How to Calculate Cubic Yards of Soil

Cubic Yards of Soil Calculator

Feet Inches Yards

Feet Inches Yards

Inches Feet Yards

function convertToFeet(value, unit) { if (unit === "inches") { return value / 12; } else if (unit === "yards") { return value * 3; } else { // feet return value; } } function calculateCubicYards() { var length = parseFloat(document.getElementById("lengthInput").value); var width = parseFloat(document.getElementById("widthInput").value); var depth = parseFloat(document.getElementById("depthInput").value); var lengthUnit = document.getElementById("lengthUnit").value; var widthUnit = document.getElementById("widthUnit").value; var depthUnit = document.getElementById("depthUnit").value; var resultDiv = document.getElementById("result"); if (isNaN(length) || isNaN(width) || isNaN(depth) || length <= 0 || width <= 0 || depth <= 0) { resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = '#ffe0e0'; resultDiv.style.borderColor = '#ffc0c0'; resultDiv.innerHTML = "Please enter valid positive numbers for all dimensions."; return; } var lengthInFeet = convertToFeet(length, lengthUnit); var widthInFeet = convertToFeet(width, widthUnit); var depthInFeet = convertToFeet(depth, depthUnit); var volumeCubicFeet = lengthInFeet * widthInFeet * depthInFeet; var volumeCubicYards = volumeCubicFeet / 27; // 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet resultDiv.style.backgroundColor = '#e9f7ff'; resultDiv.style.borderColor = '#cceeff'; resultDiv.innerHTML = "You will need approximately " + volumeCubicYards.toFixed(2) + " cubic yards of soil."; }

Understanding Cubic Yards for Soil Projects

When planning a landscaping or gardening project that involves adding soil, mulch, gravel, or compost, understanding cubic yards is crucial. A cubic yard is a standard unit of volume used to measure bulk materials. It represents the volume of a cube that is one yard (3 feet or 36 inches) long, one yard wide, and one yard deep.

Why Calculate Cubic Yards?

Calculating the correct amount of soil prevents over-ordering, which can lead to wasted material and money, or under-ordering, which causes delays and additional delivery fees. Whether you're filling a raised garden bed, leveling a yard, or creating new planting areas, knowing the precise volume ensures your project stays on budget and on schedule.

The Formula for Cubic Yards

The basic principle for calculating volume is Length × Width × Depth. To get the result in cubic yards, all your measurements must first be converted into feet, and then the total cubic feet are divided by 27 (since 1 yard = 3 feet, 1 cubic yard = 3ft × 3ft × 3ft = 27 cubic feet).

Volume (Cubic Yards) = (Length in Feet × Width in Feet × Depth in Feet) / 27

How to Use the Calculator

1. Measure Length: Determine the longest dimension of the area you need to fill. Enter this value into the "Length of Area" field and select its unit (feet, inches, or yards).
2. Measure Width: Measure the perpendicular dimension to the length. Enter this value into the "Width of Area" field and select its unit.
3. Determine Depth: Decide how deep you want the soil to be. This is often specified in inches for garden beds (e.g., 4-6 inches) or feet for larger fills. Enter this value into the "Desired Soil Depth" field and select its unit.
4. Calculate: Click the "Calculate Cubic Yards" button. The result will show you the estimated cubic yards of soil required.

Realistic Examples

Let's look at a few common scenarios:

• Raised Garden Bed: You have a raised garden bed that is 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and you want to fill it with 12 inches (1 foot) of soil.
  Length: 8 ft, Width: 4 ft, Depth: 12 inches (1 ft)
  Calculation: (8 × 4 × 1) / 27 = 32 / 27 ≈ 1.19 cubic yards
• New Flower Bed: You're creating a new flower bed that is 20 feet long, 5 feet wide, and you need 6 inches of topsoil.
  Length: 20 ft, Width: 5 ft, Depth: 6 inches (0.5 ft)
  Calculation: (20 × 5 × 0.5) / 27 = 50 / 27 ≈ 1.85 cubic yards
• Leveling a Small Area: You need to level an area 15 feet by 10 feet with an average depth of 3 inches of soil.
  Length: 15 ft, Width: 10 ft, Depth: 3 inches (0.25 ft)
  Calculation: (15 × 10 × 0.25) / 27 = 37.5 / 27 ≈ 1.39 cubic yards

Important Considerations

• Compaction: Soil can compact over time, especially after watering. It's often recommended to order an extra 5-10% to account for this.
• Irregular Shapes: For irregularly shaped areas, try to break them down into simpler rectangles or squares, calculate each section, and then add the volumes together.
• Material Type: Different materials (topsoil, compost, gravel) have different densities, but the volume calculation remains the same.

By using this calculator and understanding the principles, you can confidently order the right amount of soil for your next project!