Cubic Yards Calculator
Cubic yards is the standard unit for ordering bulk materials in the United States, including concrete, gravel, topsoil, sand, mulch, and fill dirt. This calculator converts your project dimensions to cubic yards and cubic feet for three common shapes: rectangle (the most common, used for slabs, beds, and fills), cylinder (used for columns, post holes, and round pads), and triangle (used for wedge-shaped fills, berms, and sloped areas). Enter your dimensions in feet or inches; the calculator handles the unit conversion automatically. For rectangular areas with depth given in inches, the depth is divided by 12 before multiplying. For cylinders, enter the diameter in inches and the height in feet. For triangles, enter the base, height, and length of the prism all in feet. Concrete is ordered in tenths of a cubic yard; most ready-mix suppliers require a minimum order of 1 cubic yard and charge a short-load fee for orders below a full drum (typically 8 to 10 cubic yards). Landscaping materials such as topsoil, mulch, and gravel are commonly sold in half-yard increments. Always add 10 to 15% to your calculated volume when ordering to account for settling, spillage, and measurement variation.
Cubic yards formulas
Rectangle: Volume = Length x Width x Depth (all in feet) / 27
Cylinder: Volume = pi x (Diameter/2 in ft)^2 x Height / 27
Triangle: Volume = 0.5 x Base x Height x Length / 27
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
Cubic yards calculator: frequently asked questions
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide the number of cubic feet by 27. There are exactly 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard (3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft = 27 cu ft). For example, 54 cubic feet equals 54 / 27 = 2 cubic yards. This is the standard conversion used for ordering concrete, gravel, soil, mulch, and other bulk materials.
How do I calculate cubic yards for a rectangular area?
Multiply length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft), then divide by 27. For depth given in inches, first divide inches by 12 to convert to feet. For example, a 10 ft x 20 ft area at 6 inches deep = 10 x 20 x (6/12) / 27 = 10 x 20 x 0.5 / 27 = 100 / 27 = 3.70 cubic yards.
How do I calculate cubic yards for a cylinder?
Volume of a cylinder = pi x radius^2 x height. For a cylindrical hole 24 inches in diameter and 3 feet deep: radius = 12 inches = 1 foot. Volume = pi x 1^2 x 3 = 9.42 cubic feet = 9.42 / 27 = 0.35 cubic yards. This is useful for fence post holes, round columns, and tube-form concrete pours.
How do I calculate cubic yards for a triangle or wedge?
Volume of a triangular prism = 0.5 x base x height x length. For a triangular berm with a base of 10 ft, a height of 3 ft, and a length of 20 ft: volume = 0.5 x 10 x 3 x 20 = 300 cubic feet = 300 / 27 = 11.11 cubic yards. This applies to sloped drainage swales, triangular landscape berms, and wedge-shaped fills.
What materials are ordered by the cubic yard?
Concrete, gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, fill dirt, mulch, compost, and similar bulk landscape and construction materials are commonly ordered and priced by the cubic yard. Concrete is ordered from a ready-mix plant in whole or partial cubic yards. Landscape materials are typically sold by the cubic yard from landscape supply companies. Knowing your cubic yardage allows you to get accurate quotes.
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Units of Measurement: nist.gov.
Reviewed by the CalculatorHub team, edited by James Graham, 14 June 2026. See our methodology. Add 10-15% to calculated volumes when ordering.