How to calculate cubic yards by hand
One cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on every side, which is 27 cubic feet. So the whole calculation is: length times width times depth, all in feet, divided by 27. If any measurement is in inches, divide it by 12 first. For metric measurements, multiply cubic metres by 1.308 to get cubic yards.
Worked examples
A loose pile 10 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 3 feet high is 180 cubic feet, or 6.7 cubic yards. That fits a 10-yard bin with room to spare.
A concrete patio 12 feet by 10 feet and 4 inches thick is 12 x 10 x 0.33 = 40 cubic feet, about 1.5 cubic yards in place. Solid concrete weighs close to 1.8 tonnes per cubic yard, so that small patio is roughly 2.7 tonnes of material: a job for a dirt and concrete bin, not a regular one.
A garden bed dug out 20 feet by 4 feet to a depth of 8 inches is 20 x 4 x 0.67 = 53 cubic feet, about 2 cubic yards of soil. Soil is heavy too, roughly a tonne or more per cubic yard depending on how wet it is.
Quick conversions
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 27 cubic feet, or 0.765 cubic metres |
| 1 cubic metre | 1.308 cubic yards, or 35.3 cubic feet |
| 1 foot | 12 inches, or 0.305 metres |
| A standard pickup bed | About 2 cubic yards level, closer to 3 heaped |
Rough weight per cubic yard, loose
| Material | Tonnes per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| Household junk and furniture | 0.06 to 0.11 |
| Renovation debris (drywall, wood, flooring) | 0.12 to 0.22 |
| Roofing shingles | 0.25 to 0.45 |
| Yard waste and brush | 0.04 to 0.10 |
| Soil or sod | 1.00 to 1.40 |
| Concrete, brick, or asphalt | 1.10 to 1.40 |
These are planning ranges, not promises. Wet material can weigh far more than dry, and a tightly packed load more than a loose one. Every standard rental includes 1 metric tonne of disposal; tell us what you are loading and we will size the bin so the weight works. For more on that, read our guide to dumpster weight limits.
From cubic yards to the right bin
Our roll-off bins come in 10, 15, and 20-yard sizes, all about 12 feet long, so even the biggest fits a normal driveway. Compare them project by project in the bin size guide, or read how to calculate cubic yards for irregular piles, rooms, and swell factors. Heavy loads go in dirt and concrete bins, yard projects in landscape debris bins, and job sites can set up phase-by-phase swaps with construction bin rentals.