Answer first
What this calculator tells you
Calculate cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters from a length, a width and a depth in feet. Convert a job's dimensions into the cubic yards that bulk materials are sold by. Formula: Cubic yards = length × width × height (all in feet) ÷ 27. At the worked-example inputs, the cubic yards is 4.4. Holding every other input steady, moving length (ft) from 16 to 24 moves the result from 3.6 to 5.3.
Transparent method
The formula
Convert a job's dimensions into the cubic yards that bulk materials are sold by.
Worked example
Example inputs
How to interpret the result
A cubic yard is a block 3 feet on each side, or 27 cubic feet. A 20 by 12 foot area at 6 inches deep is 120 cubic feet, which is 4.4 cubic yards. Most bulk materials, including soil, mulch, gravel and concrete, are priced this way.
At the worked-example inputs the cubic yards is 4.4. It rises with length (ft), height or depth (ft) and width (ft).
These are material-quantity estimates. Always add a waste and overage margin, and confirm actual coverage with your specific product and supplier before purchasing.
Before you rely on it
What to check
Convert every dimension to feet first. Six inches is 0.5 feet, and mixing inches with feet is the most common cause of a load that is 12 times too big or small.
The common error
Where people go wrong with cubic yard calculator
Rounding the answer down. Suppliers deliver in half or whole yards, so a 4.4 yard job means ordering 4.5 or 5.
Sensitivity evidence
How length (ft) changes the cubic yards
Holding every other input at the worked-example value, moving length (ft) from 16 to 24 moves the cubic yards from 3.6 to 5.3: a spread of 1.8, or 40% of the worked-example result.
| Length (ft) | Cubic yards | Cubic feet | Cubic meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 3.6 | 96 | 2.7 |
| 18 | 4 | 108 | 3.1 |
| 20worked example | 4.4 | 120 | 3.4 |
| 22 | 4.9 | 132 | 3.7 |
| 24 | 5.3 | 144 | 4.1 |
Every input, tested
Which input moves the cubic yards most
Of the 3 inputs, length (ft) moves the cubic yards most (0.889 across the range tested) and width (ft) moves it least (0.741).
| Input | Tested from | To | Cubic yards at each end | Swing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Length (ft) | 18 | 22 | 4 to 4.9 | 0.889 (20%) |
| Height or depth (ft) | 0.45 | 0.55 | 4 to 4.9 | 0.889 (20%) |
| Width (ft) | 11 | 13 | 4.1 to 4.8 | 0.741 (17%) |
Two variables at once
Cubic yards by length (ft) and width (ft)
Across the grid the cubic yards runs from 3 to 6.2. Moving length (ft) from 16 to 24 shifts it by 1.8 at the middle column, and moving width (ft) from 10 to 14 shifts it by 1.5 at the middle row, so length (ft) is the bigger lever here.
| Length (ft) \ Width (ft) | 10 | 12 | 14 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 3 | 3.6 | 4.1 |
| 18 | 3.3 | 4 | 4.7 |
| 20 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 5.2 |
| 22 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 5.7 |
| 24 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 6.2 |
The highlighted cell is the worked example: 4.4.
Step by step
The worked example, input by input
| Input | Value used | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Length (ft) | 20 | Enter the length (ft) used in this calculation. |
| Width (ft) | 12 | Enter the width (ft) used in this calculation. |
| Height or depth (ft) | 0.5 | Enter inches as a fraction of a foot: 6 inches is 0.5. |
| Cubic yards | 4.4 | |
| Cubic feet | 120 | |
| Cubic meters | 3.4 | |
Inputs, definitions and assumptions
Length (ft)
Enter the length (ft) used in this calculation. The prefilled worked-example value is 20.
Width (ft)
Enter the width (ft) used in this calculation. The prefilled worked-example value is 12.
Height or depth (ft)
Enter inches as a fraction of a foot: 6 inches is 0.5. The prefilled worked-example value is 0.5.
How to use this calculator
- 1Verify the inputs. Gather length (ft), width (ft) and height or depth (ft) from your own documents; the prefilled values are examples.
- 2Save a baseline. The worked example puts the cubic yards at 4.4. Store your own version of it as Scenario A.
- 3Test one change. Start with length (ft), the input with the biggest effect here: moving length (ft) from 18 to 22 takes the cubic yards from 4 to 4.9, a swing of 20% of the worked-example figure.
- 4Check the extremes. At half the example length (ft) (10) the cubic yards is 2.2; at double (40) it is 8.9.
People also ask
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cubic yard?
Cubic yards = length × width × height (all in feet) ÷ 27. At the worked-example inputs the cubic yards is 4.4.
What does the cubic yard result mean?
Convert a job's dimensions into the cubic yards that bulk materials are sold by. At the worked-example inputs the cubic yards is 4.4. It rises with length (ft), height or depth (ft) and width (ft).
How much does length (ft) change the cubic yards?
Holding every other input at the worked-example value, moving length (ft) from 16 to 24 moves the cubic yards from 3.6 to 5.3, a spread of 1.8.
What are the limits of this cubic yard calculator?
These are material-quantity estimates. Always add a waste and overage margin, and confirm actual coverage with your specific product and supplier before purchasing. The tables on this page test length (ft) only from 16 to 24; a value outside that range is not tabulated here.
Which input moves the cubic yards most in the cubic yard calculator?
Ranked by how far each moves the cubic yards across the range tested: length (ft) (0.889, 20%), height or depth (ft) (0.889, 20%) and width (ft) (0.741, 17%).
If I double length (ft) in the cubic yard calculator, does the cubic yards double?
Doubling it from 20 to 40 takes the cubic yards from 4.4 to 8.9, which is 2.00 times the worked-example figure. So the result scales almost exactly in proportion. Halving it to 10 gives 2.2.
How much does width (ft) matter in the cubic yard calculator?
The worked example uses 12. Holding every other input at its worked-example value, moving width (ft) from 11 to 13 takes the cubic yards from 4.1 to 4.8, a swing of 17% of the worked-example figure.
How much does height or depth (ft) matter in the cubic yard calculator?
The worked example uses 0.5. With the other inputs left at the worked example, moving height or depth (ft) from 0.45 to 0.55 takes the cubic yards from 4 to 4.9, a swing of 20% of the worked-example figure.
Which inputs change the cubic feet in the cubic yard calculator?
At the worked-example inputs it is 120. Length (ft) takes it from 108 to 132, width (ft) takes it from 110 to 130 and height or depth (ft) takes it from 108 to 132.
Which inputs change the cubic meters in the cubic yard calculator?
At the worked-example inputs it is 3.4. Length (ft) takes it from 3.1 to 3.7, width (ft) takes it from 3.1 to 3.7 and height or depth (ft) takes it from 3.1 to 3.7.
Why does hardwood need a bigger pilot hole than softwood for the same screw?
Hardwood is denser and less able to compress or flex around a screw's threads without splitting. A slightly larger pilot hole relieves some of that stress before the screw is driven, at the cost of very slightly less thread grip than the same screw would get in softwood.
Sources and evidence
Free Calculators Online is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the source organizations. Educational estimates only.