Free Tool | Yardage Calculator

Yardage
Calculator.

Calculate how many cubic yards of compost, topsoil, mulch, gravel, road base, or decorative rock you need. Enter length, width, and depth. The tool rounds up to the nearest whole yard so you do not come up short. Free to use, no signup, no email gate.

Cubic Yard Calculator

Get your yardage in one minute.

Enter the length, width, and depth of the area you need to cover. The calculator returns total cubic yards rounded up to the nearest whole yard.

Enter your dimensions


Total

Need a different shape? Try our circular area calculator or triangular area calculator.

How the Calculator Works

Yards, not square feet.

Most landscape materials are sold by the cubic yard. One cubic yard is a 3 foot by 3 foot by 3 foot cube of material. A pickup truck bed holds roughly half a cubic yard for most materials, so a 1 yard order is about two pickup loads.

The formula: length (ft) x width (ft) x depth (in) converted to yards. Length and width get divided by 3 (to convert feet to yards). Depth gets divided by 36 (to convert inches to yards). The result is total cubic yards.

The calculator rounds up to the next whole yard. Always order slightly more than you think you need. Settling, spillage, and waste typically run 5 to 10 percent on top of the math. Coming back for one extra yard costs more than ordering one extra yard up front.

Common Project Sizes

Yardage estimates for typical Utah projects.

Quick reference for the projects we deliver to most. Use the calculator above for exact figures.

Project 01

New Lawn Install

Area1,000 sf
Depth3″
MaterialTopsoil
Yards9-10 yd

Standard residential front-yard lawn install. 1,000 square feet at 3 inches of new topsoil. Add a few yards if you are grading low spots.

Project 02

Garden Bed Refresh

Area200 sf
Depth2″
MaterialBark Mulch
Yards1-2 yd

Foundation plantings or perennial beds. 200 square feet at 2 inches of fresh bark mulch. Most homeowners do this every spring.

Project 03

Gravel Driveway

Area12 x 40 ft
Depth4″
MaterialRoad Base
Yards6-8 yd

Standard single-car driveway base layer. 12 by 40 feet at 4 inches of compactable road base. Add another 2-3 yards if you want a top coat of 3/4 inch gravel.

Project 04

Paver Patio Base

Area300 sf
Depth6″
MaterialRoad Base
Yards5-6 yd

15 by 20 foot paver patio base layer. Deeper than driveways because of pedestrian load distribution. Add a thin sand layer on top of road base.

Project 05

Vegetable Garden Build

Area100 sf
Depth12″
MaterialCompost + Topsoil
Yards4 yd

4 by 25 foot raised garden bed at 12 inches deep. Mix half compost, half topsoil for best vegetable growth. Order 2 yards each.

Project 06

Xeriscape Rock Conversion

Area500 sf
Depth3″
MaterialDecorative Rock
Yards5-6 yd

Water-wise front yard conversion. 500 square feet of lawn replaced with decorative rock at 3 inches. Add weed barrier underneath.

Material Weights + Coverage

Not every yard weighs the same.

Cubic yard volume is constant (27 cubic feet), but weight varies wildly by material. Topsoil is heavy. Bark mulch is light. Check the truck capacity if you are ordering multiple yards.

Material Weight per Yard Coverage at 3″ Best Use
Bark Mulch~500 lb100 sfLandscape beds
Screened Compost~1,200 lb100 sfGarden amendment
Premium Topsoil~2,000 lb100 sfLawn install / fill
Road Base~2,700 lb100 sfDriveway base
Pea Gravel~2,700 lb100 sfPaths / drainage
Decorative Rock~2,800 lb80 sfXeriscape / accent
Fill Dirt~2,500 lb100 sfGrading / fill
Yardage Calculator FAQs

Common questions on cubic yard math.

How much area does one cubic yard cover?
At 3 inches deep, one cubic yard covers about 100 square feet. Half that at 6 inches, double at 1.5 inches. Decorative rock is closer to 80 sf per yard because of larger gaps.
How many cubic yards in a pickup truck?
A standard half-ton pickup bed holds about half a cubic yard of most materials safely. Heavy materials like wet topsoil or road base should not exceed half a yard per pickup, even though the bed could fit more volume.
How do I calculate yardage for a circular area?
Area equals pi times radius squared. For a 10 foot radius circle: 3.14 x 10 x 10 = 314 sf. Then 314 sf at 3 inches deep = about 3 cubic yards. Use the circular calculator for the math.
What is the formula for cubic yards?
Length (ft) x Width (ft) x Depth (in), then divide by 324 to get cubic yards. Example: 20 ft x 10 ft x 3 in = 600. Divide by 324 = 1.85 yards. Round up to 2 yards.
Should I order extra yardage to be safe?
Yes. Most landscapers order 5 to 10 percent extra to account for settling, spillage, and waste. Coming back for one extra yard usually costs more than ordering it up front.
Can Bubs help me figure out the right amount?
Yes. Call 801-230-5045 with your project dimensions and we will walk through it with you. We do not upsell. We will tell you the exact yardage and the cheapest way to get the material on site.
Ready to order?

Got your yardage? Call Bubba.

Flat rate per cubic yard plus a single delivery fee. Same-day to next-day delivery across the Wasatch Front and Back.

Family-owned since 2015 | Direct to Facility | Wasatch Front + Back