To find cubic yards, multiply length × width × depth in feet and divide by 27. One cubic yard is a 3 × 3 × 3 ft cube, 27 cubic feet. It covers 108 square feet at 3 inches deep. Dry dirt weighs roughly 0.95–1.1 tons per yard and gravel 1.35–1.5 tons.
It is for anyone ordering topsoil, fill, gravel, crusher run, sand, mulch or concrete. You need the area's shape and dimensions and the depth; it returns cubic yards, cubic feet, cubic meters, an estimated weight in US tons and metric tonnes, bags needed and wheelbarrow loads.
Mulch calc: combine several garden beds
Open the mulch preset or choose multiple beds to enter one rectangle per line. Each row includes length, width and depth in the units selected. The calculator sums all volumes before applying your extra percentage. Keep overlapping areas separate so you do not count the same ground twice.
Two beds measuring 20 × 10 feet and 10 × 5 feet, both 3 inches deep, need (200 + 50) × 3 ÷ 12 = 62.5 cubic feet, or 2.31 cubic yards before extra. At 10% extra, that is 68.75 cubic feet, 2.55 cubic yards, or 35 whole 2-cubic-foot bags. The example depth and extra are user-selected planning assumptions.
How much gravel do I need, and what will it cost?
Use the gravel estimate preset for volume and an indicative weight range. The volume formula is unchanged; material density affects weight. Ask your supplier for density and whether the quoted quantity is loose or compacted.
Compare your own bulk price per cubic yard with a bag volume and price per bag. The bulk calculation is cubic yards × price per yard; bag cost is ceil(cubic feet ÷ bag volume) × bag price. For 62.5 cubic feet at an example 40 per yard, bulk material costs 92.59. At 4 per 2-cubic-foot bag, 32 bags cost 128.00. These are illustrative prices in the same currency, excluding delivery, tax and minimum orders.
Figuring mulch: the quick formula
Cubic yards of mulch = square feet × depth in inches ÷ 324. The 324 is 27 ft³ per yard × 12 inches per foot. Bags are sold by cubic feet, so for 2 cu ft bags divide square feet × depth in inches by 24 (12 in × 2 ft³). Penn State Extension recommends 2–4 inches of organic mulch and no more, using less on poorly drained soil, and 1–2 inches for fine or double-shredded mulch. Keep mulch pulled back from tree trunks.
| Area | 1 in deep | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 ft² | 0.15 yd³ / 3 bags | 0.31 yd³ / 5 bags | 0.46 yd³ / 7 bags | 0.62 yd³ / 9 bags |
| 100 ft² | 0.31 yd³ / 5 bags | 0.62 yd³ / 9 bags | 0.93 yd³ / 13 bags | 1.23 yd³ / 17 bags |
| 200 ft² | 0.62 yd³ / 9 bags | 1.23 yd³ / 17 bags | 1.85 yd³ / 25 bags | 2.47 yd³ / 34 bags |
| 300 ft² | 0.93 yd³ / 13 bags | 1.85 yd³ / 25 bags | 2.78 yd³ / 38 bags | 3.7 yd³ / 50 bags |
| 400 ft² | 1.23 yd³ / 17 bags | 2.47 yd³ / 34 bags | 3.7 yd³ / 50 bags | 4.94 yd³ / 67 bags |
| 500 ft² | 1.54 yd³ / 21 bags | 3.09 yd³ / 42 bags | 4.63 yd³ / 63 bags | 6.17 yd³ / 84 bags |
| 750 ft² | 2.31 yd³ / 32 bags | 4.63 yd³ / 63 bags | 6.94 yd³ / 94 bags | 9.26 yd³ / 125 bags |
| 1,000 ft² | 3.09 yd³ / 42 bags | 6.17 yd³ / 84 bags | 9.26 yd³ / 125 bags | 12.35 yd³ / 167 bags |
| 1,500 ft² | 4.63 yd³ / 63 bags | 9.26 yd³ / 125 bags | 13.89 yd³ / 188 bags | 18.52 yd³ / 250 bags |
| 2,000 ft² | 6.17 yd³ / 84 bags | 12.35 yd³ / 167 bags | 18.52 yd³ / 250 bags | 24.69 yd³ / 334 bags |
Going the other way, one cubic yard of mulch covers 162 ft² at 2 in, 108 ft² at 3 in and 81 ft² at 4 in. If you are topping up old mulch, measure the depth you are adding, not the total depth.
