Multiply length, width and depth in feet, then divide by 27, because a cubic yard is 3 feet on each side. A 10 by 10 ft area 4 inches deep is 33.3 cubic feet, about 1.23 cubic yards. Enter feet, inches, yards, meters or centimeters.
Type in either box. Cubic feet divided by 27 is cubic yards.
Formulas
Work in feet, multiply to get cubic feet, then divide by 27.
| Shape | Cubic feet | Cubic yards |
|---|---|---|
| Rectangle | length x width x depth | cubic feet ÷ 27 |
| Circle | 3.1416 x (diameter ÷ 2)² x depth | cubic feet ÷ 27 |
| Triangle | ½ x base x height x depth | cubic feet ÷ 27 |
Inches and metric. Divide inches by 12 to get feet: 4 inches is 0.333 ft, 6 inches is 0.5 ft. One cubic yard is 0.7646 m³ and one m³ is 1.308 cubic yards, using the international foot of exactly 0.3048 m.1
Worked examples
| You enter | Result | Suggested |
|---|---|---|
| 10 ft by 10 ft by 4 in | 33.3 cu ft, 1.23 cu yd | 10 yard |
| 3 m by 3 m by 10 cm | 0.9 m³, 1.18 cu yd | 10 yard |
| Circle 10 ft across, 1 ft deep | 78.5 cu ft, 2.91 cu yd | 10 yard |
| 3 rooms of stuff, 6 by 6 by 3 ft each | 324 cu ft, 12 cu yd, about 5 pickup truck loads | 15 yard |
| 100 cu ft | 3.70 cu yd | 10 yard |
| 20 by 20 ft concrete patio, 4 in, in place | 4.94 cu yd in place, about 8.2 broken, 9.8 tons | One 10 yard heavy-debris haul |
Dumpster capacity
The size number is the capacity in cubic yards, loaded level with the top rails, not heaped. A pickup bed filled level holds about 62.3 cu ft, 2.3 cubic yards.2
| Size | Cubic feet | Pickup truck loads |
|---|---|---|
| 10 yard | 270 | About 4 |
| 15 yard | 405 | About 6.5 |
| 20 yard | 540 | About 9 |
| 30 yard | 810 | About 13 |
| 40 yard | 1,080 | About 17 |
| Cubic feet | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 27 | 1 |
| 54 | 2 |
| 100 | 3.70 |
| 135 | 5 |
| 270 | 10 |
| 405 | 15 |
| 540 | 20 |
| 810 | 30 |
| 1,080 | 40 |
Measured in place? Add swell. Broken concrete and brick take about 67% more room, dirt about 43 to 56% and sand about 11%.3 The calculator adds it when you set the material and choose "Still in place."
Tell us the volume, what's in it, the address and the dates. We come back with a container size and a price from the provider network.
Questions
Divide by 27. 100 cubic feet is 3.70 cubic yards.
27. A cubic yard is 3 ft by 3 ft by 3 ft.
Divide the depth in inches by 12 to get feet, multiply by length and width in feet, then divide by 27. A 12 by 12 ft area 6 inches deep is 72 cubic feet, or 2.67 cubic yards.
20, loaded level with the top. That’s 540 cubic feet, about nine pickup truck loads.2
Yes. If your measurement is rough or the calculator says you’re within 10% of the top, go up a size. Heavy debris is the exception: it’s sized by weight, so more room doesn’t help.
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Sources