Cubic Yards of a Cylinder Calculator
Find the cubic yardage of any cylindrical space — circular concrete pads, round ponds, cylindrical footings, tree rings — by entering the diameter and depth in feet.
ft
ft
Volume = π × (diameter/2)² × depth ÷ 27
- 1
Radius
3 ÷ 2 = 1.5 - 2
Volume in cubic feet
π × 1.5² × 2 = 3.14159 × 2.25 × 2 = 14.1372V = π × r² × depth, with all dimensions in feet. - 3
Convert to cubic yards
14.1372 ÷ 27 = 0.52361 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet.
How does this calculator work?
Volume (yd³) = π × (diameter ÷ 2)² × depth ÷ 27, with all dimensions in feet. For a circle of diameter D ft and depth h ft: multiply π × (D/2)² × h to get cubic feet, then divide by 27. Used for circular concrete pads, round ponds, cylindrical footings and piers.
Formula
How this is calculated
The volume of a cylinder is the area of its circular base multiplied by its height (depth). The circular base area is π × r², where r is the radius (half the diameter). Because US bulk materials are ordered in cubic yards, the cubic-foot result is divided by 27 (since 1 yd³ = 27 ft³).
To use the formula: measure the diameter of the circular area across its widest point (not the radius). Divide by 2 to get the radius. Measure the depth. Then Volume = π × r² × depth ÷ 27. For concrete footings or piers, add 5–10% for waste and over-pour.
All dimensions must be in feet before the formula is applied. If your diameter or depth is in inches, divide by 12 first. The calculator does the arithmetic automatically once you enter values in feet.
Frequently asked questions
Measure the diameter of the pad in feet and the thickness in feet (e.g. 4 in = 0.333 ft). Enter both values: Volume = π × (D/2)² × thickness ÷ 27. For a 10-ft diameter pad at 4 in thick, that is π × 5² × 0.333 ÷ 27 ≈ 0.97 yd³.
Enter the full diameter — the distance from one side of the circle to the other. The calculator halves it internally to get the radius.
Calculate the cubic yards using diameter × depth, then add 10% for over-pour and waste. Round up to the nearest 0.25 yd³ increment when placing a ready-mix order.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Cubic Yards of a Cylinder Calculator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/cubic-yards-cylinder-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Cubic Yards of a Cylinder Calculator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/cubic-yards-cylinder-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Cubic Yards of a Cylinder Calculator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/cubic-yards-cylinder-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_cubic_yards_cylinder_calculator, title = {Cubic Yards of a Cylinder Calculator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/cubic-yards-cylinder-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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