To determine how many cubic yards of dirt you need, follow these steps:

1. Measure the Area
   Measure the length and width of the area you want to fill with dirt, in feet.

2. Determine the Depth
   Decide how deep you want the dirt layer to be, usually measured in inches.

3. Convert Depth to Feet
   Convert the depth from inches to feet by dividing by 12.

4. Calculate Volume in Cubic Feet
   Multiply length (ft) × width (ft) × depth (ft) to get the volume in cubic feet.

5. Convert Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards
   Divide the cubic feet volume by 27 (since 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet).

Formula:

Cubic Yards=Length (ft)×Width (ft)×Depth (inches)/1227\text{Cubic Yards}=\frac{\text{Length (ft)}\times \text{Width (ft)}\times \text{Depth (inches)}/12}{27}Cubic Yards=27Length (ft)×Width (ft)×Depth (inches)/12​

Example:
For an area 12 ft long, 14 ft wide, and 9 inches deep:

• Depth in feet = 9 ÷ 12 = 0.75 ft
• Volume in cubic feet = 12 × 14 × 0.75 = 126 cu ft
• Volume in cubic yards = 126 ÷ 27 = 4.67 cubic yards

You should round up to the nearest whole number when ordering dirt, as suppliers may not sell fractions of a yard

. If your area is irregular, break it into smaller rectangles, calculate each volume, then sum them for total cubic yards