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Easy Conversion: How Many Quarts Are In A Cubic Yard
So, how many quarts are in a cubic yard? A cubic yard holds a lot of quarts. Specifically, a cubic yard holds about 694 US dry quarts or about 808 US liquid quarts. This is because dry and liquid quarts are slightly different sizes. Knowing this helps you figure out amounts for things like soil, mulch, or concrete. This guide will show you how we get these numbers, why the type of quart matters, and how this helps you with real projects like gardening or building.
Figuring Out the Basics: Cubic Yards and Cubic Feet
Let’s start with what a cubic yard is. It’s a measure of volume. Imagine a box that is 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high. That’s one cubic yard.
Why start with feet? Because the standard sizes of quarts and gallons are often defined based on cubic inches or cubic feet. Feet are a good middle step between a large cubic yard and the smaller quart.
What is a Cubic Yard?
A cubic yard is a unit of volume in the imperial and US customary systems. It’s often used for large amounts of material. Think about ordering soil for a garden bed, gravel for a driveway, or concrete for a patio. These are commonly measured and sold by the cubic yard.
To see how many cubic feet are in a cubic yard, you just multiply the length, width, and height in feet:
- 1 cubic yard = 3 feet * 3 feet * 3 feet
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet
This conversion, knowing there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, is the very first step to figuring out how many quarts are in that space. It’s like breaking a big box (the cubic yard) into 27 smaller, equal boxes (the cubic feet).
Seeing How Quarts Fit Into Cubic Feet
Now we need to know how many quarts fit into one of those smaller boxes – a cubic foot. This is where things get a little tricky because, as we said, there are two types of quarts in the US system: dry quarts and liquid quarts. They have different sizes.
Dry Quarts vs Liquid Quarts Explained
Yes, it’s true. A dry quart is not the same size as a liquid quart.
- Liquid Quart: Used for measuring liquids like milk, water, paint, or gasoline. A US liquid quart is defined as 1/4 of a US liquid gallon. A US liquid gallon is defined as 231 cubic inches. So, a US liquid quart is 231 / 4 = 57.75 cubic inches.
- Dry Quart: Used for measuring dry goods like grains, fruits, vegetables, soil, or sand. A US dry quart is defined as 1/4 of a US dry gallon. A US dry gallon is defined as 268.8 cubic inches. So, a US dry quart is 268.8 / 4 = 67.2 cubic inches.
Notice the dry quart (67.2 cubic inches) is slightly larger than the liquid quart (57.75 cubic inches). This difference is important when you are measuring materials. Soil, mulch, gravel, sand, and most landscaping materials are measured using dry volume measures, even if you don’t buy them specifically by the quart.
Quarts Per Cubic Foot
Knowing the size of each type of quart in cubic inches helps us figure out how many fit into a cubic foot. A cubic foot is 12 inches * 12 inches * 12 inches = 1728 cubic inches.
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Liquid Quarts per Cubic Foot:
- Number of liquid quarts = Total cubic inches / Size of one liquid quart
- Number of liquid quarts = 1728 cubic inches / 57.75 cubic inches/quart
- Number of liquid quarts ≈ 29.92 liquid quarts per cubic foot
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Dry Quarts per Cubic Foot:
- Number of dry quarts = Total cubic inches / Size of one dry quart
- Number of dry quarts = 1728 cubic inches / 67.2 cubic inches/quart
- Number of dry quarts ≈ 25.71 dry quarts per cubic foot
So, a cubic foot holds about 29.92 liquid quarts or about 25.71 dry quarts. This is the key conversion for quarts per cubic foot.
Putting the Numbers Together: Cubic Yards to Quarts
Now we have all the pieces we need. We know:
- How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard (27).
- How many quarts (dry or liquid) are in one cubic foot.
To find out how many quarts are in a cubic yard, we just multiply the number of cubic feet by the number of quarts in each cubic foot.
Calculating Dry Quarts in a Cubic Yard
Most bulk materials like soil, mulch, or gravel are measured using dry volume standards, even if they aren’t sold in dry quarts directly. So, when you get a cubic yard of soil quarts, you’ll use the dry quart number.
- Total dry quarts = Number of cubic feet in a yard * Number of dry quarts per cubic foot
- Total dry quarts = 27 cubic feet * 25.714 dry quarts/cubic foot (using a more precise number)
- Total dry quarts ≈ 694.278 dry quarts
Rounding this number for practical use gives us about 694 dry quarts in a cubic yard.
Calculating Liquid Quarts in a Cubic Yard
While you usually don’t measure bulk materials this way, it’s good to know the liquid equivalent for comparison or specific cases involving liquids in bulk volume.
