Cubic Feet vs Cubic Yards Explained
Walk into a garden center and mulch is priced per bag in cubic feet; call a landscape supply yard and bulk loads are priced per cubic yard. Same idea, different unit — and the size gap between them (27×) is where most ordering mistakes happen.
What is a cubic yard?
A cube 3 feet on every side: 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. That's the entire relationship — the calculator's "÷ 27" isn't an approximation, it's the definition of the unit.
| Bag size | 27 ÷ size, rounded up |
|---|---|
| 1 cubic foot | 27 bags |
| 1.5 cubic feet | 18 bags |
| 2 cubic feet | 14 bags |
| 3 cubic feet | 9 bags |
Those counts are computed by ceiling division, exactly how our calculators round bags.
Covering power of one cubic yard
| Depth | Covers |
|---|---|
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft |
| 6 inches | 54 sq ft |
Check one row by hand: 1 yd³ at 2 inches = 27 ÷ (2 ÷ 12) = 27 × 6 = 162 square feet.
Converting in your head (the useful direction)
- Cubic feet → cubic yards: divide by 27. Quick check: 25 ft³ ≈ 0.93 yd³.
- Cubic yards → cubic feet: multiply by 27. Quick check: 2 yd³ = 54 ft³ ≈ 27 two-cuft bags.
- A 2-inch depth covers about 162 sq ft per yard; a 3-inch depth covers 108.
Run the real numbers per project instead of relying on rules of thumb: the Mulch Calculator shows both units everywhere precisely because suppliers quote in different ones.