Gravel calculator in tons: yards to tons and tons to yards
Quarries often sell gravel by the ton, while a calculator gives yards. To convert, use tons = yd³ × lb per yd³ ÷ 2,000 and yd³ = tons × 2,000 ÷ lb per yd³. US Army FM 5-434 (Table 1-2) puts loose gravel at 2,700–3,000 lb per yd³ dry and 2,800–3,100 lb wet. The table uses the dry range, and the calculator above shows tons for any volume you enter.
| Cubic yards | US tons | US tons | Cubic yards | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 yd³ | 0.68–0.75 | 1 tn | 0.67–0.74 yd³ | |
| 1 yd³ | 1.35–1.5 | 2 tn | 1.33–1.48 yd³ | |
| 2 yd³ | 2.7–3 | 3 tn | 2–2.22 yd³ | |
| 3 yd³ | 4.05–4.5 | 5 tn | 3.33–3.7 yd³ | |
| 5 yd³ | 6.75–7.5 | 10 tn | 6.67–7.41 yd³ | |
| 10 yd³ | 13.5–15 | 15 tn | 10–11.11 yd³ | |
| 15 yd³ | 20.25–22.5 | 20 tn | 13.33–14.81 yd³ | |
| 20 yd³ | 27–30 | 25 tn | 16.67–18.52 yd³ |
So one ton of gravel is about 0.67–0.74 cubic yards. Crushed stone that will be compacted needs more than its finished volume, so order those jobs by weight with your supplier's compacted factor. Wet gravel weighs more, so a ton of wet material is fewer yards.
How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
A cubic yard of normal-weight concrete weighs about 3,780–4,185 lb (1.89–2.09 US tons), usually around 3,915 lb. FHWA's concrete bridge primer gives normal-weight concrete a density of 0.140–0.155 kips per cubic foot (140–155 lb/ft³), with 0.145 kcf typical, and a yard is 27 ft³. Half a yard is about 1,958 lb, and a 10-yard truckload carries roughly 19.6 tons of concrete. To work out how many yards to order for a slab, footing or post holes, plus bag counts, use the concrete calculator.
| Concrete | lb (140–155 lb/ft³) | US tons |
|---|---|---|
| 0.25 yd³ | 945–1,046 | 0.47–0.52 |
| 0.5 yd³ | 1,890–2,093 | 0.95–1.05 |
| 1 yd³ | 3,780–4,185 | 1.89–2.09 |
| 2 yd³ | 7,560–8,370 | 3.78–4.19 |
| 3 yd³ | 11,340–12,555 | 5.67–6.28 |
| 5 yd³ | 18,900–20,925 | 9.45–10.46 |
| 10 yd³ | 37,800–41,850 | 18.9–20.93 |
How to use this calculator
- Pick the area shape: rectangle, circle (enter the diameter), triangle (base and height) or a known area in square feet, yards or meters.
- Enter the depth in inches, feet or centimeters.
- Add a percentage for waste or settling if you want extra (leave 0 for the exact volume).
- Choose the material. Pick "Other" to enter your supplier's weight per cubic foot.
- Read cubic yards, weight, bag counts and wheelbarrow loads. The chart compares what the same volume weighs in each material.
How it's calculated
Volume = area × depth. Area is length × width for a rectangle, π × (diameter ÷ 2)² for a circle, and base × height ÷ 2 for a triangle. Everything is converted to meters first (1 ft = 0.3048 m and 1 in = 0.0254 m exactly), then divided by 0.764 554 857 984 m³, the exact size of a cubic yard in NIST Handbook 44. Weight = cubic yards × pounds per cubic yard; US tons = pounds ÷ 2,000 and tonnes = pounds × 0.45359237 ÷ 1,000.
How much is a yard of dirt?
