flat delivery fee per load. Two half-yard orders cost far more than one full yard.
- Pick the drop spot first. A loaded dump truck can crack a driveway and sink into a lawn. Lay a tarp where the pile goes, away from storm drains.
- Count wheelbarrow trips. A standard wheelbarrow holds about 3 to 6 cubic feet, so each yard is roughly 5 to 9 loads. With heavy material, fill it halfway.
- Call 811 before you dig. If the job means digging out first, have buried utility lines marked a few days ahead. It is free.
What bulk materials cost
Prices swing a lot by region and distance from the pit or the mill. Typical 2026 ranges per cubic yard, before delivery: fill dirt $5 to $18, unscreened topsoil $10 to $28, screened topsoil $20 to $40, compost $20 to $42, hardwood mulch about $30 to $45, and crushed stone about $40 to $55 (it is usually priced at $30 to $38 a ton). Sand runs about $25 to $50 a ton, and ready-mix concrete about $120 to $170 a yard plus short-load fees. Delivery is often $50 to $170 per load. When you pick a material, the calculator fills in a typical price you can overwrite with your local quote.
Common questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length by width in feet, multiply by the depth in feet (inches divided by 12), then divide by 27. A 12 by 10 ft bed filled 3 inches deep is 30 cubic feet, or 1.11 cubic yards.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
Divide 324 by the depth in inches. One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, 81 at 4 inches and 54 at 6 inches.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, so it holds 27 cubic feet. That is also about 0.765 cubic meters or 202 US gallons.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material and how wet it is. Mulch weighs roughly 400 to 800 pounds per yard, compost about 1,000, topsoil about 2,200 to 2,600, sand and gravel about 2,600 to 3,000, and concrete about 4,000 pounds.
How many cubic yards fit in a pickup truck?
By volume, a full-size bed holds about 2 cubic yards of light material such as mulch. With heavy material, weight runs out first: a half-ton pickup rated for about 1,500 pounds carries only about half a yard of gravel, sand or wet topsoil. Check the payload sticker on the door jamb.
Should I order extra?
Yes. Add about 10% for uneven ground and settling, more for loose soil or fill that will be compacted. Most yards sell in half-yard steps, so round your total up to the next half yard.
Sources and assumptions
Volumes and conversions are plain geometry (1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 0.764555 m³). Weights and prices are typical US figures checked in October 2026. Every price can be edited.
- Soil weight: a medium-textured mineral soil at about 1.33 g/cm³ dry weighs about 2,250 lb per cubic yard before water, per USDA NRCS, Soil Quality Indicators: Bulk Density. We use 1.2 tons per yard for moist topsoil, 1.3 for fill and 0.5 for compost, the same as our topsoil calculator.
- Concrete weight: normal-weight concrete runs 140 to 150 lb per cubic foot, per the Iowa DOT materials manual, IM 340. 148 lb x 27 is about 4,000 lb per yard.
- Sand, gravel and mulch weights: sand 2,700 lb and crushed stone 2,800 lb per yard (1.35 and 1.4 tons), within the 1.4 to 1.5 tons per yard in HomeGuide's gravel price guide and the 2,600 to 3,000 lb commonly given for dry sand. Wood mulch at 600 lb per yard is our estimate in the 400 to 800 lb range reported for dry to damp mulch.
- Prices: topsoil, fill and compost from Lawn Love's topsoil cost guide (October 2026); mulch from the HomeAdvisor mulching cost guide (June 2026); stone, sand and truck sizes from HomeGuide gravel prices; ready-mix from HomeGuide concrete prices (January 2026).
- Default prices per cubic yard (our picks within those ranges): topsoil $25, fill $12, compost $35, mulch $45, crushed stone $45, sand $54, ready-mix concrete $165, and $100 delivery per truckload.
- Hauling (our estimates): a half-ton pickup carries 1,500 lb or 2 cubic yards; a delivery truck 14 tons or 12 yards; a concrete mixer 10 yards. Truck sizes vary from 5 to 20 yards, so ask your supplier.
- Digging: before any excavation, call 811 to have utility lines marked.