Soil: Cubic Yards to Litres
1 cubic yard = 764.555 litres = 0.764555 m³ = 27 ft³. That is about 12.74 bags of 60 litres, so order 13. Spread 5 cm deep it covers 15.29 m². Add roughly 15% to whatever you calculate — bagged compost is measured loose and settles once watered.
The conversion, and why it is exact
This is not a rounded approximation. A yard is defined as exactly 0.9144 metres, so:
1 yd³ = 0.9144³ = 0.764554857984 m³ = 764.555 litres
| From | To litres | To m³ | To yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cubic yard | 764.555 | 0.764555 | 1 |
| 1 cubic metre | 1000 | 1 | 1.30795 |
| 1 cubic foot | 28.3168 | 0.0283168 | 0.037037 |
| 1 litre | 1 | 0.001 | 0.00130795 |
| 1 bulk bag (~0.8 m³) | 800 | 0.8 | 1.046 |
A cubic metre is about 31% bigger than a cubic yard — a real difference, not a rounding artefact. Ordering "a yard" when you calculated in cubic metres leaves you nearly a third short.
Work in metric if you have the choice. 1 m³ = 1000 litres exactly, so converting between the volume you measured and the litres printed on a bag is a decimal shift. Cubic yards force a 764.555 multiplication into every step, and that is where arithmetic slips creep in.
How many bags is that?
The answer people actually want. Bag sizes vary widely between suppliers, so check the litres printed on the bag rather than assuming:
| Bag size | Exact bags | Order |
|---|---|---|
| 40 L | 19.11 | 20 |
| 50 L | 15.29 | 16 |
| 60 L | 12.74 | 13 |
| 70 L | 10.92 | 11 |
| 100 L | 7.65 | 8 |
Most sources round the 60 L figure to "about 13 bags" without showing the working. The exact number is 12.74, which matters when you are ordering three cubic yards — 38.2 bags, not 39, and certainly not 40.
Coverage: depth is the variable that decides everything
A cubic yard is a fixed volume, so the area it covers depends entirely on how thickly you spread it:
| Depth | Area covered | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cm | 76.5 m² | Lawn top dressing |
| 2.5 cm (1") | 30.6 m² | Light mulch |
| 5 cm (2") | 15.29 m² | Mulch layer |
| 10 cm (4") | 7.65 m² | Turf bedding |
| 15 cm (6") | 5.10 m² | New lawn topsoil |
| 25 cm (10") | 3.06 m² | Planting bed |
| 45 cm (18") | 1.70 m² | Deep vegetable bed |
The spread is enormous — 76 m² down to under 2 m² from the same cubic yard. In imperial, a cubic yard at 2 inches deep covers 162 ft².
| Job | Depth |
|---|---|
| Lawn top dressing | 1–2 cm — thin, so grass is not smothered |
| New lawn from seed or turf | 10–15 cm of topsoil |
| Flower bed | 20–30 cm |
| Vegetable bed (root crops) | 30–45 cm |
| Mulch over beds | 5–7 cm |
| Raised bed | The full internal depth |
Worked example
A raised bed 2.4 m × 1.2 m, filled to 30 cm deep:
| Step | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 2.4 × 1.2 × 0.30 | 0.864 m³ |
| In litres | × 1000 | 864 L |
| In cubic yards | × 1.30795 | 1.130 yd³ |
| +15% for settling | × 1.15 | 994 L |
| In 60 L bags | 994 ÷ 60 | 17 bags |
| Or in bulk | — | 1 m³ delivered |
Seventeen bags is a lot of plastic and a lot of lifting for one bed. At this size, one cubic metre delivered in bulk is usually cheaper and less work — which is exactly the crossover point worth knowing.
Why you always need more than you calculated
Two effects, and both push the same way:
- Settling. Bagged compost is measured loose and full of air. Water it in and it compacts, losing 10–20% of its apparent volume. The bag was not short-measured; the material simply occupies less space once wet.
- Geometry. Beds are never the tidy rectangles they were measured as. Edges, corners, slopes and settling against boards all take more than the arithmetic suggests.