- Total liquid quarts = Number of cubic feet in a yard * Number of liquid quarts per cubic foot
- Total liquid quarts = 27 cubic feet * 29.92 liquid quarts/cubic foot (using a precise number)
- Total liquid quarts ≈ 807.84 liquid quarts
Rounding this number gives us about 808 liquid quarts in a cubic yard.
Summary Table: Cubic Yard to Quarts
Here is a simple table showing the main conversions:
| Unit 1 | Unit 2 | Conversion | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Cubic Yard | Cubic Feet | 27 cubic feet | Length x Width x Height |
| 1 Cubic Foot | US Dry Quarts | ~25.71 US dry quarts | For dry materials |
| 1 Cubic Foot | US Liquid Quarts | ~29.92 US liquid quarts | For liquids |
| 1 Cubic Yard | US Dry Quarts | ~694 US dry quarts | 27 * 25.71 = 694.1 |
| 1 Cubic Yard | US Liquid Quarts | ~808 US liquid quarts | 27 * 29.92 = 807.84 |
This table gives you a quick look at the main volume conversion cubic yards to quarts. Remember the dry vs. liquid difference!
Real-Life Needs: Why This Conversion Matters
Knowing how many quarts are in a cubic yard might seem like just a math problem. But it’s actually very useful when you’re working on projects around your home or job site.
Landscaping Material Volume
Let’s say you’re planning a garden project. You need mulch for a flower bed. You measure the bed and figure out you need half a cubic yard of mulch. You go to the store, but they sell mulch in bags that say “2 cubic feet” or maybe even bags that list the volume in quarts.
How many quarts are in half a cubic yard of mulch?
A full cubic yard is about 694 dry quarts (since mulch is dry).
Half a cubic yard is 694 / 2 = 347 dry quarts.
If the bags are 2 cubic feet each, and you know there are 27 cubic feet in a yard, half a yard is 13.5 cubic feet (27 / 2).
How many 2-cubic-foot bags do you need? 13.5 / 2 = 6.75 bags. You would need to buy 7 bags.
If a bag lists volume in quarts, you can also compare. A small bag might be 30 or 40 quarts. This helps you see how many small bags equal a large bulk order. Knowing the total quarts in a cubic yard (694) helps you compare the cost of buying many small bags versus one large delivery. Bulk is usually cheaper per quart.
Ordering Bulk Materials
When you order soil, gravel, or sand in bulk, it usually comes by the cubic yard. Knowing the quart conversion helps you picture the amount. It also helps you understand why a cubic yard is a large quantity. 694 dry quarts is over 170 dry gallons (since 4 quarts are in a gallon). That’s a lot of material!
It’s especially helpful if you are comparing bulk prices to bagged prices, which are sometimes listed in quarts or cubic feet. You can calculate the price per quart or per cubic foot for both options to see which is cheaper.
Cubic Yard of Soil Quarts
When you buy soil by the cubic yard, you are getting roughly 694 dry quarts of soil. This figure helps if you are working on a project where you need a specific number of quarts, or if you are using smaller containers (like large pots) and want to know how many you can fill from a cubic yard.
Example: If a large pot needs 30 dry quarts of soil, how many pots can you fill from one cubic yard?
Total quarts in a yard / Quarts per pot = Number of pots
694 quarts / 30 quarts/pot ≈ 23.1 pots
You could fill about 23 large pots from one cubic yard of soil.
This type of calculation is crucial for planning and budgeting materials for gardening, landscaping, or construction jobs.
Other Useful Conversions: Gallons and More
Since quarts and gallons are closely related (4 quarts make a gallon), it’s easy to figure out how many gallons are in a cubic yard once you know the quart number.
Cubic Yard to Gallon Conversion
Again, we need to think about liquid and dry. Liquid gallons are much more common when talking about this volume size.
- Liquid Gallons in a Cubic Yard:
- We know 1 cubic yard ≈ 808 liquid quarts.
- There are 4 liquid quarts in 1 liquid gallon.
- Total liquid gallons = Total liquid quarts / Quarts per gallon
- Total liquid gallons ≈ 808 quarts / 4 quarts/gallon
- Total liquid gallons ≈ 202 gallons
So, there are about 202 US liquid gallons in a cubic yard. This aligns nicely with our previous calculation of 27 cubic feet * 7.48 gallons/cubic foot = 201.96 gallons.
This fact, gallons in a cubic yard, is often used when talking about the capacity of things like large tanks, truck beds, or ponds.
- Dry Gallons in a Cubic Yard:
- We know 1 cubic yard ≈ 694 dry quarts.
- There are 4 dry quarts in 1 dry gallon.
