Cubic yard calculator

What is a cubic yard?

A cubic yard (symbol: yd³ or cu yd) is a unit of volume in the United States customary and British imperial systems. It is the volume of a cube whose edges are each one yard (3 feet, 36 inches, or 0.9144 meters) long. The cubic yard is the standard ordering unit for bulk landscaping and construction materials such as concrete, gravel, topsoil, sand, and mulch, which is why contractors and gardeners reach for it so often.

This calculator does two jobs at once. First, it computes the volume of a rectangular (box-shaped) space from its length, width, and depth. Second, it lets you read that volume back in cubic yards or convert it to other common volume units such as cubic feet, cubic meters, liters, or gallons.

How does the calculator work?

For any rectangular box, the volume is simply the product of its three perpendicular dimensions. Enter the length, width, and depth, and the calculator multiplies them together. Each dimension has its own unit selector, so you can mix feet, inches, yards, centimeters, and meters — the tool converts everything to a common base before multiplying. The volume field also has a unit selector, so the same result can be displayed in cubic yards or instantly converted to another unit.

Formula

The volume $V$ of a rectangular space is:

$$V = l \times w \times d$$

where:

• $l$ is the length,
• $w$ is the width,
• $d$ is the depth (or height).

When all three dimensions are given in feet, the product is in cubic feet. Because one yard equals three feet, one cubic yard equals $3^3 = 27$ cubic feet, so you divide the cubic-foot value by 27 to get cubic yards:

$$1\ \text{yd}^3 = 27\ \text{ft}^3 = 0.764555\ \text{m}^3 = 764.555\ \text{L} = 201.974\ \text{US gal}$$

If a dimension is supplied in inches instead of feet, remember that there are 36 inches in a yard, so $1\ \text{yd}^3 = 36^3 = 46656\ \text{in}^3$.

Worked examples

Example 1: A 9-foot cube

A cube measuring 9 ft long, 9 ft wide, and 9 ft deep has a volume of:

$$V = 9 \times 9 \times 9 = 729\ \text{ft}^3 = 27\ \text{yd}^3$$

Dividing 729 cubic feet by 27 gives exactly 27 cubic yards.

Example 2: A one-yard cube

A perfect cube three feet on each side equals one cubic yard:

$$V = 3 \times 3 \times 3 = 27\ \text{ft}^3 = 1\ \text{yd}^3$$

This is the smallest box that holds exactly one cubic yard.

Example 3: A shallow slab

A concrete slab measuring 10 ft × 12 ft with a depth of 0.5 ft has a volume of:

$$V = 10 \times 12 \times 0.5 = 60\ \text{ft}^3 \approx 2.222\ \text{yd}^3$$

Dividing 60 cubic feet by 27 gives about 2.222 cubic yards of material.

Practical notes

1. The length × width × depth formula only applies to rectangular (box-shaped) spaces. For cylinders, cones, or irregular shapes, use a dedicated volume tool.
2. Mixing units is fine — the calculator converts each dimension before multiplying — but double-check the unit selectors if a result looks too large or too small.
3. When ordering bulk materials such as soil, gravel, or concrete, suppliers usually quote prices per cubic yard; remember that 1 cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet.
4. Round up when ordering. Spillage, compaction, and uneven ground mean it is wise to add a small margin to the calculated cubic yards.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate cubic yards from length, width, and depth?

Multiply the three dimensions together when they are all in feet, then divide by 27: cubic yards = length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) ÷ 27. For a 9 ft × 9 ft × 9 ft space that is $729 \div 27 = 27\ \text{yd}^3$.

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

One cubic yard equals exactly 27 cubic feet, because a yard is 3 feet and $3^3 = 27$.

How do I convert inches to cubic yards?

If your dimensions are in inches, you can divide each one by 36 to get yards first, or compute the volume in cubic inches and divide by 46656, because $1\ \text{yd}^3 = 46656\ \text{in}^3$.

How many cubic meters are in a cubic yard?

One cubic yard equals approximately 0.764555 cubic meters.