Add 15% as a default, or 20% for bagged compost going into a bed that will be watered heavily. Running out halfway through means a second delivery charge or another trip — far more expensive than the extra bag.
Bags or bulk?
| Bags | Bulk | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per litre | Higher | Much lower |
| Best for | Under ~0.5 yd³ | Over ~0.5 yd³ |
| Access needed | Any | Space for a tipped heap or bulk bag |
| Handling | Carry by hand | Barrow from the drop point |
| Storage | Sealed, keeps well | Use it fairly promptly |
| Waste | Plastic sacks | None |
The crossover is around half a cubic yard. Below that, bags win on convenience; above it, bulk wins clearly on price — and the gap widens fast.
Weight, for delivery and barrowing
| Material | Per yd³ | Per m³ |
|---|---|---|
| Compost | 300–500 kg | 400–650 kg |
| Topsoil (dry) | ~1000 kg | ~1300 kg |
| Topsoil (wet) | ~1300 kg | ~1700 kg |
| Sand | ~1200 kg | ~1600 kg |
| Gravel | ~1300 kg | ~1700 kg |
A cubic yard of wet topsoil is well over a tonne. That is roughly 15 barrow loads, and it will exceed the payload of most cars and small trailers — worth checking before arranging collection rather than delivery.
Common mistakes
| Mistake | Effect | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Treating a cubic yard as a cubic metre | 31% short | 1 m³ = 1.308 yd³ |
| No settling allowance | Run out near the end | Add 15% |
| Assuming a standard bag size | Wrong count | Read the litres on the bag |
| Not deciding depth first | Coverage is meaningless | Depth drives everything |
| Mixing feet and metres | Wildly wrong | Convert before multiplying |
| Buying bags for a large bed | Overpay heavily | Bulk above ~0.5 yd³ |
| Forgetting the weight | Vehicle overloaded | Over a tonne per yd³ when wet |
Frequently asked questions
How many litres are in a cubic yard of soil?
Exactly 764.555 litres. A yard is defined as 0.9144 m, and 0.9144³ = 0.764555 m³; since 1 m³ is 1000 litres, that gives 764.555 L. The figure is exact rather than rounded, because the yard is defined in terms of the metre.
How many bags of compost are in a cubic yard?
About 12.74 bags of 60 L, 15.29 of 50 L, or 19.11 of 40 L. Bag sizes vary a great deal between suppliers, so check the litres printed on the bag rather than assuming. In practice you round up — a cubic yard is 13 sixty-litre bags.
How much area does a cubic yard of soil cover?
Entirely depends on depth. At 5 cm it covers 15.29 m²; at 25 cm only 3.06 m². In imperial, a cubic yard at 2 inches deep covers 162 ft². Depth is the variable that matters most — and the one people forget to decide before ordering.
Is it cheaper to buy soil in bags or in bulk?
Bulk is almost always substantially cheaper per litre once you need more than about half a cubic yard — you are not paying for plastic, palletising and handling. The trade-off is that bulk arrives as a heap and must be barrowed. Bags win for small quantities, awkward access, or storing material between jobs.
How much does a cubic yard of soil weigh?
Roughly 1000–1300 kg for topsoil, depending on wetness and compaction. Compost is much lighter at 300–500 kg per cubic yard because it is more porous. This matters for delivery and barrowing — a cubic yard of wet topsoil is well over a tonne.
Why do I always seem to need more soil than I calculated?
Two reasons. Bagged compost is measured loose and settles once watered in, losing 10–20% of its apparent volume. And beds are rarely the neat rectangles they were measured as, with edges and corners taking more than expected. Adding 15% is a sensible default.
How do I convert cubic metres to cubic yards?
Multiply m³ by 1.30795 to get cubic yards, or divide to go back. A cubic metre is about 31% larger than a cubic yard. Because 1 m³ is exactly 1000 litres, metric measurement makes the arithmetic considerably easier.
What depth of topsoil do I need?
For a new lawn, 10–15 cm. Vegetable beds want 30–45 cm for root crops. A top dressing over existing lawn is only 1–2 cm, applied thinly so grass is not smothered. Raised beds need filling to their full internal depth — which is where volumes get large.