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Cubic Yard Calculator

Estimate cubic yards, cubic feet, waste allowance, and optional material cost for rectangular, triangular, or circular areas.

For rectangles and triangles, enter length in feet.

For rectangles and triangles, enter width in feet.

For circles, enter diameter in feet.

Enter material depth in inches.

Optional extra percentage for compaction, grading, and supplier rounding.

Optional material price for a rough cost estimate.

Status: initial

Results

Awaiting calculation

Guide

Introduction

The Cubic Yard Calculator estimates bulk material volume from area dimensions and depth. It is useful for planning mulch, topsoil, gravel, sand, compost, fill, and similar landscaping or construction materials.

Purpose

Use this calculator to turn simple field measurements into cubic feet, cubic yards, order quantity with waste, and optional material cost before requesting a supplier quote.

How cubic yards are calculated

The calculator finds the surface area, converts depth from inches to feet, multiplies area by depth to get cubic feet, then divides by 27 because one cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet.

Variable explanations

Shape

The basic area shape used to calculate square footage.

Length

The long side of a rectangular or triangular area in feet.

Width

The short side of a rectangular or triangular area in feet.

Diameter

The full width across a circular area in feet.

Depth

The material thickness in inches, such as 2 inches of mulch or 4 inches of gravel.

Waste allowance

Extra volume added for grading variation, compaction, spillage, and delivery rounding.

Price per cubic yard

Optional supplier price used only for a rough material cost estimate.

Formula and method guide

Rectangle or square

Cubic yards = length x width x depth(feet) / 27

  • Length and width are in feet.
  • Depth is converted from inches to feet.

Use this for beds, slabs, trenches, rectangular pads, and most straight-sided areas.

Triangle

Cubic yards = length x width x depth(feet) / 2 / 27

  • Length and width describe the triangular area.
  • Depth is material depth.

Use this for corner beds or triangular sections.

Circle

Cubic yards = pi x radius^2 x depth(feet) / 27

  • Radius is half the diameter.
  • Depth is converted from inches to feet.

Use this for circular beds, round pads, fire pit areas, or tree rings.

Worked examples

Mulch bed

  1. Enter a 20 ft length and 8 ft width.
  2. Set depth to 3 inches.
  3. Add a small waste allowance and review cubic yards to order.

Gravel path

  1. Measure the path as one or more rectangular sections.
  2. Enter depth based on the planned gravel layer.
  3. Use cubic yards with waste for supplier conversations.

Circular planting bed

  1. Choose circle as the shape.
  2. Enter the bed diameter in feet.
  3. Enter mulch or soil depth in inches.

Budget estimate

  1. Enter price per cubic yard from a supplier quote.
  2. Calculate volume with waste.
  3. Use estimated cost as planning context, not a final invoice.

Common mistakes

Mixing depth units

Depth is entered in inches and converted to feet before calculating volume.

Forgetting that one yard is 27 cubic feet

Cubic feet are divided by 27 to convert to cubic yards.

Ordering without waste

Bulk materials can settle, compact, spill, or be rounded by delivery rules.

Using one rectangle for an irregular area

Break irregular spaces into smaller rectangles, triangles, or circles and add the results.

FAQs

What does this Cubic Yard Calculator calculate?
It calculates area, depth in feet, cubic feet, cubic yards, cubic yards with waste, and optional material cost.
What is the formula for cubic yards?
For a rectangle, multiply length by width by depth in feet, then divide cubic feet by 27.
Why do you divide by 27?
One cubic yard is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, which equals 27 cubic feet.
Can I enter depth in inches?
Yes. Depth is entered in inches because mulch, soil, gravel, and concrete layers are often specified that way.
Can this calculate mulch?
Yes. It can estimate cubic yards for mulch beds when you enter the bed dimensions and depth.
Can this calculate gravel?
Yes. It estimates gravel volume, though compaction and material type should be confirmed with your supplier.
Can this calculate topsoil?
Yes. Enter the area and desired topsoil depth to estimate cubic yards.
Can this calculate concrete?
It can estimate simple cubic yard volume, but concrete orders may require a specialized concrete calculator.
What waste allowance should I use?
Many planning estimates use 5% to 15%, but the right amount depends on the material, site conditions, and supplier rounding.
Does this convert cubic yards to tons?
No. Tons depend on material density and moisture. Use a material-specific calculator when weight is required.
How do I calculate an irregular area?
Split the area into simpler rectangles, triangles, or circles, calculate each section, and add the cubic yards.
Should I round up cubic yards?
Suppliers often sell in whole or half-yard increments, so confirm ordering rules before buying.
Is the cost estimate final?
No. It uses material price only and does not include delivery, tax, labor, equipment, or minimum order fees.
What does one cubic yard look like?
One cubic yard is a cube 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high.
Is this engineering advice?
No. It is a planning tool for volume estimates and should be checked against project requirements.

References

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Last updated and version history

Last updated: 2026-07-05

  • 1.0.0 (2026-07-05): Initial cubic yard calculator release.