Cubic Yard Calculator
Facts About Cubic Yards
- One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet or 46,656 cubic inches.
- Cubic yards are commonly used to measure volume of construction materials like concrete, gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch, and compost.
- To calculate cubic yards, convert all measurements to feet (or the same unit), multiply length × width × depth, then divide by 27 to convert cubic feet to cubic yards.
- Measurements can be entered in feet, inches, yards, centimeters, or meters; the calculator handles all conversions automatically.
- Accurate volume calculations help estimating material quantity and cost, reducing waste and overspending.
Common Volume Formulas
Rectangle or Square: Volume = Length × Width × Depth
Circle: Volume = π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² × Depth
Rectangle Border: Volume = Depth × [(Length + 2 × Border Width) × (Width + 2 × Border Width) – Length × Width]
Unit Conversion Reference
| Unit | Feet Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 Foot (ft) | 1 foot |
| 1 Inch (in) | 1 ÷ 12 = 0.0833 feet |
| 1 Yard (yd) | 3 feet |
| 1 Centimeter (cm) | Approximately 0.0328 feet |
| 1 Meter (m) | Approximately 3.28 feet |
Material Volume Examples
If you have a 12 ft by 12 ft area and want to fill it 6 inches deep with mulch:
– Convert 6 inches to feet: 6 ÷ 12 = 0.5 feet
– Volume in cubic feet = 12 × 12 × 0.5 = 72 ft³
– Volume in cubic yards = 72 ÷ 27 = 2.67 yd³