How Do You Convert Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards?
Divide the number of cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. The formula is: Cubic Yards = Cubic Feet / 27. This works because one yard equals 3 feet, and a cubic yard is 3 x 3 x 3 = 27 cubic feet. To convert back, multiply cubic yards by 27.
Dana Kowalski orders materials for construction projects around Pinewood Falls almost every week. When she measured the area for a new concrete patio at Coach Rivera's house, the slab came out to 162 cubic feet. She divided 162 by 27 to get 6 cubic yards and called the ready-mix plant to schedule a delivery. She always adds 10% extra, so she ordered 6.6 cubic yards to account for spillage and slight variations in the ground.
Volume Reference Table
| Cubic Feet | Cubic Yards | Typical Use |
|---|---|---|
| 13.5 | 0.5 | Small garden bed mulch layer |
| 27 | 1 | Raised garden bed fill |
| 54 | 2 | Patio foundation gravel |
| 81 | 3 | Small concrete slab (4 ft x 6 ft x 4 in thick) |
| 135 | 5 | Single-car driveway gravel base |
| 270 | 10 | Standard concrete truck load |
| 540 | 20 | Large landscaping project |
| 810 | 30 | Foundation pour for small building |
| 1,350 | 50 | Commercial concrete slab |
| 2,700 | 100 | Large excavation or fill project |
Cubic Yards in Construction and Landscaping
Concrete Projects
Ready-mix concrete is sold exclusively by the cubic yard. A standard mixer truck carries about 10 cubic yards (270 cubic feet). To calculate how much concrete you need, measure the length, width, and thickness of your slab in feet, multiply them together, and divide by 27. Dana always reminds her clients that a typical 4-inch-thick sidewalk uses about 1 cubic yard for every 80 square feet of surface area.
Mulch and Soil
Garden centers and landscape suppliers sell mulch, topsoil, and compost by the cubic yard. One cubic yard of mulch covers about 162 square feet at 2 inches deep, or 108 square feet at 3 inches deep. When Dana built raised beds for Leah's bakery herb garden behind the shop, she calculated 4 beds at 4 ft x 8 ft x 1 ft deep each, totaling 128 cubic feet, or 4.74 cubic yards of garden soil mix.
Gravel and Aggregate
Gravel for driveways, drainage, and foundations is ordered by the cubic yard. One cubic yard of gravel weighs approximately 2,800 pounds (1.4 tons) depending on the type and moisture. A standard dump truck can carry 10 to 14 cubic yards per load. When ordering gravel, Dana recommends calculating exact cubic footage first, converting to cubic yards, and then rounding up to the nearest half yard to ensure full coverage.