complete.tools

Cubic Yards Calculator

Work out the cubic yards of mulch, gravel, soil or concrete from length, width and depth, with cubic feet and cubic meters.

What this tool does

Work out the cubic yards of mulch, gravel, soil or concrete from length, width and depth, with cubic feet and cubic meters. You fill in these fields: Length, Width, Depth, and Material weight per cubic foot (optional). Some fields are optional. It shows volume, cubic feet, cubic meters, and total weight.

Inputs

  • Length (ft): A number. Must be greater than 0. Starts at 10 ft. The length of the area, in feet.
  • Width (ft): A number. Must be greater than 0. Starts at 4 ft. The width of the area, in feet.
  • Depth (in): A number. Must be greater than 0. Starts at 4 in. How deep the material is, in inches, from the bottom of the layer to the top.
  • Material weight per cubic foot (optional) (lb per cu ft): A number. Must be greater than 0. Optional. Enter the weight of one cubic foot of your material, from your supplier, to see the total weight in short tons.

How to use

  1. Enter the length in ft.
  2. Enter the width in ft.
  3. Enter the depth in in.
  4. Enter the material weight per cubic foot (optional) in lb per cu ft.
  5. Read the result: volume, cubic feet, cubic meters, and total weight. It appears once every required field has a valid value.

Worked examples

Example 1. Inputs:

  • Length: 10 ft
  • Width: 10 ft
  • Depth: 4 in

Results:

  • Volume: 1.23 cubic yards
  • Cubic feet: 33.33 cubic feet
  • Cubic meters: 0.94 cubic meters

How this is worked out: Area = 10 x 10 = 100 sq ft. Depth = 4 / 12 = 0.333333 ft. Cubic feet = 100 x 0.333333 = 33.33333. Cubic yards = 33.33333 / 27 = 1.234568. Cubic meters = 33.33333 x 0.028316846592 = 0.943895.

Example 2. Inputs:

  • Length: 12 ft
  • Width: 8 ft
  • Depth: 6 in
  • Material weight per cubic foot (optional): 100 lb per cu ft

Results:

  • Volume: 1.78 cubic yards
  • Cubic feet: 48.00 cubic feet
  • Cubic meters: 1.36 cubic meters
  • Total weight: 2.40 short tons (Uses the weight per cubic foot you entered)

How this is worked out: Area = 12 x 8 = 96 sq ft. Depth = 6 / 12 = 0.5 ft. Cubic feet = 96 x 0.5 = 48. Cubic yards = 48 / 27 = 1.777778. Cubic meters = 48 x 0.028316846592 = 1.359209. Weight = 48 x 100 lb = 4800 lb. Short tons = 4800 / 2000 = 2.4. The 100 lb per cubic foot is a test value entered for this vector, not a material density.

Example 3. Inputs:

  • Length: 1 ft
  • Width: 1 ft
  • Depth: 1 in

Results:

  • Volume: 0.00 cubic yards
  • Cubic feet: 0.08 cubic feet
  • Cubic meters: 0.00 cubic meters

How this is worked out: A 1 ft by 1 ft by 1 in box is 1 / 12 = 0.083333 cubic feet. Cubic yards = 1 / 324 = 0.00308642 (27 x 12 = 324).

Limitations

  • Works for a rectangular box only. Round, sloped or irregular shapes are not handled.
  • Lengths are entered in feet and depth in inches. Other units are not offered.
  • No allowance for compaction, settling or waste is added.

FAQs

Q: Why is depth in inches when length and width are in feet?
A: A layer of material is usually measured in feet across and inches deep, so the fields use those units. The tool divides the depth by 12 to turn it into feet before it works out the volume.
Q: Does the result include extra for waste or settling?
A: No. The result is the volume of the box you entered. It does not add an allowance for waste, spills or settling.
Q: How do I get the weight of my material?
A: Enter the weight of one cubic foot of your material in the optional field. Your supplier can usually give this figure. The tool then shows the total weight in short tons, which are 2000 pounds each.
Q: Can I see the answer in metric units?
A: Yes. Cubic meters are shown next to cubic yards and cubic feet.

Explore Similar Tools

Explore more tools like this one: