Cubic Yard Calculator

Need to figure out how much mulch, gravel, or concrete you need? Don’t guess, calculate it. At Intercalculator, our Cubic Yard Calculator makes it easy to convert length, width, and depth into accurate volume estimates. Whether you’re working with inches, feet, or meters, we help you find the right number of cubic yards, fast, simple, and stress-free.

How to Calculate Cubic Yards: The Basic Formula

Understanding how to calculate cubic yards is essential when working with gravel, mulch, concrete, topsoil, or any other landscaping or construction material sold by volume. It’s not just about multiplying numbers, it’s about getting the right units, using the correct formula, and knowing what shape you’re working with.

The Core Formula

To calculate cubic yards, you first determine the volume in cubic feet, then convert it. Here’s the standard formula:

Length × Width × Depth ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards

That 27 comes from the fact that 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet (since 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet = 27 ft³).

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Measure the area:
   • Find the length, width, and depth of the space you’re filling.
   • Measurements can be in inches, feet, yards, centimeters, or meters.
2. Convert units to feet:
   • If you’re using mixed units, convert them all to feet.
   • The conversion factors:
     • 12 inches = 1 foot
     • 1 yard = 3 feet
     • 1 meter ≈ 3.281 feet
     • 1 cm ≈ 0.0328 feet
3. Calculate volume in cubic feet:
   • Multiply the three dimensions:
     Volume (ft³) = Length × Width × Depth
4. Convert to cubic yards:
   • Divide by 27 to get cubic yards:
     Cubic Yards = ft³ ÷ 27

Example: Simple Rectangle

Let’s say you want to fill a rectangular area that’s:

• Length = 10 ft
• Width = 6 ft
• Depth = 0.5 ft

Volume = 10 × 6 × 0.5 = 30 ft³

Now: 30 ÷ 27 = 1.11 cubic yards

So, you’ll need 1.11 cubic yards of material, round up if you’re ordering mulch, topsoil, or concrete to allow for compaction or waste.

Real Talk: Why It Pays to Get It Right

I once helped a friend order fill dirt for a patio base. He gave rough estimates and skipped the conversion step, thinking it wouldn’t matter much. In the end, we were short by almost half a yard, and the delivery truck had to make a second trip, which doubled the delivery fee. Since then, I always calculate using this formula or the Intercalculator cubic yard calculator, which does all the unit conversions and math automatically.

Formula Variations for Different Shapes

While the base formula works for rectangles, other shapes need adjustments:

Each formula still ends with division by 27 to convert the result from cubic feet to cubic yards.

With just a few measurements and the right formula, you can confidently estimate how many cubic yards you need, no surprises, no extra costs, no wasted materials.

Step-by-Step Guide to Using our Cubic Yard Calculator

Using a Cubic Yard Calculator like the one on Intercalculator can save you time, guesswork, and even money. It’s especially helpful when working with bulk materials like gravel, mulch, topsoil, or concrete. Let’s walk through exactly how to use it, step by step.

 Choose Your Area Shape

Start by selecting the shape of your project area from the Area Shape dropdown. You’ll see 8 options:

• Rectangle
• Rectangle Border
• Square
• Circle
• Circle Border
• Annulus
• Triangle
• Trapezoid

The calculator dynamically shows input fields that match the shape you choose. For example, Rectangle asks for Length, Width, and Depth, while Trapezoid requests Base 1, Base 2, Height, and Depth.

. Enter Dimensions and Units

Next, enter your depth, length, and width (or other values depending on the shape). Each input supports:

• inches (in)
• feet (ft)
• yards (yd)
• centimeters (cm)
• meters (m)

The tool automatically converts everything to feet behind the scenes using a precise unit conversion script. This means you can mix units freely without breaking the calculation.

 Set Quantity (Optional)

Working with multiple identical shapes? Just set the Quantity. If you’re building 3 raised beds of the same size, enter “3”, and the calculator will multiply the cubic feet, cubic yards, and cubic meters accordingly.

