Cubic Yard

In simple terms

Picture a cube three feet tall, three feet wide and three feet deep. That box holds one cubic yard. It is the standard "scoop" size landscape suppliers use to price and load loose material into your truck or trailer.

In depth

One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet or about 202 US gallons of loose volume. Weight per yard varies by material and moisture: bark runs roughly 400–800 lb, dry topsoil and compost about 1,000–1,800 lb, and rock or sand 2,200–3,000 lb. Because trucks and trailers are rated by weight, knowing the per-yard weight matters as much as the volume when you plan a haul.

Why it matters

Ordering by the cubic yard is far cheaper per unit than buying bagged material, and it lets you match the exact amount to your project area so you do not over- or under-buy.

Common mistakes

• Confusing a cubic yard (volume) with a ton (weight) — they are not the same and the conversion depends on the material.
• Assuming a half-ton pickup can carry a full yard of rock; a yard of wet sand or rock can exceed a light truck’s payload.

Examples & uses

• A 10 ft x 10 ft bed covered 3 inches deep needs about 1 cubic yard of mulch.
• A standard short-bed pickup safely holds roughly 1 yard of bark, but only about half a yard of rock by weight.