Understand a yard as a three-dimensional measure
A cubic yard is the space inside a cube three feet long, three feet wide and three feet high. It therefore contains 27 cubic feet. A square yard measures only surface area and cannot describe a truckload without a depth. This page takes a filled rectangle and converts its volume into the units commonly used for bulk delivery. It can describe soil, mulch or a box-shaped storage space without assuming a material density.
Turn a shallow layer into a delivery quantity
US cubic yards = length in feet × width in feet × depth in inches ÷ 324The divisor combines twelve inches per foot with twenty-seven cubic feet per cubic yard. Metric entries use metres for length and width, centimetres for depth, and cubic metres for truck capacity. The result always shows yards alongside metres and feet, making it possible to compare quotations without switching the form. The additional-volume percentage increases all three displayed volumes before trips are rounded upward.
A nine by six foot filled rectangle
A rectangle measuring 9 feet by 6 feet and filled 6 inches deep contains 27 cubic feet. That is exactly one cubic yard, or approximately 0.764555 cubic metres. A vehicle with two cubic yards of available volume can carry this quantity in one trip, subject to its legal weight limit. With a ten percent allowance, the quantity becomes 1.1 cubic yards. Fractions remain in the volume display because suppliers may sell partial loads.
Volume capacity does not establish payload
The trips result divides the requested volume by the entered capacity and rounds to the next whole trip. It assumes that capacity is usable for this material on every journey. Wet soil or aggregate can reach a vehicle's weight limit well before its bed is full. Check payload separately with the supplier, vehicle rating and actual density. For a wedge, mound or irregular excavation, rectangular dimensions may overstate the space; divide the shape into appropriate pieces instead. Measure the settled layer you need, and use a documented extra factor if delivered loose material changes volume after placement.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in one cubic yard?
There are exactly 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard. Divide cubic feet by 27 when converting a measured volume.
Is a yard of soil a weight?
No. A yard is a volume in this context. Soil weight depends on moisture and composition, and must be obtained separately.
Why is depth in inches?
Shallow landscaping layers are often specified in inches. The formula converts that depth to feet before converting the resulting volume to yards.
Can trips be fractional?
The volume may be fractional, but a delivery journey is counted as a whole trip. Any remaining material requires another journey.
Does this model a round pile?
No. It assumes rectangular filled dimensions. Use an appropriate shape equation or divide an irregular space into smaller measured sections.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-05 · How we calculate