Add Cost Calculation (Optional)

One powerful feature is the Optional Cost Calculator. Here, you can:

• Choose your currency (like $, €, £, ₹)
• Input the cost per unit (e.g., per yard (yd³), foot (ft³), or meter (m³))

The calculator will multiply your total volume by the rate you provide and show an estimated cost, great for budgeting your landscaping or construction project.

. Click “Calculate”

Hit the blue Calculate button. Behind the scenes, the tool applies shape-specific volume formulas, converts all units to feet, then returns:

• Cubic Yards (yd³)
• Cubic Feet (ft³)
• Cubic Meters (m³)
• Optional Total Cost

This output appears in bold text, right below the form, making it easy to read and copy.

View or Copy the Result

Need to share the result? Click the “Copy” button and the full result string, including cubic yards, feet, meters, and cost, will be saved to your clipboard.

Clear and Recalculate

Want to start over? Hit the Clear button to reset all fields and hide advanced sections. You can then change the shape, re-enter your values, and run a fresh calculation.

Cubic Yards vs. Cubic Feet and Cubic Meters

When it comes to ordering gravel, mulch, concrete, or fill dirt, you’ll often see quantities listed in cubic yards, but sometimes in cubic feet or cubic meters. While they all measure volume, they represent different scales, and mixing them up can lead to expensive mistakes.

Let’s break it down clearly.

What’s the Difference?

Here’s how the three units compare:

• 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
• 1 cubic meter ≈ 35.3147 cubic feet
• 1 cubic yard ≈ 0.7646 cubic meters

How to Convert

If you already know the volume in one unit and need to convert:

• Cubic feet to cubic yards: divide by 27
• Cubic meters to cubic yards: multiply by 1.30795
• Cubic yards to cubic feet: multiply by 27
• Cubic yards to cubic meters: multiply by 0.7646

These conversion formulas are built into the Intercalculator tool, so you can switch between yd³, ft³, and m³ automatically.

Why This Matters in Real Projects

Volume can feel abstract, until it hits your wallet. I once ordered 2 cubic meters of concrete instead of 2 cubic yards, assuming they were roughly equal. The delivery arrived… and only covered about 70% of what I needed. Not only did I have to order again, but I also paid a second delivery charge and lost a full day on-site.

After that, I learned the hard way to double-check unit conversions, especially when working across metric and US customary units.

When to Use Each

• Cubic Yards: Best for ordering bulk materials in the US or Canada (e.g., landscaping, driveways, soil, concrete)
• Cubic Feet: Useful for smaller areas like planter boxes, indoor fills, or when estimating leftover material
• Cubic Meters: Standard in international projects, architecture, engineering, and global shipping

The Intercalculator tool instantly gives you all three units, cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters, so you can plan accurately, order wisely, and never worry about conversion errors again.

Common Shapes: How to Calculate Volume for Each

Not all projects use perfect rectangles. From circular flower beds to sloped concrete forms, different shapes require different volume formulas. Whether you’re working with a rectangle, triangle, circle, or something more complex like a trapezoid or hemisphere, it’s important to apply the correct calculation, especially when converting to cubic yards.

Below are the most common shapes used in landscaping, construction, and material planning, along with their volume formulas (measured in feet, then converted to cubic yards by dividing by 27).

1. Rectangle or Square

Formula:
Length × Width × Depth ÷ 27

This is the most common shape. Use it for patios, garden beds, rectangular slabs, or storage bins.

2. Rectangle Border

Formula:
(Outer Length × Outer Width − Inner Length × Inner Width) × Depth ÷ 27

Use this when calculating the volume of a surrounding fill, like the space between two rectangles.

3. Triangle or Triangular Prism

Formula:
½ × Base × Height × Depth ÷ 27

Often used in sloped areas, ramps, or triangular raised beds. This formula accounts for the triangular face’s area before applying depth.

4. Circle (Cylinder)

Formula:
π × (Diameter ÷ 2)² × Depth ÷ 27

Used for round pits, planting beds, and vertical columns. The π ensures precision in the circular area.

