How Much Does a Cubic Yard Cover? Depth Chart

Depth	Coverage per cubic yard	Cubic yards per 1,000 sq ft
1 in	324.0 sq ft	3.09 yd³
2 in	162.0 sq ft	6.17 yd³
3 in	108.0 sq ft	9.26 yd³
4 in	81.0 sq ft	12.35 yd³
5 in	64.8 sq ft	15.43 yd³
6 in	54.0 sq ft	18.52 yd³
8 in	40.5 sq ft	24.69 yd³
10 in	32.4 sq ft	30.86 yd³
12 in	27.0 sq ft	37.04 yd³

Formula

Coverage (sq ft) = 324 ÷ depth (in)

Cubic yards needed = area (sq ft) ÷ coverage

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft)

Worked example

500 sq ft, 3 in deep

Start from the area: 500 sq ft.
Convert the depth to feet: 3 in ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft.
Multiply by the depth: 500 sq ft × 0.25 ft = 125 cubic feet.
Divide by 27: 125 ÷ 27 = 4.63 cubic yards.

How much does a yard of dirt cover?

Exactly as much as a yard of anything else: coverage depends only on the depth, not the material. Spread 4 inches deep, a cubic yard of topsoil, mulch or gravel covers 81 square feet, about a 9 × 9 ft square. At 2 inches it covers 162 square feet.

How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?

27. A cubic yard is 3 feet long, 3 feet wide and 3 feet high, and 3 × 3 × 3 = 27. That is where the 324 in the coverage formula comes from: 27 cubic feet × 12 inches per foot.

Bagged soil and mulch are sold by the cubic foot. Divide 27 by the bag size to see how many bags make a cubic yard.

Bag size	Bags per cubic yard
0.75 cu ft	36
1 cu ft	27
1.5 cu ft	18
2 cu ft	13.5
3 cu ft	9

How big is 1, 3, 5 or 10 cubic yards?

Multiply by 27 for cubic feet, or by the coverage at your depth for square feet.

Cubic yards	Cubic feet	Covers at 3 in deep	Covers at 4 in deep
1	27 cu ft	108 sq ft	81 sq ft
3	81 cu ft	324 sq ft	243 sq ft
5	135 cu ft	540 sq ft	405 sq ft
10	270 cu ft	1,080 sq ft	810 sq ft

Recommended depth by material

Not sure how deep to go? These are the depths we see work for most residential projects.

Material	Depth	Notes
Mulch / bark	2–4 in	3 in suppresses weeds without suffocating roots.
Compost topdressing	1–2 in	Thicker layers can smother an established lawn.
Garden / raised bed soil	6–12 in	Match to the root depth of what you are planting.
Decomposed granite path	2–3 in	Compact in lifts for a firm walking surface.
Decorative gravel	2–3 in	Deeper looks better but is harder to walk on.
Gravel base / road base	4–6 in	Go deeper for vehicle loads.
Sand leveling course	1–2 in	Screed flat before setting pavers.

Frequently asked questions

How much does 1 cubic yard of mulch cover?

108 square feet at 3 inches deep, a common mulch depth, or 162 square feet at 2 inches.

How many cubic yards do I need for 500 square feet?

Divide the area by the coverage at your depth. At 3 inches a cubic yard covers 108 square feet, so 500 ÷ 108 = 4.63 cubic yards.

Square feet to cubic yards calculator

Does compacted material cover less?

Yes. The chart is exact geometry for loose material. Fill that will be compacted and material that settles cover less, so order 5–10% extra, or more for fill.

Fill dirt calculator

Order by the cubic yard

Soil Direct delivers bulk landscape materials by the cubic yard from local suppliers. Enter your address to see delivered prices.

Topsoil and garden soil Fill dirt Mulch, bark and wood chips Gravel and decorative rock Sand

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How Much Does a Cubic Yard Cover?

Cubic yard coverage chart by depth