How to Figure Cubic Feet

A cubic yard of gravel weighs 2,600 lbs.

The volume of a material, measured in cubic feet, is directly proportional to the material's mass. The factor relating the substance's mass and volume is its density, which varies among materials. In addition to factoring in a substance's density when calculating its volume, you may need convert the units that the calculation uses. Depending on the material you are analyzing, its density may specify its mass and volume in pounds or tons and in cubic feet or cubic yards.

Instructions

1. Determine the material's density. Once source for this information is the Pennsylvania State University. For example, if you are calculating the volume of gravel, note that its density is 2,600 lbs. per cubic yard.

2. Divide the mass whose volume you're calculating by this density. For example, if you are calculating the volume of 1,200 lbs. of gravel: 1,200 divided by 2,600 equals 0.462. This is the material's volume, measured in cubic yards.

3. Multiply this answer by 27, which is the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard: 0.462 times 27 equals 12.47. This is the material's cubic footage.

References

• National Institute of Standards and Technology: General Tables of Units of Measurement
• Ohio State University: Density of Solids

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Pennsylvania State University: Weights of Building Materials, Agricultural Commodities