What Is Cubic Yard?
A cubic yard is a way to measure volume. It tells you how much space something takes up. Imagine a cube that is 1 yard long, 1 yard wide, and 1 yard high. The space inside that cube is 1 cubic yard.
Because 1 yard is the same as 3 feet, a cubic yard is the same as a cube that is 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet. People often use cubic yards when talking about big amounts of soil, gravel, sand, concrete, mulch, or other loose materials.
Definition
A cubic yard is a unit of volume used in the United States customary system and the older British imperial system. It is based on the yard, which is a unit of length.
- 1 cubic yard is the volume of a cube that is 1 yard on each side.
- 1 yard is 3 feet, so 1 cubic yard equals 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet.
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
- 1 cubic yard is about 0.7646 cubic meters.
- 1 cubic yard is about 764.6 liters.
So, if you know the volume in yards, you can compare it to other units like cubic feet, cubic meters, and liters.
History / Origin
The cubic yard comes from the yard, which has been used as a length measure in England for many hundreds of years. The yard was used in trade, building, and land work. As people needed a way to measure space and volume, they used the yard to define a bigger unit of volume called the cubic yard.
Before the metric system became common in many countries, builders and traders often measured things like earth, stone, and timber in cubic yards. Over time, many places moved to metric units like the cubic meter, but the cubic yard stayed popular in the United States and in some parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, especially in building and landscaping jobs.
Symbol & Abbreviation
The cubic yard can be written in a few short ways. The most common are:
- yd³ meaning yard cubed.
- yd^3 often used when typing on a keyboard.
- cu yd short for cubic yard.
All of these mean the same thing. They just look a little different.
Current Use Around the World
The cubic yard is still widely used, but not everywhere.
- United States It is very common. Builders, concrete companies, and garden centers often sell materials by the cubic yard.
- Canada Both cubic meters and cubic yards are used. Many people understand both because of trade with the United States.
- United Kingdom and some other countries You may still see cubic yards in older plans or some building and gardening work, but cubic meters are more common today.
- Most of the world The metric system is standard, so people mainly use cubic meters and liters. Cubic yards may still appear in international trade or in information written for United States users.
In everyday life, you are most likely to see cubic yards when ordering soil, sand, gravel, mulch, concrete, or when renting a dumpster for trash or yard waste.
Example Conversions
Here are some useful conversions between cubic yards and other volume units.
- To cubic feet 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
- To cubic meters 1 cubic yard ≈ 0.7646 cubic meters.
- To liters 1 cubic yard ≈ 764.6 liters.
- To US gallons 1 cubic yard ≈ 201.97 US gallons.
Some simple examples:
- If you have 2 cubic yards of soil, that is 2 × 27 = 54 cubic feet.
- If a concrete truck carries 9 cubic yards, that is 9 × 27 = 243 cubic feet of concrete.
- 0.5 cubic yard is half of 27 cubic feet, so it is 13.5 cubic feet.
- 3 cubic yards is about 3 × 0.7646 ≈ 2.29 cubic meters.
Quick rule you can remember:
- To go from cubic yards to cubic feet, multiply by 27.
- To go from cubic feet to cubic yards, divide by 27.
Related Units
Here are some units that are closely related to the cubic yard.
- Cubic inch (in³) A very small volume unit. There are 46,656 cubic inches in 1 cubic yard.
- Cubic foot (ft³) A smaller volume unit used for rooms, boxes, and some building jobs. There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard.
- Cubic meter (m³) The main metric volume unit for big spaces and large amounts of material. 1 cubic yard is a little smaller than 1 cubic meter.
- Liter (L) A metric volume unit often used for liquids and smaller amounts of material. About 764.6 liters make 1 cubic yard.
- US gallon A liquid volume unit used in the United States. About 202 US gallons make 1 cubic yard.
FAQs
What does 1 cubic yard look like in real life
Imagine a box that is 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high. That box holds 1 cubic yard of material. A full garden wheelbarrow might hold about 0.25 to 0.5 cubic yard, depending on its size.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard
There are 27 cubic feet in 1 cubic yard. This comes from 3 feet × 3 feet × 3 feet.
Is a cubic yard bigger than a cubic meter
No. A cubic meter is bigger. One cubic yard is about 0.7646 cubic meter. You would need about 1.31 cubic yards to equal 1 cubic meter.
When do people use cubic yards instead of cubic meters
Cubic yards are used most often in the United States and sometimes in Canada and the United Kingdom for building, road work, and landscaping. Cubic meters are used in most other countries and in science.
How many wheelbarrows are in 1 cubic yard
It depends on the wheelbarrow size. A small wheelbarrow might hold about 0.1 to 0.15 cubic yard, so you might need around 7 to 10 loads. A larger wheelbarrow might hold about 0.25 cubic yard, so you would need about 4 loads.
How can I find cubic yards from length, width, and depth
First, measure length, width, and depth all in the same unit, usually feet. Multiply them together to get cubic feet. Then divide by 27 to get cubic yards. For example, 10 ft × 6 ft × 0.5 ft = 30 cubic feet. Then 30 ÷ 27 ≈ 1.11 cubic yards.
Why are cubic yards common for soil, gravel, and mulch
These materials are often sold in large loose amounts. Using cubic yards makes it simple for sellers and buyers to measure and compare big loads without counting many small bags.
