How to calculate cubic meters
Multiply length × width × depth, all in meters.
m³ = length (m) × width (m) × depth (m)
Depth is usually measured in centimeters, so divide it by 100 first. A 4 m × 3 m bed covered 5 cm deep is 4 × 3 × 0.05 = 0.6 m³, or 600 liters. The same job in imperial units is 0.785 cubic yards, because one cubic meter is 1.30795 cubic yards.[1]
If the area is in square meters already, multiply it by the depth in meters: 25 m² × 0.075 m = 1.875 m³.
Cubic meters by area and depth
10 m² at 5 cm is 0.5 m³; at 10 cm it is 1 m³.
| Area | 2.5 cm | 5 cm | 7.5 cm | 10 cm | 15 cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 m² | 0.13 | 0.25 | 0.38 | 0.5 | 0.75 |
| 10 m² | 0.25 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 1 | 1.5 |
| 20 m² | 0.5 | 1 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 |
| 30 m² | 0.75 | 1.5 | 2.25 | 3 | 4.5 |
| 50 m² | 1.25 | 2.5 | 3.75 | 5 | 7.5 |
| 100 m² | 2.5 | 5 | 7.5 | 10 | 15 |
Cubic meters to cubic yards
Multiply cubic meters by 1.308 to get cubic yards; one cubic yard is 0.7646 m³.[1]
| Cubic meters | Cubic yards |
|---|---|
| 0.5 m³ | 0.65 |
| 1 m³ | 1.31 |
| 2 m³ | 2.62 |
| 3 m³ | 3.92 |
| 5 m³ | 6.54 |
| 10 m³ | 13.08 |
From cubic meters to tonnes
Multiply cubic meters by the weight of a cubic meter: about 1.6–1.84 tonnes for loose gravel.
Stone, sand and soil are often sold by the tonne. Weight per cubic meter depends on the material and how wet it is, so the calculator shows a range for the material you pick. The tons and cubic yards converter also works in tonnes and m³, and the gravel calculator in tonnes is set up for metric orders of stone.
Bags per cubic meter
Divide 1,000 by the bag size in liters: 25 bags of 40 L or 20 bags of 50 L.
Bagged compost, bark and soil in metric countries are labeled in liters. Divide 1,000 by the bag size:
| Bag size | Bags per m³ | Bags per cubic yard |
|---|---|---|
| 20 L | 50 | 38.2 |
| 25 L | 40 | 30.6 |
| 40 L | 25 | 19.1 |
| 50 L | 20 | 15.3 |
| 60 L | 16.7 | 12.7 |
| 70 L | 14.3 | 10.9 |
| 80 L | 12.5 | 9.6 |
| 100 L | 10 | 7.6 |
Round up to whole bagsThe calculator rounds the bag count up. Partly used bags keep well for top-ups, while a shortfall means a second trip.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate cubic meters for soil?
Multiply length × width × depth, all in meters. For a 5 m × 2 m raised area filled 30 cm deep: 5 × 2 × 0.3 = 3 m³.
How many liters are in a cubic meter?
1,000 liters.
How many cubic yards is a cubic meter?
1.308 cubic yards. One cubic yard is 0.7646 m³.[1]
Is it cubic meter or cubic metre?
Both: "metre" is the British spelling and "meter" the American one. The unit, m³, is the same.