Cubic Yard Calculator
A 20 ft by 10 ft area filled 4 in deep is 2.47 cubic yards (66.7 cubic feet). As topsoil that weighs about 2.6 tons. Any size in feet: length x width x depth / 27.
How to use
- Pick Volume for soil, gravel, sand, asphalt, concrete and similar fill, or Sod for lawn rolls.
- Choose the length unit and the depth unit (feet, inches, yards, meters or centimeters). They can differ, for example feet for the area and inches for the depth.
- Enter a rectangle (length and width) or a circle (diameter) and the depth. Use Add area to sum beds, a driveway and a patch of lawn in one total.
- Choose a material to fill in a typical density and read the weight in tons. Overwrite the density with your supplier's figure if you have one. Add an extra percentage for settling and waste.
How it works
Cubic yards = length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (ft) / 27, because 1 yd³ = 3 x 3 x 3 = 27 ft³. With depth in inches: length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (in) / 324. Every size is converted to meters first (1 ft = 0.3048 m, 1 in = 0.0254 m, 1 yd = 0.9144 m exactly), so mixed units work.
A circle uses area = π x (diameter / 2)². Several areas are added together. Total volume = volume x (1 + extra % / 100).
Conversions: 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ = 0.764555 m³ = 764.55 L = 201.97 US gallons. 1 m³ = 1.30795 yd³ = 35.3147 ft³.
Weight = volume x density. Tons are US short tons (2,000 lb); metric tonnes are 1,000 kg. The densities are typical bulk values, not a measured standard: mulch 400 kg/m³, topsoil 1,250, fill dirt 1,500, sand 1,600, gravel and crushed stone 1,680, compacted asphalt 2,300 and concrete 2,400 kg/m³. Real values move 20% or more with moisture, stone size and compaction, so use the figure on your delivery ticket when you have it.
Sod: total area = sum of the areas, plus the extra percentage, divided by the area of one roll, rounded up. The default roll is 10 ft² (2 ft x 5 ft). Rolls and pallets vary by farm, so enter the size your supplier quotes.
Weight of a cubic yard by material
| Material | lb/yd³ | ton/yd³ | kg/m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mulch (bark, wood chips) | 674 | 0.34 | 400 |
| Topsoil | 2,107 | 1.05 | 1,250 |
| Fill dirt | 2,528 | 1.26 | 1,500 |
| Sand (dry) | 2,697 | 1.35 | 1,600 |
| Gravel, crushed stone | 2,832 | 1.42 | 1,680 |
| Asphalt (compacted) | 3,877 | 1.94 | 2,300 |
| Concrete | 4,045 | 2.02 | 2,400 |
Area covered by one cubic yard
| Depth | Area covered |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
| 12 in | 27 sq ft |
Cubic yard conversions
| Cubic yards | Cubic feet | Cubic meters | US gallons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | 0.7646 | 201.97 |
| 2 | 54 | 1.5291 | 403.95 |
| 5 | 135 | 3.8228 | 1,009.9 |
| 10 | 270 | 7.6455 | 2,019.7 |
Topsoil, stone, sand, asphalt and sod
One calculator covers them all because the volume step is the same: length x width x depth. Only the density, and so the tons, differs. Pick the material and read the tons next to the cubic yards.
Asphalt is sold by the ton and laid by thickness. At the default density a 1 in layer weighs about 108 lb per square yard, so 2 in over a 10 x 10 ft patch is about 1.2 tons. Stone, sand and soil are often sold by either the yard or the ton, so it helps to have both numbers.
Sod is priced by area, not volume. Use the Sod mode for square feet and roll count, and use Volume for the topsoil bed underneath it (usually 4 to 6 in).
Sources: NIST SP 811 Appendix B.8 (length, volume)Last reviewed 2026-10-16
FAQ
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length x width x depth in feet and divide by 27. If the depth is in inches, multiply length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (in) and divide by 324. A 10 x 10 ft area filled 3 in deep is 100 x 3 / 324 = 11.11 cubic yards.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side, so 3 x 3 x 3 = 27 cubic feet. It is also 0.7646 cubic meters.
How much does a cubic yard of topsoil, gravel or sand weigh?
Roughly 1.05 tons (2,100 lb) for topsoil, 1.35 tons (2,700 lb) for dry sand and 1.4 tons (2,800 lb) for crushed stone or gravel. Wet material is heavier. The calculator fills in these typical values and lets you overwrite them.
How many cubic yards of topsoil do I need?
Find the area in square feet, multiply by the depth in inches and divide by 324. Lawns usually need 4 to 6 in for a new bed and 1 to 2 in to top-dress. Add 5% to 10% extra for settling.
How many tons of asphalt do I need?
Choose Asphalt as the material. A compacted layer weighs roughly 110 lb per square yard for each inch of thickness, so a 2 in driveway layer takes about 1 ton per 9 square yards (about 82 sq ft). Ask the paving supplier for their density and add a little for compaction and waste.
How many rolls of sod do I need?
Switch to Sod, enter the lawn size and the roll size your supplier uses (a standard small roll is 10 sq ft). The calculator adds your extra percentage, usually 5% to 10% for cuts, and rounds up to whole rolls.
Can I add more than one area?
Yes. Use Add area to sum up to 10 rectangles or circles, each with its own depth. The result is the combined volume.
Are the results exact?
The volume is exact for the shape you enter. Real jobs differ because ground is uneven, loose material settles and delivered loads are not always full, so order 5% to 10% more. Weights are estimates from typical densities.