When a landscape yard sells you "a yard" of dirt, soil or gravel, it means a cubic yard of volume, not a linear yard. It's enough to fill a 3 ft cube, or to spread over 108 ft² at 3 inches, 81 ft² at 4 inches or 54 ft² at 6 inches. Price is set by the supplier; weight depends on the material and how wet it is.
| Depth | Area covered by 1 yd³ |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 ft² |
| 2 in | 162 ft² |
| 3 in | 108 ft² |
| 4 in | 81 ft² |
| 6 in | 54 ft² |
| 12 in | 27 ft² |
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
These are loose, as-delivered ranges from government sources. The calculator uses the midpoint and shows the range. Moisture, grain size and compaction all move the number, so for a truck-weight limit ask the supplier for their figure.
| Material | lb per yd³ | US tons per yd³ | Tonnes per yd³ | yd³ per US ton | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil or fill dirt, dry | 1,900–2,200 | 0.95–1.1 | 0.86–1 | 0.91–1.05 | US Army FM 5-434 |
| Topsoil or fill dirt, wet | 2,800–3,200 | 1.4–1.6 | 1.27–1.45 | 0.63–0.71 | US Army FM 5-434 |
| Pea gravel or river rock | 2,700–3,000 | 1.35–1.5 | 1.22–1.36 | 0.67–0.74 | US Army FM 5-434 |
| Crusher run, loose | 2,430–2,808 | 1.22–1.4 | 1.1–1.27 | 0.71–0.82 | WisDOT 0092-22-05 |
| Crusher run, compacted | 3,500–4,200 | 1.75–2.1 | 1.59–1.91 | 0.48–0.57 | WisDOT 0092-22-05 |
| Sand, dry | 2,600–2,900 | 1.3–1.45 | 1.18–1.32 | 0.69–0.77 | US Army FM 5-434 |
| Sand, wet | 2,800–3,100 | 1.4–1.55 | 1.27–1.41 | 0.65–0.71 | US Army FM 5-434 |
| Mulch or wood chips | 243–473 | 0.12–0.24 | 0.11–0.21 | 4.23–8.23 | US EPA 2016 |
| Concrete (fresh) | 3,780–4,185 | 1.89–2.09 | 1.71–1.9 | 0.48–0.53 | FHWA (PCA data) |
Topsoil and fill dirt use FM 5-434's "earth (loam or silt)" row. Pea gravel and river rock use its "gravel, dry" row. Crusher run loose uses WisDOT's measured loose dry unit weights for dense-graded base (90–104 lb/ft³); compacted uses WisDOT's statewide conversion factors of 1.75–2.1 tons per cubic yard. Crushed (reclaimed) concrete isn't listed: FHWA reports a mean dry density of 129 lb/ft³ (about 3,483 lb per yard), lighter than virgin stone because of the old mortar attached — use your supplier's figure with “Other”.
Converting cubic yards to tons
Tons = cubic yards × lb per yd³ ÷ 2,000, and cubic yards = tons × 2,000 ÷ lb per yd³. The table uses the midpoint weight of each material, so treat it as an estimate for loose, as-delivered material:
| Material | 1 yd³ | 2 yd³ | 5 yd³ | 10 yd³ | 1 ton = | 10 tons = |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topsoil or fill dirt, dry | 1 tn | 2.1 tn | 5.1 tn | 10.3 tn | 0.98 yd³ | 9.8 yd³ |
| Topsoil or fill dirt, wet | 1.5 tn | 3 tn | 7.5 tn | 15 tn | 0.67 yd³ | 6.7 yd³ |
| Pea gravel or river rock | 1.4 tn | 2.9 tn | 7.1 tn | 14.3 tn | 0.7 yd³ | 7 yd³ |
| Crusher run, loose | 1.3 tn | 2.6 tn | 6.5 tn | 13.1 tn | 0.76 yd³ | 7.6 yd³ |
| Crusher run, compacted | 1.9 tn | 3.9 tn | 9.6 tn | 19.3 tn | 0.52 yd³ | 5.2 yd³ |
| Sand, dry | 1.4 tn | 2.8 tn | 6.9 tn | 13.8 tn | 0.73 yd³ | 7.3 yd³ |
| Sand, wet | 1.5 tn | 3 tn | 7.4 tn | 14.8 tn | 0.68 yd³ | 6.8 yd³ |
| Mulch or wood chips | 0.2 tn | 0.4 tn | 0.9 tn | 1.8 tn | 5.59 yd³ | 55.9 yd³ |
| Concrete (fresh) | 2 tn | 4 tn | 10 tn | 19.9 tn | 0.5 yd³ | 5 yd³ |
Ordering by volume or by weight
How many yards fit in a gravel truck depends on the truck's legal payload, not its bed size, because stone is heavy. A load ticketed at 10 tons of dry gravel is 6.7–7.4 yd³; the same 10 tons of mulch would be a huge pile. Light materials like mulch sell by the yard; stone and base often sell by the ton.
