Volume from length, width and depth
Cubic Yard Calculator
10 ft × 10 ft, 4 in deep, needs 1.23 cu yd (33.33 cu ft). Order 1.5 cu yd. Enter your measurements below.
Sources checked
Your estimate
1.23 cu yd
10 ft × 10 ft, 4 in deep: 33.33 cu ft ÷ 27.
- AreaLength × width, or π × radius² for a round bed100 sq ft
- Cubic feetArea × depth in inches ÷ 1233.33 cu ft
- Cubic yardsCubic feet ÷ 271.23 cu yd
- To orderRounded up to the next half yard1.5 cu yd
The volume is the same for any material. Compaction, settling and waste are not in this number; add what your job needs.
How to calculate cubic yards
- Measure the area. The example is 10 ft × 10 ft, which is 100 sq ft. A round bed is π × radius²: 78.54 sq ft for a 10 ft diameter.
- Multiply the area by the depth in inches and divide by 12: 100 × 4 ÷ 12 = 33.33 cu ft.
- Divide by 27 for cubic yards: 33.33 ÷ 27 = 1.23 cu yd.
- Round up to the next half yard for the order: 1.23 cu yd becomes 1.5 cu yd. Suppliers’ minimum loads vary, so check the order step with yours.
A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, which is 27 cubic feet. That is a definition, not a measurement from any product, so the arithmetic is exact. A 10 ft diameter circle is 78.54 sq ft; at 4 in deep it is 26.18 cu ft, or 0.97 cu yd. For a round bed, measure the widest part across and use the radius, half the diameter.
Cubic feet to cubic yards, and back
Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards; multiply cubic yards by 27 to get cubic feet. 27 cu ft is 1 cu yd, and 1 cu yd is 27 cu ft. The converter works in both directions.
Your estimate
3.704 cu yd
100 cu ft ÷ 27 = 3.704 cu yd.
Cubic yards per 100 square feet, by depth
| Depth | Cubic feet per 100 sq ft | Cubic yards per 100 sq ft | Sq ft one cubic yard covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 8.33 | 0.31 | 324 |
| 2 in | 16.67 | 0.62 | 162 |
| 3 in | 25 | 0.93 | 108 |
| 4 in | 33.33 | 1.23 | 81 |
| 6 in | 50 | 1.85 | 54 |
| 8 in | 66.67 | 2.47 | 41 |
| 10 in | 83.33 | 3.09 | 32 |
| 12 in | 100 | 3.7 | 27 |
Each inch of depth adds the same amount: 0.31 cu yd per 100 sq ft. The depths here are the common ones, from 1 in to 12 in; a depth between two rows is the proportion between them. The example is 100 sq ft at 4 in, which is 1.23 cu yd.
Rectangles, circles and square feet
A rectangle takes its length and width in feet and inches; a round bed takes its diameter. If you already know the square feet of a bed or a pour, choose square feet. The depth is always the finished depth in inches.
A 10 ft diameter circle is 78.54 sq ft; at 4 in deep it is 26.18 cu ft, or 0.97 cu yd. The round bed holds 0.97 cu yd at 4 in, so a circle needs less than the square around it.
What to buy next
Once you have the volume, the concrete calculator turns a slab into the bags or yards of mix it takes. Stone for a base goes to the gravel calculator, and soil for a bed to the topsoil calculator or the mulch calculator.
Yards are bought by the ton for stone and soil. The cubic yards to tons calculator gives the weight of a yard of each material and the yards in a ton.
Cubic yard questions
How do I calculate cubic yards?
Multiply length, width and depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. A 10 ft × 10 ft area 4 in deep is 10 × 10 × (4 ÷ 12) = 33.33 cu ft, and 33.33 ÷ 27 = 1.23 cu yd.
What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a cube 3 ft on each side, 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. The 3 ft cube drawn on this page shows its size.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet are in one cubic yard. The same 27 applies to a cubic yard of any material, so a yard of soil, gravel or mulch is 27 cu ft of volume before settling or compaction.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide the cubic feet by 27. 100 cu ft is 100 ÷ 27 = 3.7 cu yd. The converter on this page works both ways.
How do I convert cubic yards to cubic feet?
Multiply the cubic yards by 27. 2 cu yd is 2 × 27 = 54 cu ft, and 1.5 cu yd is 40.5 cu ft.
How many square feet does a cubic yard cover?
It depends on the depth. A cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, and 81 sq ft at 4 in. The table gives each common depth.
How do I calculate cubic yards from square feet?
Multiply the square feet by the depth in inches, then divide by 324 (27 cu ft × 12 in). 100 sq ft at 4 in is 100 × 4 ÷ 324 = 1.23 cu yd, or 100 ÷ 81 sq ft per cu yd.
How do I calculate cubic yards of a round area?
Use the area of the circle, π × (diameter ÷ 2)², then multiply by depth and divide by 27. A 10 ft diameter circle is 78.54 sq ft; at 4 in deep it is 26.18 cu ft, or 0.97 cu yd.
A planning aid, not an engineering calculation: your local code and building inspector have the final word. Terms