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Truck Volume Calculator

Measure a truck bed in cubic yards and work out how many loads a job needs

1. Truck bed capacity
Level capacity
0 yd³

Presets use typical inside length, the width between the wheel wells and a 21 in side height. Beds vary by make and year, so measure yours for an exact figure. A heaped load holds more than the level capacity, but check the weight below first.

2. How many truck loads?
Truck loads needed
0
⚠️ Reference estimates only. Material weights are typical values and change with moisture, grading and compaction, and truck capacities and payloads vary by vehicle. Never exceed your vehicle's rated payload or gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). calcstool.com assumes no liability for orders, hauling or loading decisions based on these results.
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FAQ
How do I measure the volume of a truck bed?
Measure the inside length, the inside width and the height of the sides, all in the same unit. Multiply them to get cubic feet (if you measured in feet) and divide by 27 to get cubic yards. For a pickup, use the width between the wheel wells for a conservative figure.
How many cubic yards does a pickup truck hold?
Measured level with the top of the sides, a short bed holds roughly 1.5 cubic yards, a standard 6.5 ft bed about 1.75 and a long 8 ft bed about 2.2 cubic yards, using the width between the wheel wells. Dense materials such as gravel or sand usually hit the payload limit well before the bed is full.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide cubic feet by 27, because one cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft = 27 cubic feet. For example, 54 cubic feet is 2 cubic yards. One cubic yard is about 0.765 cubic meters.
Why does the calculator check weight as well as volume?
A truck can run out of payload before it runs out of space. A cubic yard of gravel weighs around 2,800 lb, so a half-ton pickup is overloaded with less than one yard. Enter your truck's payload to get the number of loads that is actually safe.
How many cubic yards are in a dump truck?
It depends on the body. Single-axle dump trucks commonly carry around 5 to 7 cubic yards, tandem-axle trucks around 10 to 14 and tri-axle trucks more. Check the rating of the truck you are hiring, and remember weight limits apply to heavy materials.

How to measure truck volume

  1. Measure the inside length of the bed, from the front wall to the closed tailgate.
  2. Measure the inside width. On a pickup, use the width between the wheel wells for a safe number.
  3. Measure the height of the sides from the floor to the top edge.
  4. Multiply length × width × height. If you measured in feet, divide by 27 for cubic yards. In inches, divide by 46,656.

Example: a bed 6.5 ft × 4.2 ft × 1.75 ft is 47.8 cubic feet, which is 1.77 cubic yards.

Volume is only half the question

Trucks run out of payload long before they run out of space with heavy materials. One cubic yard of gravel weighs roughly 2,800 lb and sand about 2,700 lb, while many half-ton pickups are rated for around 1,500 to 2,000 lb of payload. Enter your payload in step 2 and the calculator counts loads by whichever limit you hit first.

Typical material weights

Materiallb per yd³kg per m³
Mulch400–800240–470
Topsoil2,000–2,2001,190–1,300
Sand2,600–3,0001,540–1,780
Gravel / crushed stone2,600–3,0001,540–1,780
Concrete (wet)about 4,000about 2,400

Wet material weighs noticeably more, so ask your supplier for the figure they load by.

Cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters

One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet or about 0.765 cubic meters, and one cubic meter is about 1.31 cubic yards. Landscape and aggregate suppliers in the US sell by the cubic yard, while most other countries use cubic meters, so the calculator shows both.

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