What is a cubic yard? A cubic yard is the standard measurement used by companies that sell bulk landscaping and construction materials. In regard to landscaping materials, bulk materials are normally sold loose, not in bags. For instance, at any mulch company there are large bins of various mulches, soils, sand and stone products. When purchased, these materials are loaded with a large front-loader bucket into the customer’s truck or trailer.
In the photo, you can see the mounded front loader bucket, which contains a full cubic yard. The accepted standard of measurement in the mulch industry is the cubic yard or 27 cubic feet. However, some mulch dealers sell by the “scoop”, which can be of various sizes. Many of these “scoops” are a good deal smaller than a cubic yard, and the buyer should be aware of this when comparing prices.
Two cubic yards of mulch will fill a standard sized pick-up truck bed. When spread, one cubic yard covers 162 square feet of ground if applied two inches thick. Likewise, two cubic yards will cover 324 square feet of ground two inches thick, and ten cubic yards will cover 1,620 square feet of ground two inches thick.
To calculate the number of cubic yards required for your next landscaping project, simply calculate the area (square feet) you need to cover and multiply it by the thickness in inches, then divide by 12.This answer is the total volume in cubic feet. To convert this answer to cubic yards, you only have to divide by 27, and this is the number of cubic yards needed.
This will help you avoid coming up short or buying excessive material. The cubic yard is a valuable unit of measurement to help assure that you are getting the value you expect when purchasing landscaping materials.
Example: You have a 2,000 square foot area and need to cover it with 5 inches of mulch. How many cubic yards do you need?
2000 sq. ft x 5 inch / 12 / 27 = 30.86 cubic yards = 31 cubic yds.
The same steps can be followed to calculate the volume of gravel, sand and cement when you are working with concrete. Don’t forget that some materials like mulch, compost and green coverage may compact over time because the water, degradation, compaction, etc., and after some months the initial four inches thick cover could become only two inches thick.
When you remove compacted soil, keep in mind that the volume may expand as the soil is excavated. This is important when you need to haul it away.
