Cubic Yard Calculator
Type three numbers. Get cubic yards, tons, and pickup loads for any material — concrete, gravel, sand, mulch, topsoil, asphalt, stone. No accounts, no email, no "Calculate" button.
How it's calculated
For a rectangle: cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27. Waste and compaction are applied after: ordered = raw × (1 + waste%) × compaction. Bags and truck loads are always rounded up so you don't come up short. The same engine powers every number on this site — including the result tables below.
How big is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft cube. For scale, here's what it looks like compared to everyday things:
- Washing machine≈ 4 ft³ → 6.75 washing machines per cubic yard
- Ford F-150 bed≈ 53 ft³ → half a yard fills a short-bed F-150
- Wheelbarrow3 ft³ → 9 wheelbarrows per cubic yard
Density chart — every material
| Material | lb / yd³ | tons / yd³ | 2″ coverage | Calculator |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mulch | 800 | 0.4 | 162 ft² | mulch |
| Compost | 1,000 | 0.5 | 162 ft² | compost |
| Fill dirt | 2,000 | 1 | 162 ft² | fill dirt |
| Topsoil | 2,160 | 1.08 | 162 ft² | topsoil |
| Sand | 2,700 | 1.35 | 162 ft² | sand |
| Limestone | 2,700 | 1.35 | 162 ft² | limestone |
| Decorative stone | 2,700 | 1.35 | 162 ft² | decorative stone |
| Pea gravel | 2,800 | 1.4 | 162 ft² | pea gravel |
| Gravel | 2,835 | 1.418 | 162 ft² | gravel |
| Crushed #57 stone | 2,900 | 1.45 | 162 ft² | crushed #57 stone |
| Rip rap | 2,900 | 1.45 | 162 ft² | rip rap |
| Asphalt | 3,240 | 1.62 | 162 ft² | asphalt |
| Concrete | 4,050 | 2.025 | 162 ft² | concrete |
6 worked examples (each opens the calculator with state pre-filled)
Truck capacity
| Truck | Capacity (yd³) | 1 yd³ = | 5 yd³ = | 10 yd³ = |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbarrow | 0.1111111111111111 | 9 loads | 45 loads | 90 loads |
| Compact pickup | 0.5 | 2 loads | 10 loads | 20 loads |
| Half-ton pickup | 1.25 | 1 load | 4 loads | 8 loads |
| ¾-ton pickup | 1.75 | 1 load | 3 loads | 6 loads |
| 1-ton pickup | 2.5 | 1 load | 2 loads | 4 loads |
| Heavy-duty dump | 3 | 1 load | 2 loads | 4 loads |
| Single-axle dump truck | 10 | 1 load | 1 load | 1 load |
| Tandem dump truck | 16 | 1 load | 1 load | 1 load |
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length × width × depth (in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. Example: a 10×12 ft area 4 inches deep is 40 ft³ = 1.48 yd³.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
One cubic yard of crushed #57 gravel weighs about 2,835 lb (1.42 US tons) compacted.
How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
One cubic yard of concrete weighs about 4,050 lb (2.025 US tons) cured. Wet concrete is closer to 3,900 lb.
How many bags of concrete are in a yard?
1 cubic yard of concrete = 45 × 80 lb bags, 60 × 60 lb bags, or 90 × 40 lb bags of mix.
How much does a yard of mulch weigh?
One cubic yard of bark or wood-chip mulch weighs about 800 lb (0.4 US tons).
How many square feet does a yard cover?
1 cubic yard covers 162 ft² at 2 in deep, 108 ft² at 3 in, or 81 ft² at 4 in. Depth is what changes the coverage — a yard of material is always 27 ft³.
What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft cube = 27 cubic feet. It's the standard bulk-materials unit in the US.
How much is a yard of topsoil?
One cubic yard of screened topsoil weighs about 2,160 lb (1.08 US tons) and covers 108 ft² at 3 inches deep — the typical lawn-prep depth.
How many yards in a concrete truck?
A standard concrete truck holds 8 to 10 cubic yards. Partial loads cost a small short-load fee.
How much gravel for a driveway?
A 10×50 ft driveway at 4 in deep needs 6.17 yd³ (8.75 tons) of #57 crushed stone. Bump to 6 in for heavy-vehicle driveways.