5. Circle Border (Ring Shape)

Formula:
π × Depth × (Outer Radius² − Inner Radius²) ÷ 27

Think of this like a donut-shaped area, perfect for tree rings or border landscaping.

6. Annulus

Formula:
Same as Circle Border:
π × Depth × (Outer² − Inner²) ÷ 27

Used for symmetrical hollow circles like wells or irrigation zones.

7. Trapezoid

Formula:
½ × (Base 1 + Base 2) × Height × Depth ÷ 27

This is ideal for irregular shapes like sloped trenches or non-uniform garden plots.

8. Hemisphere

Formula:
(2/3) × π × Radius³ ÷ 27

Common in landscaping domes or half-sphere features like mounded topsoil areas.

Volume Formulas for Each Shape

To convert any result to cubic yards, divide the volume in ft³ by 27.

The Intercalculator tool automatically applies the right formula for you based on the shape you select. It handles π, unit conversions, and even area differences in complex shapes like rectangle borders or annulus, so you don’t need to memorize these equations.

How Many Cubic Yards Do You Need and What Will It Cost?

To find out how many cubic yards you need, follow this formula:

Length × Width × Depth (in feet) ÷ 27 = Cubic Yards

Use the Intercalculator tool to skip the math ,  just enter your dimensions and it does the rest.

Example:

• Area: 20 ft × 10 ft

• Depth: 3 inches = 0.25 ft

• Volume: 20 × 10 × 0.25 = 50 ft³

• Cubic Yards = 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 → Round up to 2 yd³

Cost Estimate:

If gravel is $50 per cubic yard and delivery is $60:

• 2 yd³ × $50 = $100

• Total cost = $160

Tip: Add 5–10% extra for waste or settling.
Need help? Our calculator can also estimate cost, just input your price per yard and currency.

What Does One Cubic Yard Look Like?

A cubic yard is the volume of a cube that’s 1 yard wide, 1 yard long, and 1 yard deep. Here’s how that space translates into other common units:

These conversions help you visualize what 1 cubic yard actually fills, whether you’re planning a garden bed, concrete pour, or a load of mulch.

Convert Between Units: Feet, Inches, Meters, and Yards

When working with volume calculations, one of the biggest challenges is converting length, width, and depth across different units. Your material supplier might talk in yards, your tools measure in inches, and your plans show meters. It gets confusing fast.

Here’s how to make sense of it, all in one place.

Basic Conversion Chart

Visualizing 1 Cubic Yard

Here’s how a 1 cubic yard space compares across different units:

All these equal the same volume, just in different units.

Built-in Conversion in Intercalculator

The Intercalculator Cubic Yard Calculator lets you enter values in feet, inches, yards, centimeters, or meters, no manual math needed. It converts all units to feet internally, then calculates the result in:

• Cubic Yards
• Cubic Feet
• Cubic Meters

So no matter what units you start with, you’ll get the right answer every time.

Why We Built This Calculator

We built this calculator because we’ve been there, guessing how much mulch or concrete to order, juggling feet, inches, and meters, and hoping the math works out. It rarely does. That’s why we created a tool that feels simple but thinks smart. It handles the messy parts, unit conversions, shape formulas, and cost estimation, so you can focus on the project, not the math. We use it ourselves, and now we’re sharing it with you. If it helps, let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear how you’re using it.

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Final Thoughts

Whether you’re working with gravel, mulch, concrete, or topsoil, getting your volume right can save you from overspending or falling short. Estimating by eye often leads to errors, delays, and extra delivery costs. With the Intercalculator Cubic Yard Calculator, you don’t have to guess or convert anything manually.

The tool lets you enter dimensions in inches, feet, yards, centimeters, or meters, then instantly calculates the correct volume in cubic yards, cubic feet, and cubic meters. It works for all common shapes, like rectangles, circles, trapezoids, and borders, and even helps you estimate cost by adding your material price.

From weekend DIYers to professional landscapers, anyone can get fast, accurate results in just a few clicks. No formulas, no spreadsheets, no stress.

Try the calculator now and get your volume right the first time.
Have a question or suggestion? Share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear from you