Volume also changes with handling. WisDOT measured 34–52% expansion from compacted to loose for dense-graded base, so a yard of compacted driveway base takes well over a yard of loose stone from the pile. For anything that will be compacted, calculate the finished (in-place) volume and order by weight using a compacted factor, as in the driveway example below. For topsoil and mulch that you just spread, a waste or settling percentage in the calculator is enough.
Worked examples
Topsoil for a raised bed: 20 × 10 ft, 6 in deep
20 × 10 × 0.5 = 100 ft³ ÷ 27 = 3.7 yd³. Dry, that's 3.52–4.07 tons; wet, 5.19–5.93 tons.
Pea gravel path: 30 × 3 ft, 3 in deep
30 × 3 × 0.25 = 22.5 ft³ = 0.83 yd³, about 1.13–1.25 tons, or 45 bags if you buy 0.5 cu ft bags.
Mulch for 200 ft² of beds at 3 in
200 × 0.25 = 50 ft³ = 1.85 yd³. In bags: 25 × 2 cu ft or 17 × 3 cu ft. Penn State Extension advises 2–4 inches of organic mulch and no more, and 1–2 inches for fine or double-shredded mulch or poorly drained soil.
Crusher run driveway: 40 × 10 ft, 4 in compacted
4.94 yd³ in place. At WisDOT's compacted factors that is 8.64–10.37 tons to order. Loose, the same stone fills more room: WisDOT measured 34–52% expansion from compacted to loose for dense-graded base, which is why you order compacted jobs by weight.
Concrete slab: 12 × 10 ft, 4 in thick
1.48 yd³, weighing about 2.8–3.1 tons at 140–155 lb/ft³. For bagged mix, divide 40 ft³ by the yield printed on your bag.
Circle around a tree: 8 ft across, 3 in of mulch
π × 4² × 0.25 = 12.6 ft³ = 0.47 yd³, or 7 bags of 2 cu ft.
Bags, wheelbarrows and trucks
- Bags per cubic yard: 13.5 × 2 cu ft, 9 × 3 cu ft, 18 × 1.5 cu ft, 54 × 0.5 cu ft. Bags are sold by volume, so this holds for mulch, soil and gravel.
- Wheelbarrows per yard: 27 ÷ capacity. Stone is heavy: a full 6 ft³ load of dry gravel is roughly 633 lb, so you may need part loads. The calculator shows the weight per load.
- Bulk vs bagged: bags are easier for small jobs; above a yard or two, compare the bag count with the price of a bulk delivery.
Common mistakes
- Entering depth in inches as feet. 3 inches is 0.25 ft, not 3 ft. Use the depth unit selector.
- Forgetting settling and compaction. Loose soil and gravel settle after spreading and raking. Add a percentage, or order compacted base by weight.
- Using one weight for every material. A yard of mulch weighs a fraction of a yard of sand. Weight only matters for delivery limits, trailers and pay-by-ton pricing.
- Mixing up tons. A US (short) ton is 2,000 lb; a metric tonne is 1,000 kg, about 2,204.6 lb.
- Measuring the average of a sloped area wrong. For uneven depth, measure several spots and use the average.
Pouring concrete? The concrete calculator handles slabs, footings, walls, columns and steps, and the concrete slab cost calculator prices the job. For block walls and core fill, see the cinder block calculator.
For boxes, tanks or rooms use the cubic feet calculator; for edging or fencing along the bed, the linear feet calculator; and for liquids, the weight per gallon calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a yard of dirt?
A yard of dirt means one cubic yard: a cube 3 ft on each side, or 27 cubic feet. Spread 3 inches deep it covers 108 square feet. Dry loose topsoil or fill dirt weighs about 1,900–2,200 lb per cubic yard and wet dirt 2,800–3,200 lb, per US Army FM 5-434.
How big is a cubic yard?
3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, which is 27 cubic feet, 46,656 cubic inches or 0.7646 cubic meters. It is a unit of volume, so a yard of mulch, soil or gravel takes the same space — only the weight changes.
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft (buy 14), 9 bags of 3 cu ft, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
How much does a yard of gravel weigh?
