Cubic Yard Calculator is a free, browser-based estimating tool from Cubic Yard Tools that turns length, width, and depth measurements into cubic yards and then adds waste allowance, weight in US short tons, bag counts, and material cost.
What is the Cubic Yard Calculator?
The Cubic Yard Calculator is a web tool that converts length, width, and depth measurements into cubic yards for landscaping and construction materials. You enter dimensions in inches, feet, yards, centimeters, or millimeters, pick a shape (rectangle, circle, or triangle), and the page returns a base volume, an order volume that includes your waste percentage, the same volume expressed in cubic feet and cubic meters, an optional weight in US short tons, a bag count, and a cost estimate. It runs on any modern browser, and the page states that calculations stay in the browser rather than being sent to a server. It is maintained by Cubic Yard Tools, which publishes a formulas and correction policy on its methodology page.
How does the calculator work?
The tool is laid out as two numbered steps: measure your space, then plan your order. In step one you choose a shape and enter length, width, and depth with a unit attached to each number, then add further areas with "Add another area" or use "Identical areas" for repeated sections of the same size. In step two you optionally select a material (gravel, soil, sand, mulch, concrete, or asphalt), adjust the waste allowance — which starts at 10 percent — and add a unit price per cubic yard or per US short ton, or a bag volume and mixed yield in cubic feet, liters, or cubic meters. For rectangular areas the math is length in feet times width in feet times depth in inches divided by 324, or divided by 27 when depth is already in feet; 27 cubic feet equals one cubic yard, a relationship the site cites to NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C.
What makes the Cubic Yard Calculator stand out?
- Multiple shapes and areas in one total — rectangles, circles (full diameter) and triangles (perpendicular height) can each be entered as separate areas and summed, with a separate option for identical repeated sections.
- US and metric input units — each dimension accepts inches, feet, yards, centimeters, or millimeters, and results are shown in both cubic feet and cubic meters.
- Editable material density presets — gravel 1.5, soil 1.1, sand 1.35, mulch 0.3, concrete 2.02, and asphalt 1.9575 US short tons per cubic yard, each listed with a reference range (for example gravel 1.4–1.6) and a cited source.
- Adjustable waste allowance — starts at 10 percent and is an added volume, not an automatic compaction conversion.
- Bag and yield math — you enter bag volume or the mixed-volume yield printed on the bag, and the page notes one yard equals 14 two-cubic-foot bags or 9 three-cubic-foot bags.
- Cost estimate with stated limits — unit price per cubic yard or per US short ton, using unrounded volume or weight, and excluding delivery, tax, minimum-order fees, and equipment.
- Coverage table and worked examples — one cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches, 81 at 4 inches, 54 at 6 inches, and 27 at 12 inches, with examples such as a 10 x 10 ft bed at 3 inches (0.93 yd³, 1.02 yd³ with 10 percent extra) and a 12 x 12 ft slab at 4 inches (1.78 yd³).
- No account required — the calculator is free to use and calculations stay in the browser.
Who should use the Cubic Yard Calculator?
- Home gardeners and DIYers ordering bulk mulch, topsoil, or sand for beds and planters, who need a cubic-yard number instead of square footage.
- Landscapers and hardscapers pricing a gravel base or patio sub-base, using the per-cubic-yard or per-ton price field to compare supplier quotes.
- Concrete and asphalt estimators checking ready-mix volume or bag counts for slabs, where the bag must be entered by its stated mixed yield rather than its dry weight.
- Anyone measuring an irregular yard who needs to split a footprint into non-overlapping rectangles, circles, and triangles and total them.
Use cases
- Garden bed planning: enter 10 x 10 ft at 3 inches deep to get 0.93 yd³, and 1.02 yd³ once the default 10 percent allowance is applied.
- Concrete slab prep: enter 12 x 12 ft at 4 inches to get 1.78 yd³ before waste, then convert to bag counts using the yield printed on the bag.
- Driveway base material: enter 20 x 10 ft at 6 inches deep for 3.70 yd³, switch to the gravel preset (1.5 tons/yd³) to see an estimated tonnage, and replace the density with the supplier's value.
- Irregular and multi-section sites: add each non-overlapping shape as its own area so curved borders and stepped layouts are estimated in smaller, more reliable sections.
FAQ
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, because a cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on each side: 3 x 3 x 3. The site cites the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C.
How much area does one cubic yard cover?
Divide 324 by the depth in inches. One cubic yard covers 324 square feet at 1 inch, 108 square feet at 3 inches, and 54 square feet at 6 inches of uniform depth, before any waste or compaction allowance.
What is not included in the cost estimate?
The cost figure uses the unrounded volume or weight and excludes delivery, tax, minimum-order fees, and equipment. It also does not account for supplier order increments, so round up only when placing the order.
Does the waste allowance cover compaction?
No. The waste percentage is an added volume for uneven ground and handling losses; compaction depends on the material and installation and the page advises confirming it separately with the supplier rather than assuming the allowance covers it.
Is the Cubic Yard Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is free to use, with no account or sign-up described, and the page states that calculations stay in the browser. Related calculators for gravel, asphalt, concrete slabs, mulch cost, stockpile volume, and square-feet-to-cubic-yards conversions are linked from the same site.
