General Measuring calculator

Cubic Yards CalculatorVolume Converter

Calculate cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters from length, width and depth. Use it for soil, gravel, concrete, mulch and other bulk materials.

Updated August 20, 2026

✓Instant estimateNo sign-up required

✓Clear formulaSee how the result is built

✓Practical unitsBoxes, bags, sheets or volume

✓Editable wasteAdjust for your project

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Project details

Enter your measurements and material details.

Planning estimate only. Actual quantities vary with cuts, layout, site conditions and product specifications.

💡Tip:

Material-specific density, compaction and settlement are not included in a pure volume conversion.

How the Cubic Yards Calculator works

This general volume calculator converts a rectangular layer or excavation into cubic yards. It is useful before moving to a material-specific calculator for soil, gravel, mulch or concrete. The tool also displays cubic feet and cubic meters for convenient comparison.

Formula

Cubic feet = length × width × depth in feet. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27. Cubic meters = cubic yards × 0.764555.

Measure before you buy

Measure length and width in feet, then enter depth in inches. The most common mistake is mixing inches and feet when calculating volume by hand. For an irregular site, divide it into manageable sections and calculate each one separately.

Material-specific density, compaction and settlement are not included in a pure volume conversion.
Bulk suppliers often sell by cubic yard, while bagged products are labeled in cubic feet.
For sloped areas, use an average depth or divide the project into sections.

Common questions

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

Twenty-seven cubic feet equal one cubic yard.

How do I convert inches of depth to feet?

Divide inches by 12 before multiplying by length and width.

Can I use this for concrete?

Yes for raw volume, although the dedicated concrete calculator also adds waste and bag estimates.

Does this convert volume to tons?

No, because weight depends on material density. Use the gravel calculator for a weight estimate.

What if the area is irregular?

Break it into smaller rectangles or other simple shapes and add their volumes.

Worked example: Cubic Yards Calculator

Using the example inputs shown in the calculator — Length (ft) = 20, Width (ft) = 10, Depth (in) = 4 — the result is 2.469 cubic yards. This demonstrates the formula with a complete set of numbers rather than a hidden assumption.

The result breakdown also shows Cubic feet: 66.67 ft³; Cubic meters: 1.888 m³. Replace the example values with field measurements and the exact product coverage, yield or package size you plan to buy.

For this cubic yards calculator, the inputs with the greatest practical effect are length, width and depth. Recalculate when any of those change; do not reuse a result from a different room, run, layer depth or product specification.