Estimate compost pile volume in cubic feet and yards from pile or windrow dimensions — rectangular heap or triangular windrow cross-section.
Use this when sizing a compost bay, ordering carbon/nitrogen feedstocks by volume, or estimating how much finished compost a windrow might yield after shrink.
Active piles often need at least ~1 cubic yard of volume to hold heat. Finished volume is commonly 40–60% of starting volume after moisture loss and decomposition.
Rectangular volume = L × W × H. Triangular windrow ≈ L × (base × height ÷ 2).
ft³_rect = L × W × H
ft³_tri = L × (base × height ÷ 2)
yd³ = ft³ ÷ 27
finished_yd³ ≈ yd³ × (1 − shrink% ÷ 100)
A 20×8×5 ft rectangular bay = 800 ft³ = 29.6 yd³. At 50% shrink, expect about 14.8 yd³ finished compost.
Assumptions: simple prism geometry; piles are not perfect rectangles or triangles.
Limits: does not compute C:N recipes, moisture %, or pathogen kill time/temperature.
Responsibility: follow local manure/compost rules; hot composting needs monitoring for fire and odor.
One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet (3×3×3).
Windrows are often triangular or trapezoid; use triangle for a first estimate or average the mid-height width.
Volume ≠ tons. Wet manure compost can weigh 800–1,200+ lb/yd³ — weigh a known volume if you sell by ton.