Quick answer: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
A cubic yard is a 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft cube — that is 27 cubic feet of volume. Use the calculator below to convert any number of cubic yards to cubic feet (or reverse) for concrete, gravel, mulch, and topsoil estimates.
how many cubic feet in a yard · multiply by 27
Equals approximately
A cubic yard (cu yd) measures volume: how much space a pile, slab, or truck load occupies in three dimensions. In US construction and landscaping, suppliers quote concrete, gravel, mulch, topsoil, and sand in cubic yards because it scales cleanly for trucks and batch plants.
Picture a cube that is 1 yard long, 1 yard wide, and 1 yard deep. Because 1 yard = 3 feet, each side is 3 feet. The volume inside that cube is 27 cubic feet.
Why 27? Volume uses three dimensions. A cube with 3-foot sides has volume 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. That is why every conversion multiplies or divides by 27, not 3.
Example: 5 cu yd × 27 = 135 cu ft — five cubic yards of mulch fill 135 cubic feet of space.
Need dimensions first? Use our cubic yard calculator (length × width × depth), then convert here or on the cubic feet to cubic yards calculator.
Concrete slab: A 10×10 ft pad 4 inches thick is about 33.3 cu ft, or 1.23 cu yd before waste. Multiply any cu yd order by 27 to compare to cu ft on your takeoff.
Gravel driveway: A 12×40 ft base 6 inches deep is roughly 80 cu ft (2.96 cu yd). Suppliers often sell gravel by the ton — use yards to tons after you know cubic yards.
Mulch bed: 200 sq ft at 3 inches deep ≈ 50 cu ft ≈ 1.85 cu yd. Bag counts and blower trucks are easier to plan when you know both units.
Topsoil delivery: One full pickup or small dump often holds 1–2 cu yd (27–54 cu ft). Larger trucks may carry 10–14 cu yd.
Common conversions for orders and takeoffs.
| Cubic Yards | Cubic Feet | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cu yd | 27 cu ft | Small mulch / concrete load |
| 2 cu yd | 54 cu ft | Pickup bed / small pour |
| 5 cu yd | 135 cu ft | Medium landscaping bed |
| 10 cu yd | 270 cu ft | Partial truck load |
| 15 cu yd | 405 cu ft | Large flatwork section |
There are 27 cubic feet in one cubic yard (3 × 3 × 3).
A cubic yard is a cube with 3-foot edges. Volume = length × width × height, so 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cu ft.
Multiply cubic yards by 27. Example: 4 cu yd × 27 = 108 cu ft. Use the calculator above or the Cu Yd → Cu Ft tab.
Ready-mix concrete, gravel, crushed stone, sand, mulch, topsoil, and fill dirt are commonly ordered and priced in cubic yards.
One cubic yard always equals 27 cubic feet of space. Weight depends on material — a cu yd of gravel weighs far more than a cu yd of mulch.
Divide cubic feet by 27, or use the Cu Ft → Cu Yd tab on this page. For full L×W×D estimates, see our cubic feet to cubic yards calculator.