How Big Is a Cubic Yard? — Simple Visual Guide
A cubic yard is a cube measuring 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet tall. That equals 27 cubic feet or 0.7646 cubic meters. Imagine a washing machine-sized box — that’s one cubic yard.
Cubic Yard Size Chart & Conversions
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- 1 cubic yard ≈ 0.7646 cubic meters
- 1 cubic yard ≈ 764.6 liters
- 1 cubic yard ≈ 202 U.S. gallons
For reference, see Wikipedia’s cubic yard article for official definitions.
How Much Area Does a Cubic Yard Cover?
Here’s what a cubic yard of material covers depending on depth:
- 3 inches deep → covers about 100 sq. ft.
- 2 inches deep → covers about 150 sq. ft.
- 6 inches deep → covers about 50 sq. ft.
Average Weight by Material
- Topsoil: 2,000–2,400 lb
- Gravel or stone: 2,700–3,000 lb
- Sand: 2,600–3,000 lb
- Mulch: 400–800 lb
Example of Yard Measurement
If your garden bed is 12 ft × 4 ft and 3 inches deep, the volume is (12 × 4 × 0.25) ÷ 27 = 0.44 cubic yards. This helps you plan exactly how much soil or mulch to buy.
Try Our Free Cubic Yard Calculator
If you want to use a free cubic yard calculator, click here to calculate soil, gravel, or mulch volume instantly.
Visualizing Yard Volume
To picture it simply, think of a waist-high cube roughly the size of a large home appliance. That’s your cubic yard — compact, but full of potential for any outdoor project.
For more details on measurement units, visit Britannica’s yard measurement guide.
FAQs About Cubic Yard Size
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard.
How much does a cubic yard of soil weigh?
It weighs about 2,000 to 2,400 pounds depending on moisture content.
How many wheelbarrow loads make a cubic yard?
About 14 loads if each wheelbarrow holds 2 cubic feet.
What’s the easiest way to picture it?
Think of a cube the size of a washing machine or small fridge.