About Square Feet ⇄ Cubic Yards Calculation
The Square Feet to Cubic Yards Calculator helps you quickly convert area and volume measurements between square feet and cubic yards, commonly used in construction, landscaping, and material estimation.
Formulas
Converting Square Feet to Cubic Yards:
Cubic Yards = (Area in ft² × Depth in ft) ÷ 27
Converting Cubic Yards to Square Feet (for a given depth):
Square Feet = (Cubic Yards × 27) ÷ Depth in ft
Important Considerations
- Depth/Thickness: Always include the thickness of the material (in feet) to calculate cubic yards accurately.
- Unit Consistency: Ensure you are using feet for area and depth. For metric, convert meters to feet if necessary.
- Waste Factor: Include an extra 5–10% to account for spillage, compaction, or uneven surfaces.
- Volume Estimation: Cubic yards are often used for materials like concrete, soil, gravel, mulch, or sand.
- Conversions: 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet; 1 cubic yard ≈ 0.7646 cubic meters.
Examples
Example 1: You have a patio area of 500 ft² and you want a concrete slab 0.5 ft thick:
Cubic Yards = (500 × 0.5) ÷ 27 ≈ 9.26 yd³
Example 2: You have 10 cubic yards of gravel and want to cover an area 5 inches thick:
Depth in ft = 5 ÷ 12 = 0.4167 ft
Square Feet = (10 × 27) ÷ 0.4167 ≈ 648 ft²
Applications
- Estimating concrete volume for slabs, driveways, and foundations.
- Calculating soil, mulch, gravel, or sand needed for landscaping projects.
- Planning material purchases and cost estimation for construction projects.
- Helping contractors, landscapers, and DIYers avoid overbuying or shortages.
Conversions Reference
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
- 1 cubic yard ≈ 0.7646 cubic meters
- 1 ft² × 1 ft depth = 0.03704 cubic yards
- 1 meter³ ≈ 1.308 cubic yards