How to use it
- Enter length in feet
- Enter width in feet
- Enter depth in inches
- Read cubic feet, cubic yards and tons results
What it does: The calculator turns the length, width and depth of your rock bed into three useful measures: cubic feet, cubic yards and an estimated weight in US tons.
Why it matters: Knowing cubic yards tells you how many dump‑truck loads to order; tons helps you compare product specifications and shipping costs.
How to read the results: Cubic feet is the raw volume, cubic yards is cubic feet ÷ 27 (the standard conversion), and tons is cubic yards × 1.4 (the industry‑standard weight). Use the numbers to size your order, add a waste factor, and avoid over‑ or under‑buying.
Pro tips
- Add 5‑10% extra for compaction and breakage
- Round up to the nearest whole yard for easier ordering
- Check supplier’s tonnage per yard to match the estimate
- Double‑check depth conversion from inches to feet
Real-life examples
- Planning a rock garden border and need exact material quantity
- Estimating material for a driveway base before ordering
- Comparing prices between suppliers that quote by yard or ton
Case study
Mike needed a 12 ft × 10 ft × 6 in rock base for his driveway. The calculator returned 2.22 yd³ ≈ 3.1 tons, so he ordered 3.5 tons, covered waste, and completed the project without a second trip.