How we calculate
Every YardsCubed calculator runs on the same engine. This page lists each step and every figure it uses, so you can check the numbers or swap in your supplier's.
1. Area
- Rectangle: length × width.
- Circle: 3.1416 × (diameter ÷ 2)².
- Triangle (square footage calculator): base × height ÷ 2, with the height measured square to the base.
- Known area: the number you enter. Use it for odd shapes you have split into simpler pieces and added up.
Feet and inches are combined first (12 ft 6 in = 12.5 ft). Metric inputs use metres for length and centimetres for depth.
The square footage calculator stops here. It adds up any sections you enter, applies the extra you choose for cuts and waste, and converts: 1 square yard = 9 ft², 1 m² = 10.764 ft² (1 ft = 0.3048 m exactly), 1 acre = 43,560 ft².
2. Volume
Volume = area × depth, then × the number of identical areas where a calculator asks "How many". In imperial, depth in inches is divided by 12 to get feet. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and 0.7646 cubic metres.
3. Compaction or settling
Some materials take up less room once they are placed. Road base and stone dust pack down under a plate compactor; topsoil and raised bed mix settle after watering. For those materials the volume is multiplied by the allowance shown below, so you order enough to reach the finished depth.
4. Overage
The overage you enter (10% by default) covers spillage and uneven ground. It is applied after compaction.
5. Weight and bags
Weight = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard for the material. Bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size, rounded up to whole bags. US tons are 2,000 lb; metric tonnes are 1,000 kg (1 ton = 0.9072 t).
Every figure we use
Gravel Calculator
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Compaction or settling | Bag size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crushed stone (3/4" clear) | 1.35 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Packing base (road base, 3/4" minus) | 1.40 | +15% | 0.5 cu ft |
| Pea gravel | 1.40 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Drain rock (1.5" clear) | 1.30 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| River rock | 1.30 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Decomposed granite | 1.30 | +10% | 0.5 cu ft |
Mulch Calculator
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Compaction or settling | Bag size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded hardwood mulch | 0.30 | None | 2 cu ft |
| Bark nuggets | 0.25 | None | 2 cu ft |
| Cedar mulch | 0.25 | None | 2 cu ft |
| Wood chips (arborist) | 0.30 | None | 2 cu ft |
| Dyed mulch (black, brown, red) | 0.30 | None | 2 cu ft |
| Rubber mulch | 0.35 | None | 0.8 cu ft |
| Playground wood fiber | 0.25 | None | 2 cu ft |
Topsoil Calculator
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Compaction or settling | Bag size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screened topsoil | 1.10 | +10% | 0.75 cu ft |
| Garden soil (topsoil and compost blend) | 1.00 | +10% | 1 cu ft |
| Compost | 0.55 | None | 1 cu ft |
| Raised bed mix | 0.80 | +15% | 1.5 cu ft |
| Fill dirt | 1.20 | +20% | 0.75 cu ft |
Sand Calculator
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Compaction or settling | Bag size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete sand (coarse, washed) | 1.35 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Mason sand (fine) | 1.35 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Play sand | 1.30 | None | 0.5 cu ft |
| Stone dust (screenings) | 1.40 | +10% | 0.5 cu ft |
| Fill sand | 1.40 | +15% | 0.5 cu ft |
Concrete Calculator
| Material | Tons / yd³ | Compaction or settling | Bag yields |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concrete | 2.00 | None | 80 lb: 0.6 ft³ 60 lb: 0.45 ft³ 40 lb: 0.3 ft³ 30 kg: 0.5 ft³ |
Rounding
Results are shown to two decimal places, and to one decimal in sentences. Bag counts round up to the next whole bag. The suggested order in a copied estimate rounds up to the next half yard (a quarter yard for concrete), which is how most suppliers sell bulk material.
Where the figures come from
- Gravel, sand and soil weights: typical loose densities published on North American quarry and landscape supplier price sheets. These vary by source and moisture.
- Mulch depths: Clemson Extension and Iowa State Extension.
- Playground surfacing depth: CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook.
- Concrete bag yields: manufacturer product data such as QUIKRETE Concrete Mix.
- Area conversions: NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.9.
- Gravel road and base guidance: Penn State's Center for Dirt and Gravel Road Studies.
Last reviewed November 2026. Found a figure that doesn't match your supplier's? Tell us.