What is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is a volume box 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. Bulk mulch, gravel, and topsoil are priced and delivered by the cubic yard in most of North America.
Knowing cubic yards lets you compare bulk delivery vs bagged product and size truckloads correctly.
Converting bed measurements to cubic yards
Formula: Cubic yards = (Length ft × Width ft × Depth ft) ÷ 27.
Example: 20 ft × 5 ft path at 4 inches deep. Depth = 4/12 = 0.333 ft. Volume = 20 × 5 × 0.333 = 33.3 cu ft. Yards = 33.3 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.23 cu yd.
- 1 cu yd = 27 cu ft
- 3" depth on 100 sq ft ≈ 0.93 cu yd
- 4" depth on 100 sq ft ≈ 1.23 cu yd
- Add 10% waste before rounding up
Trucks, weight, and delivery minimums
A full-size pickup holds roughly 1.5–2 cubic yards level with the bed sides — less if the material is wet or heavy (stone vs mulch). Many suppliers enforce 2-yard minimums for delivery.
Mulch weighs about 400–800 lbs per cubic yard depending on moisture. Gravel can exceed 2,500 lbs per yard — check payload limits before DIY hauling.