Cubic Yard Calculator: Bulk Material Volume
When a supplier quotes delivery in cubic yards, convert your bed area and fill depth here before you call the yard office.
Cubic yard delivery worksheet
| Item | Area | Size | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bagged material | 27 cu ft | 14 bags | |
| Loose bulk delivery | 1 cu yd | 1 cubic yard |
Assumptions
- Coverage area: 324 sq ft
- Depth: 1 in
- Volume: 27.00 cu ft
- Volume with waste: 27.00 cu ft
- Bag size: 2 cu ft per bag
- Loose bulk sold in half-yard increments
Supplies checklist
- Landscape fabric (optional)
- Edging or border
- Wheelbarrow or garden cart
- Rake for spreading
Estimates only. Check the coverage figure on your product before buying.
The Handy Pages · thehandypages.com
Ordering bulk by the cubic yard
Dump trucks need a clear path without low branches or soft lawn ruts. Measure gate width if the driver must enter a backyard.
Many landscape yards sell in half-yard steps with a minimum delivery fee. Round up in conversation with the office, but keep your worksheet numbers honest for comparison shopping.
Stone, compost, and mulch share the same volume math even when weight per yard differs. Confirm whether the quote is loose cubic yards or tons if you are buying washed gravel.
About this volume estimate
Suppliers quote loose landscape material in cubic yards: 27 cubic feet per yard. This calculator converts your bed or path area plus fill depth into yards for a delivery ticket and into bag counts if you are hauling yourself.
Topsoil orders with grass seed in mind belong on the topsoil calculator. Poured concrete and post holes belong on the concrete calculator. This page does not include a mulch color-depth chart.
Worked example: 324 square feet at 1 inch deep equals one cubic yard of volume. Adjust area and depth in the controls below.
Handy gear for spreading mulch and soil
- Landscape or garden rake for leveling beds and gravel (opens in new tab)
- Heavy-duty work gloves for bags, stone, and rough mulch (opens in new tab)
- Wheelbarrow or yard cart for moving bulk from the pile (opens in new tab)
- Knee pads or a garden kneeler for low bed work (opens in new tab)
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