Cubic Yards Calculator

Enter a length, a width and a depth in feet and inches and get the cubic yards to order, rounded up once to the supplier's step, with the working shown for an example. An area that is not a rectangle can be drawn with Draw a shape.

Estimates for planning, not professional advice. Read the full notice.

Size

Feet and inches, like 12' 6"

reads as 12 feet 6 inches

Feet and inches, like 12' 6"

reads as 3 feet 4 inches

Inches, like 4 in

reads as 3 inches

Example: a narrow bed

0.5 yd³ to order (0.39 yd³ exact)

  • Volume in cubic feet 10.42 ft³
  • Cubic yards at the supplier's step 0.5 yd³

Shopping list

Example: a narrow bed
ItemSizeBuy
Material by the cubic yard1 yd³0.5 yd³

Share this project

This link carries:

    The project is inside the link, after the # sign. Browsers do not send that part to the site.

    Worked example: a narrow bed

    Show the working
    1. Area 12 ft 6 in × 3 ft 4 in = 41.67 ft²
    2. Volume at the depth 41.666667 ft² × 3 in = 10.42 ft³
    3. Add the waste allowance, once 10.416667 ft³ + 0 % waste = 10.42 ft³
    4. Cubic yards: divide by the cubic feet in a yard 10.416667 ft³ ÷ 27 ft³ in a yd³ = 0.39 yd³
    5. Round up once, to the supplier's step 0.39 yd³ = 0.5 yd³

    Assumptions

    The figures behind the example. Sourced figures link to their source below; a default is a starting value to check against your label or supplier.

    AssumptionValueDetails and changes
    Landscape waste or overage 0%
    Default No silent overage. Check your label or supplier.
    Supplier's smallest yard step 0.5 yd³
    Default Suppliers sell bulk in steps. Check your label or supplier.

    By shape

    Volume in cubic feet and cubic yards for common shapes

    Volume in cubic feet and cubic yards for common shapes
    Shape and sizeCubic feetCubic yardsCubic yards at the step
    Triangle 10 ft base, 6 ft high × 3 in 7.5 ft³0.28 yd³0.5 yd³
    Tiny square 2 ft × 2 ft × 2 in 0.67 ft³0.02 yd³0.5 yd³
    Curved edge, 10 ft × 4 ft with an arc of 8 ft radius × 3 in 13 ft³0.48 yd³0.5 yd³
    Round, 8 ft across × 2 in 8.38 ft³0.31 yd³0.5 yd³
    Box 7 ft × 14 ft × 2 ft 196 ft³7.26 yd³7.5 yd³

    Each shape's area comes from that shape's formula, and the area is multiplied by the depth. The calculator takes a length, a width and a depth, or a shape you draw and a depth; these rows show other shapes worked out the same way. The step column uses the supplier's step in the assumptions above.

    Questions

    How do I convert square feet to cubic yards?

    Square feet are an area, so they need a depth. Multiply the area by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divide by the cubic feet in one cubic yard. The calculator converts the depth for you, and the worked example shows each step.

    How do I work in feet and inches?

    Type each size in feet and inches as you measured it, with the digits and the unit marks, and the calculator reads the feet and the inches together. A depth in inches is converted to feet before the volume is worked out.

    How do I change cubic feet to cubic yards?

    Divide the cubic feet by the number of cubic feet in one cubic yard, which is shown in the working above. The result is the exact cubic yards, and the supplier's step is applied only once, at the end.