- Total dry gallons = Total dry quarts / Quarts per gallon
- Total dry gallons ≈ 694 quarts / 4 quarts/gallon
- Total dry gallons ≈ 173.5 gallons
There are about 173.5 US dry gallons in a cubic yard. You are less likely to use this number unless you are dealing with very large amounts of dry goods measured by the gallon, which is not common for cubic yard volumes.
Comparing Units
It’s helpful to see how these units stack up.
| Unit | Equivalent Volume | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| Cubic Inch | – | Small volumes |
| Cubic Foot | 1728 cubic inches | Mid-size volumes |
| Cubic Yard | 27 cubic feet (46,656 cubic inches) | Large bulk volumes |
| US Liquid Quart | 57.75 cubic inches | Liquids (milk, paint) |
| US Dry Quart | 67.2 cubic inches | Dry goods (berries) |
| US Liquid Gallon | 231 cubic inches (4 liquid quarts) | Liquids (gas, water) |
| US Dry Gallon | 268.8 cubic inches (4 dry quarts) | Dry goods (less common) |
This table helps clarify the sizes and why the dry/liquid distinction is important.
Getting Your Head Around How to Calculate Cubic Yard Volume
To figure out how much material you need in cubic yards (so you can then figure out the quarts!), you need to calculate the volume of the space you want to fill. This is usually done by measuring the length, width, and depth of the area.
The basic formula for the volume of a rectangular area is:
Volume = Length * Width * Depth (or Height)
Measuring Up Your Area
- Measure the Length: Use a tape measure to find the length of the area you want to fill. Measure in feet or inches. If the area is not a perfect rectangle, measure the longest part.
- Measure the Width: Measure the width of the area. Again, use feet or inches. If the area is not a perfect rectangle, measure the widest part.
- Measure the Depth: This is how deep you want the material to be. Measure in inches or feet.
Doing the Volume Math
It’s easiest if all your measurements are in the same unit. Feet are best for calculating cubic yards.
-
If you measured in feet:
- Multiply Length (feet) * Width (feet) * Depth (feet).
- This gives you the volume in cubic feet.
- Example: A garden bed is 10 feet long, 3 feet wide, and you want 1 foot of soil.
- Volume = 10 ft * 3 ft * 1 ft = 30 cubic feet.
-
If you measured in inches:
- Multiply Length (inches) * Width (inches) * Depth (inches).
- This gives you the volume in cubic inches.
- To convert cubic inches to cubic feet, divide by 1728 (since 1 cubic foot = 1728 cubic inches).
- Example: A small area is 60 inches long, 36 inches wide, and you want it 6 inches deep.
- Volume = 60 inches * 36 inches * 6 inches = 12,960 cubic inches.
- Volume in cubic feet = 12,960 / 1728 = 7.5 cubic feet.
-
If you measured in a mix (e.g., feet for length/width, inches for depth):
- Convert the inch measurement to feet by dividing by 12 (since 1 foot = 12 inches).
- Then multiply Length (feet) * Width (feet) * Depth (feet).
- Example: Area is 12 feet long, 4 feet wide, and you want it 4 inches deep.
- Depth in feet = 4 inches / 12 inches/foot = 0.333… feet (or 1/3 foot).
- Volume = 12 ft * 4 ft * 0.333… ft = 16 cubic feet.
Converting Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards
Once you have the volume in cubic feet, convert it to cubic yards by dividing by 27.
-
Cubic Yards = Volume in cubic feet / 27 cubic feet/cubic yard
-
Example 1 (garden bed): 30 cubic feet / 27 cubic feet/yard ≈ 1.11 cubic yards.
- Example 2 (small area): 7.5 cubic feet / 27 cubic feet/yard ≈ 0.28 cubic yards.
- Example 3 (mixed units): 16 cubic feet / 27 cubic feet/yard ≈ 0.59 cubic yards.
So, figuring out the cubic yard volume helps you place your order. Then, if you need to know the quarts, you can use our conversion numbers (694 dry quarts per cubic yard for dry materials).
Using a Unit Conversion Calculator
Doing these calculations step-by-step is great for learning, but for quick checks or more complex numbers, a unit conversion calculator is very handy.
Many websites and smartphone apps offer volume conversion tools. You can often input a value in cubic yards and convert it directly to dry quarts or liquid quarts. You can also convert cubic feet to quarts, or cubic inches to quarts.
What a Calculator Helps With
- Speed: Get the answer instantly.
- Accuracy: Reduces the chance of math errors.
- Different Units: Easily switch between cubic yards, cubic feet, gallons, quarts, liters, cubic meters, etc.
- Double-Checking: Verify your manual calculations.
