Cubic Yard Calculator

Use this cubic yard calculator to turn common project dimensions into a yardage estimate you can actually order. It works well for concrete slabs, gravel bases, topsoil, mulch, fill, circular pads, wedges, and other construction or landscaping jobs where suppliers quote by the cubic yard. Pick the shape that matches your project, enter the measurements in feet, and the calculator returns base cubic yards, the matching cubic feet, and an order quantity with waste added. The goal is simple: estimate material faster, reduce under-ordering, and make the purchase conversation easier whether you are planning a driveway pour in the USA, a garden fill job in the UK, a circular footing in Europe, or a grading project in the GCC.

What This Cubic Yard Calculator Helps You Do

How to Calculate Cubic Yard Calculator

Match the shape to the job - Choose rectangular for slabs, box fills, and footings with straight edges. Choose cylinder for round pads or holes, triangular prism for wedges and tapered sections, pyramid for a square or rectangular pyramid, and area x depth when you already know the footprint area.
Enter only the dimensions the selected shape needs - The page shows all measurement fields, but the selected shape uses only its own dimensions. Rectangular mode uses length, width, and depth. Cylinder uses diameter and height. Area x depth uses area and depth. Keep measurements in feet so the output remains consistent with cubic yards.
Add waste and optional price - Waste is useful whenever the ground is uneven, forms are imperfect, or some material will spill or compact. A 5% to 15% allowance is common, depending on the job. If you know the supplier price per cubic yard, enter it to turn the order estimate into a rough budget.
Read the base volume and the order volume - The result line shows the base cubic-yard value for the selected shape. Below it, the details section shows the waste-adjusted order quantity, the equivalent cubic feet, and the estimated cost. Use the adjusted figure when you need to decide what to order.

Cubic Yard Calculator Formula

Cubic yards = cubic feet / 27

Symbol	Definition	Unit
Length	Long side of a rectangular or pyramid base	ft
Width	Short side of a rectangular or pyramid base	ft
Depth	Material thickness or fill depth	ft
Diameter	Full width across a circular area	ft
Height	Vertical height of a cylinder or pyramid	ft
Area	Known footprint area for area-by-depth estimates	ft2
Waste	Extra percentage added to cover spillage, uneven grade, and ordering margin	%

Worked Examples

USA - Driveway slab pour

Shape: Rectangular slab
Length: 12 ft
Width: 8 ft
Depth: 0.5 ft
Waste: 10%

Result: Base volume = 1.78 yd3. Order volume with waste = 1.96 yd3.

The slab contains 48 cubic feet of concrete, which converts to 1.78 cubic yards. Adding 10% gives 1.96 cubic yards, so in practice you would discuss an order of about 2 cubic yards with the ready-mix supplier.

UK - Raised bed topsoil fill

Shape: Area x depth
Area: 240 ft2
Depth: 0.333 ft
Waste: 8%

Result: Base volume = 2.96 yd3. Order volume with waste = 3.20 yd3.

This fill needs roughly 80 cubic feet of material. Converted to cubic yards, that is 2.96 yd3 before any allowance. With 8% waste for uneven settlement and trimming, the ordering target rises to about 3.20 yd3.

EU - Circular footing

Shape: Cylinder
Diameter: 6 ft
Height: 4 ft
Waste: 12%

Result: Base volume = 4.19 yd3. Order volume with waste = 4.69 yd3.

A 6 ft diameter circular footing with a 4 ft depth contains about 113.10 cubic feet. That equals 4.19 cubic yards. With a 12% allowance for placement variation and cleanup, the practical order estimate becomes 4.69 yd3.

GCC - Drainage wedge

Shape: Triangular prism
Base: 10 ft
Triangle height: 3 ft
Prism depth: 14 ft
Waste: 7%

Result: Base volume = 7.78 yd3. Order volume with waste = 8.32 yd3.

The wedge contains 210 cubic feet of material. Dividing by 27 converts that volume to 7.78 cubic yards. With a 7% allowance, the order figure becomes 8.32 yd3, which is a safer target for site planning and delivery scheduling.

