How many cubic yards of mulch, soil, gravel & more to order
Most beds are rectangles. Switch to Circle for round beds, or I know the area if you already have the square footage.
Depth is usually in inches (2–4 in mulch, 3–6 in gravel) — leave the ft box at 0. Use the ft box only for deep fill (e.g. a 2 ft driveway base). Entering a 3 in layer as "3 ft" is the classic 12× over-order.
Mulch does not compact — leave it off. Turn it on for gravel/sand/fill under pavers (10–30%) or settling topsoil (10–20%) so the finished depth is correct.
Order this many cubic yards
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enter dimensions
Cubic Yard Calculator — guide & how to use
This is an estimate, not a guaranteed quantity. Always confirm increments and minimums with your supplier — many sell only in whole or half cubic yards and have delivery minimums. The tool measures level fill of a uniform-depth area; it does not model crowns, swales, varying depth, or void fill around rocks and roots. For uneven ground, measure the average depth. All math runs privately in your browser.
What it does
This cubic yard calculator converts your project dimensions (length, width, and depth in
feet and inches) into the cubic yards of mulch, topsoil, fill dirt, sand, gravel, or compost
to order. It adds an adjustable waste/overage allowance, an optional
compaction/settling gross-up so the finished depth is right, and rounds up to
the nearest half yard suppliers sell in. It also estimates tonnage, a
bagged equivalent, pickup-truck loads, and material cost.
How to use it
Pick your shape — rectangle, circle, or enter a known square footage.
Enter the length and width (feet + inches), or the diameter / area.
Set the depth in inches (the #1 spot people swap feet for inches).
Choose the material and a waste % (10% is a good default).
For gravel, sand, or fill, tick compaction so you order enough loose material.
Read the headline order quantity, then the full breakdown and tonnage.
How the math works
Normalize units to decimal feet: feet + inches/12. Depth inches ÷ 12 = depth in feet.
Area (sq ft): rectangle = length × width; circle = π × (diameter/2)²; manual = the area you typed.
Volume (cu ft) = area × depth in feet.
Base cubic yards = volume ÷ 27 (1 yd = 3 ft, and 3³ = 27). This is the exact geometric need.
With waste = base × (1 + waste% / 100).
With compaction (if on) = with-waste ÷ (1 − compaction% / 100), so the compacted finished depth is correct. Off for mulch.
Order quantity = round that figure up to the nearest ½ yard. Never round down.
Tons = order × density ÷ 2000 (mulch ~800, compost ~1100, topsoil ~1800, fill ~2200, sand ~2700, gravel ~3000 lbs/yd³).
Worked example
A 20 ft × 10 ft bed, 3 in of mulch, 10% waste,
no compaction:
Area = 20 × 10 = 200 sq ft.
Depth = 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft; volume = 200 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft.
Base = 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cu yd.
With 10% waste = 1.85 × 1.10 = 2.04 cu yd.
Round up to ½ yard = order 2.5 cu yd.
Tons ≈ 2.5 × 800 ÷ 2000 = ~1.0 ton — about one full-size pickup load of mulch.
Money and yardage round only at display time, never mid-chain, so the breakdown lines stay consistent. Your output may differ by a hair from hand-math because the calculator carries full precision.
Accuracy notes & assumptions
Estimate, not a guarantee. Confirm increments and delivery minimums with your supplier — many sell only in whole or half yards.
Tonnage uses typical mid-range densities and varies widely with MOISTURE. Wet mulch, soil, or sand can weigh 30–50% more than dry. Use tonnage as a rough payload guide only, not for structural or freight billing.
Material weights (approx, lbs/yd³): mulch ~800 (dry) up to ~1500 (wet); topsoil ~1400–2000; fill dirt ~2000–2700; sand ~2700–3000; gravel/crushed stone ~2800–3400 (≈1.4–1.6 tons/yd³).
Compaction/settling factors are rules of thumb: gravel/sand under pavers or driveways 10–30%, loose topsoil settling after watering 10–20%, mulch effectively 0. For load-bearing base under pavers/driveways, follow the hardscape spec — those often need an engineered base depth.
Pickup haul limits are weight-bound, not volume-bound. A half-ton pickup safely carries ~1,000–1,500 lbs, so one yard of mulch is fine but one yard of gravel/sand/wet soil can exceed safe payload. Truck-load counts are guidance only.
The tool measures finished/level fill of a uniform-depth area. It does not model crowns, swales, varying depth, or void fill — measure the average depth for uneven jobs.
Common mistakes this avoids
Dividing by the wrong number — using 9 (sq yd) or 36 instead of 27.
Entering depth in inches but treating it as feet — a 3-inch layer typed as "3 ft" over-orders 12×. The depth field is in inches and nudges you above 36 in.
Forgetting to convert inches to feet at all (mixing units inside L × W × D).
Ordering the exact geometric volume with no waste allowance, then coming up short and paying a second delivery fee.
Grossing up mulch for compaction — only gravel, sand, and fill base compact.
Confusing cubic yards with tons — they are not interchangeable without density.
Using square feet (area) as if it were cubic yards (volume) — skipping the depth step.
Rounding the order quantity down to save money, then running short — always round up to the supplier's increment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic yards for mulch, topsoil, or gravel?
Length × width × depth in feet = cubic feet, ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Depth is in inches for landscaping, so convert first: inches ÷ 12 = feet. This tool does that, adds a waste allowance, and rounds up to the nearest half yard.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27, because a yard is 3 ft and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. The classic error is dividing by 9 or 36, or skipping the inches-to-feet step on depth, which over-orders by 12×.
How much waste should I add?
5–10% for mulch and topsoil, 10–15% for gravel or compacted base. Bump to 15% for irregular/sloped areas; trim to 5% for clean rectangles.
Should I account for compaction or settling?
Only for gravel, sand, and fill (10–30%) and settling topsoil (10–20%). Mulch does not compact. With it on, the tool orders more loose material so the finished depth is right.
How many cubic yards does a pickup hold?
About 2–2.5 loose yards of mulch/soil level with the bed, but hauling is weight-limited. One yard of gravel, sand, or wet soil can exceed a half-ton pickup's ~1,000–1,500 lb safe payload.
Is one cubic yard the same as one ton?
No — yards are volume, tons are weight, and you need the material's density to convert. A yard of mulch is ~800 lbs; a yard of gravel is ~2,800–3,400 lbs.
Is it really free?
Yes — 100% free, and everything runs in your browser.