Convert cubic yards to cubic feet and back. 1 yd³ = 27 ft³. Use for concrete, mulch, topsoil, and gravel delivery estimates.
How the conversion works
1 cubic yard (yd³) equals exactly 27 cubic feet (ft³) because 1 yard = 3 feet, and volume scales as the cube of the linear ratio: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. A cubic yard is the volume of a cube with edges 3 ft long. Example: 3 yd³ of mulch = 81 ft³, enough to cover a 400 ft² garden bed at 2.5 inches deep.
What is a cubic yard?
The cubic yard (yd³, also written cu yd) is the standard US unit for bulk volume of construction, landscaping, and agricultural materials. One cubic yard equals 27 ft³, 46,656 in³, or about 0.7646 m³ (764.6 liters, roughly 202 US gallons). Ready-mix concrete, topsoil, mulch, gravel, and sand are all priced and delivered per cubic yard.
Concrete estimating
For a concrete slab, calculate volume in cubic feet first (length × width × thickness, all in feet) and divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 20 ft × 20 ft patio at 4 inches thick is 20 × 20 × 0.333 = 133.3 ft³ = 4.94 yd³. Order 5.5 yd³ to cover spillage and over-dig. Ready-mix suppliers charge per yd³ with a short-load fee under 5 yd³.
Mulch, topsoil, and gravel
Landscaping materials cover area based on depth. 1 yd³ of mulch covers 108 ft² at 3 inches deep, 162 ft² at 2 inches, or 324 ft² at 1 inch. For the example: 3 yd³ = 81 ft³ covers 400 ft² at 2.4 inches, a typical garden bed refresh. Topsoil weighs roughly 2,000 lb per yd³; gravel runs 2,800–3,400 lb per yd³.
Truck capacity and delivery
A standard dump truck holds 10–14 yd³ (270–378 ft³) of loose material. Pickup trucks fit 1–3 yd³ depending on bed size: a short bed holds about 1.5 yd³ of mulch heaped. Concrete trucks deliver up to 10 yd³ per full load. Always verify with the supplier; some yards quote "loose yards" which include fluff versus compacted yards.
Conversion table
| Cubic yards (yd³) | Cubic feet (ft³) |
|---|---|
| 1 yd³ | 27 ft³ |
| 2 yd³ | 54 ft³ |
| 3 yd³ | 81 ft³ |
| 5 yd³ | 135 ft³ |
| 10 yd³ | 270 ft³ |
| 15 yd³ | 405 ft³ |
| 25 yd³ | 675 ft³ |
| 100 yd³ | 2,700 ft³ |
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet exactly. Since 1 yard = 3 feet and volume scales as the cube: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. So 2 yd³ = 54 ft³, 5 yd³ = 135 ft³, 10 yd³ = 270 ft³. This ratio holds for any material: concrete, mulch, topsoil, sand, gravel.
How much mulch do I need for a 400 ft² garden?
At 3 inches deep (typical refresh): 400 × 0.25 ft = 100 ft³ = 3.7 yd³, order 4 yd³. At 2 inches deep: 400 × 0.167 = 66.7 ft³ = 2.47 yd³, order 2.5 yd³. The 3 yd³ example covers 400 ft² at about 2.4 inches deep, a common middle-ground thickness for established beds.
How much concrete do I need for a driveway?
A 20 ft × 40 ft driveway at 4 inches thick: 20 × 40 × 0.333 = 266.7 ft³ = 9.88 yd³, round up to 10.5 yd³ with spillage. At 5 inches: 12.35 yd³, order 13 yd³. Ready-mix concrete costs roughly $140–$180 per yd³ plus short-load and delivery fees.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
Weight depends on material. Loose mulch: 700–1,000 lb/yd³. Topsoil: 1,800–2,200 lb/yd³ (dry to wet). Gravel: 2,800–3,400 lb/yd³. Sand: 2,600–3,000 lb/yd³. Concrete: about 4,050 lb/yd³ (heavy, load capacity matters). A full pickup bed of gravel can exceed the vehicle's payload rating, so half-loads are common.
How do I convert cubic yards to cubic meters?
1 cubic yard = 0.7646 cubic meters (1 yd = 0.9144 m, cubed). Multiply yd³ by 0.7646 to get m³, or divide m³ by 0.7646 (multiply by 1.308) to go the other way. Example: 10 yd³ = 7.65 m³; 5 m³ = 6.54 yd³. Most US landscape and concrete suppliers quote yd³ only; metric conversions matter for imported equipment specs.
Convert between cubic yards (yd³) and cubic feet (ft³) for US concrete, mulch, topsoil, and gravel orders. The converter runs both directions and shows equivalent volume in cubic meters, gallons, liters, and bushels. One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet because 1 yd = 3 ft, and volume scales as the cube of the linear ratio. Example 1: 3 yd³ of mulch = 81 ft³ covers a 400 ft² garden bed at about 2.4 inches deep. Example 2: a 20 × 20 ft patio slab at 4 inches thick is 133.3 ft³ ÷ 27 = 4.94 yd³ of ready-mix concrete, order 5.5 yd³ with spillage. FAQ covers concrete driveway math, mulch depth coverage, cubic yard weights by material, and metric equivalents.