How to Interpret Your Results

Range	Meaning	Action
Less than 1 yd3	Small patch, post hole, or spot repair	Bagged material may be practical if delivery minimums are high.
1 to 3 yd3	Small residential pour or landscape fill	Compare bag cost against one small bulk delivery before ordering.
3 to 10 yd3	Typical driveway, patio, footing, or bed fill	Confirm waste allowance, truck access, and whether material compacts after placement.
10 to 20 yd3	Large residential or light commercial volume	Coordinate staging, crew timing, and a realistic overrun margin before the truck arrives.
More than 20 yd3	Major fill or commercial-scale material order	Break the estimate into delivery phases and verify the geometry on site before you commit.

Quick Depth Conversions for Cubic Yard Estimates

Many cubic-yard errors come from entering depth in inches without converting it to feet first. This table gives a few common depth conversions used in slabs, gravel bases, and topsoil fills.

Depth	Feet	Use case
2 in	0.167 ft	Light leveling layer or mulch refresh
4 in	0.333 ft	Gravel base, topsoil topping, or light concrete
6 in	0.500 ft	Typical slab or deeper base layer
8 in	0.667 ft	Heavy base or structural fill
12 in	1.000 ft	Deep fill or footing depth reference

Frequently Asked Questions

A cubic yard is a unit of volume equal to a space that measures 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high. Builders, landscape suppliers, and ready-mix companies often quote concrete, gravel, sand, soil, mulch, and fill by the cubic yard because it is easier to price and deliver than listing every order in cubic feet.

One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet. That conversion drives the whole calculator. First you work out the project volume in cubic feet from the shape dimensions, then you divide by 27. If you remember only one formula for yardage estimating, remember cubic yards = cubic feet / 27.

Waste covers the real-world gap between perfect geometry and actual site conditions. Material can spill, forms can vary, grades can be uneven, and compacted fills can settle. Adding a reasonable allowance helps you avoid coming up short. For many projects, 5% to 15% is a sensible planning range, though the right figure depends on the job.

No. Concrete is one of the most common uses, but the same volume math works for gravel, crushed stone, sand, topsoil, compost, mulch, and general fill. The key question is not the material itself. The key question is whether you are estimating the volume of a shape that can reasonably be measured and converted to cubic yards.

This calculator is set up around feet because cubic yards are an imperial volume unit. If your site measurements are metric, convert them to feet before entering them, or calculate cubic meters first and then convert to cubic yards. A metric-to-imperial conversion step is normal when suppliers still quote material in yards.

The main result is the pure geometric volume. The order quantity is higher because the calculator adds the waste percentage on top of that base figure. That adjusted value is often more useful for purchasing because it accounts for spillage, placement variation, and the small surprises that happen once work begins on site.

The estimate is as accurate as the measurements and the shape assumption behind it. If a slab is truly rectangular, the result is straightforward. If edges taper, the ground varies, or the finished depth changes across the site, the simple shape estimate becomes less exact. For large orders, it is smart to verify dimensions one more time before purchasing.

For irregular layouts, break the site into smaller simple shapes and total the results. You can estimate one rectangular section, then a second section, then a triangular or circular part if needed. This usually produces a better order estimate than forcing the entire project into one inaccurate shape and hoping the waste allowance fixes it.

Disclaimer: This calculator provides planning estimates only. Actual order quantities can change with compaction, excavation tolerance, grade variation, form movement, supplier minimums, and local site conditions. For structural pours, commercial work, or any job where cost and compliance matter, confirm the dimensions and ordering assumptions with a qualified contractor, engineer, or supplier before you place the order.

Sources

Last reviewed: March 2026

Cubic Yard Calculator

Result

What This Cubic Yard Calculator Helps You Do

How to Calculate Cubic Yard Calculator

Cubic Yard Calculator Formula

Worked Examples

How to Interpret Your Results

Quick Depth Conversions for Cubic Yard Estimates

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a cubic yard in construction terms?

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

Why should I add waste to a cubic yard estimate?

Is this cubic yard calculator only for concrete?

Can I use metric measurements with a cubic yard calculator?

Why is the order quantity higher than the base cubic yard result?

How accurate is this cubic yard estimate?

What shape should I choose if the project is irregular?

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