Cubic Yards to Cubic Feet Conversion
Use one of the two dedicated tools below for exact volume conversion.
Definitions: Cubic Yards vs. Cubic Feet
A Cubic Yard (yd³) is an Imperial and US customary unit of volume. It equals the volume of a cube with edges that are exactly one yard (3 feet) in length. This measurement is the industry standard in landscaping and construction for ordering bulk materials like concrete, topsoil, mulch, and gravel. For historical definitions, see the Wikipedia page on Cubic Yards.
A Cubic Foot (ft³) is a smaller unit of volume representing a cube with one-foot sides. You will typically see cubic feet used for smaller quantities, such as individual bags of potting soil, mulch at hardware stores, or measuring the internal capacity of appliances like refrigerators. Read more on the Wikipedia page on Cubic Feet.
Cubic Yards to Cubic Feet Converter (With Formulas)
Because 1 linear yard is exactly 3 linear feet, calculating the volume means cubing that number (3ft × 3ft × 3ft). Therefore, one cubic yard contains exactly 27 cubic feet.
- To convert Cubic Yards to Cubic Feet: Multiply your yardage by 27.
Example: To convert 5 cubic yards of mulch to cubic feet:5 yd³ × 27 = 135 ft³ - To convert Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards: Divide your cubic feet by 27.
Example: To convert 54 cubic feet of topsoil to cubic yards:54 ft³ ÷ 27 = 2 yd³
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While 1 linear yard equals 3 linear feet, volume is three-dimensional (length × width × height). Therefore, a cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, which equals exactly 27 cubic feet.
Since there are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard, divide 27 by the bag size (2). 27 ÷ 2 = 13.5 bags. You will need 14 bags to cover a full cubic yard.
Coverage depends on the depth. At 1 inch deep, one cubic yard covers 324 square feet. At 2 inches deep, it covers 162 square feet. At a standard 3-inch mulch depth, it covers 108 square feet.
To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, you divide the total cubic feet by 27. The formula is: yd³ = ft³ ÷ 27.
First, find your project’s length, width, and depth in feet. Multiply them together to find total cubic feet (L × W × D = ft³). Finally, divide that number by 27 to get the total cubic yards.
A standard 40 lb bag of topsoil contains about 0.75 cubic feet. Since a yard is 27 cubic feet, divide 27 by 0.75 to get 36 bags per cubic yard.
By volume, yes (a full-size bed holds 1-2 yards). However, one cubic yard of topsoil weighs about 2,000+ lbs (1 ton). A half-ton truck (like an F-150) will be severely overloaded; a 3/4-ton or 1-ton truck is required.
If applied over an existing lawn, 2 inches will smother and kill the grass. Topdressing should be ¼ to ½ inch max. For a new lawn, 2 inches is an excellent base for seeds.
Cubic Yards / Cubic Feet Conversion Table (1-1000)
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