Just make sure the calculator specifies whether it’s using US dry quarts/gallons or US liquid quarts/gallons when you are doing conversions involving those units. Sometimes calculators default to liquid measure, which would give you the wrong number for soil or mulch.
Things to Think About When Ordering
Knowing the conversion numbers is powerful, but real-world materials aren’t always perfect.
Compaction of Materials
Materials like soil or mulch can settle and compact over time. When you order a cubic yard, the volume is measured when it’s loaded loose. By the time it’s delivered and spread, it might seem like slightly less volume due to settling. Some materials, like compost or soil, compact more than gravel or sand. It’s often a good idea to order a little extra (maybe 5-10%) if the exact volume is critical.
Loose vs. Compacted Volume
Be aware that a cubic yard of loose mulch looks bigger than a cubic yard of the same mulch once it’s spread and packed down. This is normal. The 694 dry quarts figure is based on the standard definition of the volume, not how much it might shrink when settled.
Supplier Measurements
Reputable suppliers measure volume accurately. However, minor differences can occur depending on how the material is loaded. Asking your supplier how they measure a cubic yard (e.g., using a standard loader bucket size, marked lines on a truck) can give you peace of mind.
Rounding
Our conversion numbers (694 and 808) are rounded for simplicity. The actual math gives numbers like 694.278 and 807.84. For most practical purposes, using the rounded numbers is perfectly fine. However, if you need extreme precision for some reason, use the more exact figures from the cubic inch calculations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Here are some common questions people ask about these conversions.
Q: Why is there a difference between dry and liquid quarts?
A: The difference comes from historical definitions in the US customary system. Dry measures were developed for things like grains and produce, while liquid measures were for fluids. They were simply defined using different base volumes (the dry gallon vs. the liquid gallon), leading to slightly different sized quarts (1/4 gallon) and pints (1/2 quart). This difference is important to remember when doing volume conversions.
Q: Can I just use the liquid quart number for soil since soil has moisture?
A: No, you should use the dry quart number for soil, mulch, sand, gravel, and other non-liquid bulk materials. Even though soil contains moisture, it is measured using dry volume standards because its primary state is solid particles, not a fluid. Suppliers measure and sell these materials by dry volume.
Q: Is a cubic yard of concrete measured in dry or liquid volume?
A: Concrete ingredients (cement, sand, gravel) are measured by dry volume or weight. When mixed with water, the resulting concrete volume is described in cubic yards, which aligns with the dry volume measurement of its components. So, think of a cubic yard of concrete volume in terms of dry volume.
Q: If a recipe calls for a “quart,” does it mean dry or liquid?
A: In cooking and most household uses, when people say “quart,” they almost always mean a US liquid quart. Dry quarts are typically only used when measuring specific dry goods in larger quantities, often in agricultural or historical contexts. Always assume liquid quart unless “dry quart” is specifically stated.
Q: How many quarts are in a smaller unit, like a cubic foot?
A: As we calculated earlier, there are about 25.7 US dry quarts in a cubic foot and about 29.9 US liquid quarts in a cubic foot. This figure (quarts per cubic foot) is a key step in converting cubic feet to quarts.
Q: How can I easily remember the main numbers?
A: Remember the key steps:
1. A cubic yard is big: 27 cubic feet.
2. A cubic foot holds about 25-30 quarts.
3. Multiply 27 by roughly 26 (for dry) or 30 (for liquid) to get the cubic yard total.
* 27 * 26 ≈ 702 (close to 694 dry quarts)
* 27 * 30 = 810 (close to 808 liquid quarts)
Focus on 694 for dry materials (soil, mulch) and 808 for liquid materials (like water tanks, although cubic feet or gallons are more common for those).
Wrapping It Up
Figuring out how many quarts are in a cubic yard comes down to a few simple steps: knowing that a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and knowing how many quarts (dry or liquid) fit into a single cubic foot. Because a dry quart is slightly bigger than a liquid quart, the total number of quarts in a cubic yard is different: about 694 dry quarts or about 808 liquid quarts.
This conversion is especially helpful for understanding and ordering landscaping material volume, whether it’s a cubic yard of soil quarts, mulch, or gravel. It lets you compare bulk prices to bagged prices, figure out how much material you need for a specific area by using the how to calculate cubic yard volume method, and generally feel more confident when dealing with large quantities.
Using a unit conversion calculator can make the math fast and simple, but understanding the steps involved (from cubic yards to cubic feet, then cubic feet to quarts based on dry quarts vs liquid quarts) gives you a clear picture of the volume you are working with. So next time you’re planning a project that needs a cubic yard of material, you’ll have a good grasp of just how many quarts that really is!