Dry loose gravel weighs about 2,700–3,000 lb per cubic yard, or 1.35–1.5 US tons (US Army FM 5-434, Table 1-2). Wet gravel is a little heavier.
How much does a yard of sand weigh?
Dry loose sand weighs about 2,600–2,900 lb per cubic yard (1.3–1.45 tons), and wet sand 2,800–3,100 lb (1.4–1.55 tons), per US Army FM 5-434.
What is the weight of a yard of concrete?
Normal-weight concrete is 140–155 lb per cubic foot (FHWA HIF-19-067 gives 0.140–0.155 kips per cubic foot), so one cubic yard weighs 3,780–4,185 lb, about 1.89–2.09 US tons. Lightweight structural concrete is lighter; the mix ticket gives your supplier's figure.
How many cubic yards are in a ton?
It depends on the material, because a ton is a weight and a yard is a volume. One US ton is about 0.91–1.05 yd³ of dry dirt, 0.69–0.77 yd³ of dry sand, 0.67–0.74 yd³ of gravel and 4.23–8.23 yd³ of wood-chip mulch. To convert, multiply cubic yards by the pounds per cubic yard and divide by 2,000; tons to yards is tons × 2,000 ÷ pounds per cubic yard.
How much does a yard of mulch weigh?
EPA volume-to-weight factors put wood chips at 243 lb per cubic yard dry and 473 lb green (fresh, wet). Bark and shredded mulches vary, so weigh or ask your supplier if weight matters.
How many wheelbarrows are in a yard?
Divide 27 by your wheelbarrow's capacity in cubic feet. With a 6 cu ft barrow that is 4.5 level loads, so 5 trips; with a 4 cu ft barrow, 6.75 loads, so 7 trips.
How do you figure mulch?
Multiply the bed area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324. For 500 ft² at 3 in: 500 × 3 ÷ 324 = 4.63 cubic yards, or 63 bags of 2 cu ft. Penn State Extension recommends 2–4 inches of organic mulch, and 1–2 inches of fine or double-shredded mulch.
How many yards of mulch do I need for 1,000 square feet?
At 2 in deep, 6.17 yd³; at 3 in, 9.26 yd³; at 4 in, 12.35 yd³. In 2 cu ft bags that is 84, 125 or 167 bags.
How many yards are in a ton of gravel?
About 0.67–0.74 cubic yards of dry loose gravel, using US Army FM 5-434's 2,700–3,000 lb per yard. Put the other way, a yard of gravel weighs 1.35–1.5 tons, so 10 tons is roughly 7 yd³.
How do I calculate gravel in tons?
Find cubic yards (length × width × depth in ft ÷ 27), then multiply by the weight per yard and divide by 2,000. For a 20 × 10 ft area 4 in deep: 2.47 yd³ × 2,850 lb ÷ 2,000 = 3.52 tons of dry gravel. The calculator shows tons next to cubic yards.
How much does a yard of concrete weigh?
About 3,780–4,185 lb, or 1.89–2.09 US tons. FHWA gives normal-weight concrete a density of 140–155 lb/ft³, and 1 yd³ is 27 ft³. At the typical 145 lb/ft³, a yard weighs 3,915 lb.
How do I use this as a crushed concrete calculator?
Pick "Other" and enter your supplier's weight per cubic foot. As a starting estimate, FHWA reports a mean dry density of 129 lb/ft³ for reclaimed (crushed) concrete from stockpiles in a Long Island study — about 1.74 tons per cubic yard, or 0.57 yd³ per ton. Crushed concrete is lighter than virgin stone because of the old mortar stuck to it.
Sources & method
- NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C — 1 yd³ = 27 ft³ = 0.764 554 857 984 m³; short ton = 2,000 lb
- US Army FM 5-434 Earthmoving Operations (2000), Table 1-2 — loose weights of earth, gravel and sand
- Wisconsin DOT research report 0092-22-05 (2023) — weight-volume conversion factors for aggregates
- US EPA, Volume-to-Weight Conversion Factors (April 2016) — wood chips
- FHWA HIF-19-067 Lightweight Concrete Bridge Design Primer (2021) — normal-weight concrete 0.140–0.155 kcf
- FHWA-RD-97-148 — Reclaimed concrete material: properties (dry density, specific gravity)
- Penn State Extension — Mulching Landscape Trees (2–4 in depth)
Results are estimates for general information. Found an error? It helps everyone — see our methodology.