Square Yards to Cubic Yards
Add a depth to square yardage to find cubic yards and cubic feet.
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At a glance
Square Yards to Cubic Yards
Cubic yards = square yards × depth in inches ÷ 36. With depth in feet, divide by 3 instead. One square yard is an area of 9 square feet.
Area and depth
The square yard to cubic yard formula
yd³ = yd² × depth (in) ÷ 36
yd³ = yd² × depth (ft) ÷ 3
A square yard is a 3 ft by 3 ft surface. It becomes a volume only when you add a thickness. A 20 yd² surface at 4 inches deep holds 60 cubic feet, or about 2.222 cubic yards.
When every length is in yards, area in square yards multiplied by depth in yards already gives cubic yards. Do not divide that result by 27 again.
Area and depth
Common square yardage examples
| Area | At 2 inches | At 4 inches | At 6 inches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 yd² | 0.555556 yd³ | 1.111111 yd³ | 1.666667 yd³ |
| 20 yd² | 1.111111 yd³ | 2.222222 yd³ | 3.333333 yd³ |
| 50 yd² | 2.777778 yd³ | 5.555556 yd³ | 8.333333 yd³ |
| 100 yd² | 5.555556 yd³ | 11.111111 yd³ | 16.666667 yd³ |
For concrete, choose the actual specified thickness. For soil or mulch, use the new layer depth. The table does not include waste, settling, compaction, or a supplier’s minimum order.
Area and depth
Square yards to cubic feet
ft³ = yd² × 9 × depth (ft)
ft³ = yd² × depth (in) × 0.75
The calculator shows cubic feet as an additional result. That can help compare bag yields or a quote in cubic feet. If you only want to calculate surface area from length and width, use the square yard calculator; no depth is needed for an area result.
Common questions
Square Yards to Cubic Yards questions, answered.
Is one square yard the same as one cubic yard?
No. A square yard is area and a cubic yard is volume. One square yard at a depth of one yard occupies one cubic yard. A thinner layer occupies less.
What does SY to CY mean?
SY commonly means square yards and CY means cubic yards. Converting SY to CY requires a depth. Write the depth and its unit alongside the area so the calculation can be checked.
How much concrete is 100 square yards at 4 inches?
The measured volume is 100 × 4 ÷ 36 = about 11.111 cubic yards. Use a separate ordering allowance if the project or supplier requires one.
What if my area quote is in square feet?
Change the area unit in this tool, or use the square feet to cubic yards page. Both use the same dimensional method with a stated depth.
Check the basis