Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards Converter
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Type in either field; the other converts on every keystroke, with the work shown.
Why 27: the cube, drawn
A cubic yard is a cube 3 feet on a side. Slice it into 1-foot cubes and you get 3 layers of 9, which is 27 cubic feet. That is the whole conversion: cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. The classic mistake is dividing by 9, which is the square yard factor; it inflates every volume estimate threefold.
Quick reference: cubic feet to cubic yards
| Cubic feet | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 1 ft³ | 0.04 |
| 5 ft³ | 0.19 |
| 10 ft³ | 0.37 |
| 25 ft³ | 0.93 |
| 27 ft³ | 1.00 |
| 50 ft³ | 1.85 |
| 75 ft³ | 2.78 |
| 100 ft³ | 3.70 |
| 150 ft³ | 5.56 |
| 200 ft³ | 7.41 |
| 250 ft³ | 9.26 |
| 300 ft³ | 11.11 |
| 400 ft³ | 14.81 |
| 500 ft³ | 18.52 |
| 750 ft³ | 27.78 |
| 1,000 ft³ | 37.04 |
What do you do with cubic yards?
Ordering material. Soil, mulch, gravel, and ready-mix concrete are all sold by the cubic yard. If you are starting from an area and a depth rather than a cubic-feet figure, the cubic yard calculator measures rectangles, circles, and triangles, sums multiple areas, and adds an ordering allowance.
Weight and truck loads. Haulers and disposal facilities work in tons, not yards. The cubic yards to tons calculator converts yardage to weight for a dozen materials, applies excavation swell, and counts truck loads.
Dumpster sizing.Roll-off dumpsters are named by their volume in cubic yards: a 10-yard box (270 ft³) suits a small demolition or a dirt-heavy cleanout, a 20-yard (540 ft³) handles a roofing job or garage cleanout, and a 30-yard (810 ft³) fits major renovations. Note that heavy materials like soil and concrete usually can't fill a large dumpster to the rim; the weight limit arrives long before the volume does.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27 cubic feet. A cubic yard is a cube measuring 3 feet on every side, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. To convert cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27; to go the other way, multiply by 27.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide the cubic feet by 27. For example, 150 cubic feet ÷ 27 = 5.56 cubic yards. That is the whole conversion; the converter above does the division on every keystroke and shows the work.
Why 27 and not 9?
Because volume scales with the cube of length. A yard is 3 feet, so a square yard is 3 × 3 = 9 square feet, but a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. Using 9 is the single most common conversion mistake, and it makes every estimate three times too big.
How many cubic yards is 100 cubic feet?
3.70 cubic yards: 100 ÷ 27 = 3.7037. For quick mental math, every 100 cubic feet is a little under 4 cubic yards.
Is a yard of dirt the same as a cubic yard?
Yes. In landscaping and excavation, a yard always means a cubic yard: 27 cubic feet of material. A pickup truck bed holds about 2 to 2.5 cubic yards level full, though soil is usually weight-limited to about 1 yard in a half-ton pickup.
How many cubic feet is a 10-yard dumpster?
270 cubic feet: 10 cubic yards × 27. A 20-yard dumpster is 540 cubic feet and a 30-yard is 810 cubic feet. Dumpster sizes are quoted in cubic yards precisely because debris volume is estimated the same way soil is.
Authoritative reference:
Related calculators
Need contractor help with excavation, tank removal, or soil work?
Request a free quote from UST contractors, or browse contractors by state.
Spot an error? Report it and we will check the math against the sources.