Cubic yard calculator.
Convert length, width and depth to cubic yards as you type. Use feet and inches or metres. Add waste only when you want extra material.
Nothing to install.
Your dimensions
Extra for spillage or uneven grade. This is not compaction.
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and 0.764554857984 cubic metres. Waste is optional and is not a compaction allowance.
How to calculate cubic yards
Turn length, width and depth into cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic metres, with optional waste.
- Measure length, width and depth. Use feet for length and width and inches for depth, or switch to metres and centimetres. A circle uses diameter instead of length and width.
- Convert the volume to cubic yards. Multiply length by width by depth in feet and divide by 27. Divide inches by 12 before that step. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
- Add waste only if you need extra. Multiply by (1 + waste fraction) when you want material for spillage or uneven grade. Leave waste at zero to keep the measured volume.
- Read cubic feet and cubic metres. Cubic feet are cubic yards times 27. Cubic metres are cubic yards times 0.764554857984.
With feet and inches, cubic yards = length × width × (depth ÷ 12) ÷ 27. In metric, metres × metres × (centimetres ÷ 100) gives cubic metres. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and 0.764554857984 m³. Optional waste multiplies the measured volume by (1 + waste fraction).
Worked example: 9 ft × 3 ft × 12 in
9 × 3 × (12 ÷ 12) ÷ 27 = 1 yd³ before allowances (27 ft³, 0.764555 m³).
Fixed teaching example, independent of the fields above. It is not a specification for your project.
Assumptions and sources
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and 0.764554857984 cubic metres. Waste is optional and is not a compaction allowance.
- Penn State Extension conversion factors, updated March 3, 2026. One foot is 0.3048 m, so one cubic yard is 0.764554857984 m³.
Order a material from the concrete calculator, gravel calculator or mulch calculator. Measure the footprint in the square footage calculator, or continue with the topsoil calculator and asphalt calculator. Reviewed concrete, gravel and mulch examples are on local prices, including concrete driveway cost in Chicago and gravel driveway cost in New York. Read the calculation methodology and the estimate limitations before you order.
Cubic yard calculator FAQ
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length by width by depth in feet, then divide by 27. When depth is in inches, divide the inches by 12 first. A 9 ft by 3 ft by 12 in volume is 1 cubic yard. Metric entries use metres and centimetres and convert with 1 foot = 0.3048 m.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. The same volume is 0.764554857984 cubic metres, because a foot is 0.3048 metres and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet.
How do I convert inches of depth to cubic yards?
Use length in feet × width in feet × (depth in inches ÷ 12) ÷ 27. One inch of material over 1 square foot is 1/324 cubic yard. At a constant depth, square feet ÷ (324 ÷ depth in inches) is the cubic-yard volume.
Should I add waste when ordering by the cubic yard?
Add a waste percentage only when you want extra material for spillage or uneven grade. Waste multiplies the measured volume and is not compaction. If the material shrinks when it is compacted, use the gravel, topsoil or other material calculator and its volume-loss field so the same allowance is not applied twice.
How many square feet does a 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 27 square feet at 12 inches, before waste. Waste means a purchased yard covers less finished area.