Construction & Landscaping calculators
Material calculators for concrete, gravel, mulch, soil and flooring: work out how much to buy, what it weighs and what it costs before you order.
Cubic Yard CalculatorTurn the length, width and depth of any bed, trench or hole into cubic yards, then price the order before you call the supplier.Gravel CalculatorWork out the volume, weight and cost of gravel for a driveway, path, patio or drainage trench, with densities for the most common stone types.Square Footage CalculatorAdd up the area of one room or a whole floor plan, subtract what you will not cover, and see the result in square feet, square meters and square yards.Concrete CalculatorEstimate how much concrete to order for a slab, footing, post hole or set of steps, and how many premixed bags that would take.
Construction & Landscaping guides
How Big Is a Cubic Yard? A Visual Guide for Ordering Bulk MaterialsA cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, a cube 3 feet on each side. Here is how to picture it, what it weighs, and how far it spreads.
Cubic Feet to Cubic Yards: The Conversion, a Chart and Common MistakesDivide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. This guide shows why, gives a quick chart, and covers the inch and square-foot mix-ups that cause bad orders.
How Much Mulch Do I Need? Depth, Coverage and Yards ExplainedFind out how many cubic yards or bags of mulch your beds need, the right depth for each situation, and how to avoid mulching mistakes that harm plants.
How Much Topsoil Do I Need? Raised Beds, New Lawns and LevelingCalculate topsoil for raised beds, new lawns and low spots, plan for settling, and choose between topsoil, garden mix and fill dirt.
How to Measure Curved and Irregular Areas for Soil, Mulch or GravelKidney-shaped beds, winding paths and sloped holes are hard to measure. Four practical methods give a volume estimate you can confidently order from.
How Much Does a Cubic Yard Weigh? Soil, Mulch, Sand, Gravel and MoreTypical weights per cubic yard for common landscape and building materials, why moisture matters, and how to check whether your truck or trailer can carry a load.
Bulk vs. Bagged Mulch and Soil: Which Is Cheaper for Your Project?Compare the real cost of bagged and bulk landscape materials, find the break-even point, and learn what to ask a supplier before ordering a truckload.
How Much Gravel Do I Need for a Driveway? Layers, Depth and TonsPlan a gravel driveway layer by layer: which stone goes where, how deep each layer should be, and how to turn the dimensions into an order in tons.
Types of Gravel Explained: Pea Gravel, #57, Crusher Run, River Rock and MoreA plain-English guide to the most common gravel and crushed stone types, their sizes, weights and best uses, so you can order the right stone the first time.
How Deep Should Gravel Be? Recommended Depths for Every ProjectRecommended gravel depths for paths, patios, driveways, sheds, drainage and decorative beds, with the reasons behind each number and a coverage chart.
Tons vs. Cubic Yards of Gravel: How to Convert and Compare PricesHow many tons are in a yard of gravel, how to convert between tons and cubic yards, and how to compare quotes from suppliers that price differently.
How to Build a Pea Gravel Patio: Materials, Depth and a Step-by-Step PlanEverything you need to plan a pea gravel patio: how much gravel and base stone to order, edging options, stabilizer grids and a step-by-step installation guide.
Gravel for Drainage and French Drains: Which Stone and How MuchChoose the right gravel for French drains, dry wells and downspout drainage, and calculate how much stone a trench needs after subtracting the pipe.
How to Measure the Square Footage of a House, Step by StepMeasure a home's square footage the way appraisers do: from the outside, floor by floor, with the right spaces included and excluded. Includes a worked example.
How to Calculate Square Footage of L-Shaped and Irregular RoomsSplit L-shaped, angled and curved rooms into simple shapes, measure them accurately, and add or subtract areas to get square footage you can buy flooring from.
How Much Extra Flooring to Buy: Waste Factors for Tile, Laminate and HardwoodThe right overage for flooring depends on the material, the layout pattern and the room shape. Use these waste factors to buy enough boxes without overspending.
Square Feet to Square Meters (and Yards, Acres): Conversions and ChartsConvert square feet to square meters, square yards, acres and hectares with exact factors, quick charts and tips to avoid the most common area-conversion mistakes.
Finished vs. Unfinished Square Footage: Basements, Attics, Garages and PorchesWhich spaces count toward a home's finished square footage? Learn how basements, attics, bonus rooms, garages and porches are usually treated, and why it matters.
Price per Square Foot: How to Calculate It and When It MisleadsCalculate price per square foot for homes, rentals and renovation projects, and learn the pitfalls that make the number misleading when comparing properties.
How Many Bags of Concrete Do I Need? 40, 60 and 80 lb Bag ChartsFind how many 40, 60 or 80 lb bags of concrete you need for slabs, posts and footings, with yield charts, worked examples and when to switch to ready-mix.
How Thick Should a Concrete Slab Be? Patios, Driveways, Garages and ShedsTypical concrete slab thicknesses for patios, walkways, garage floors, driveways and equipment pads, plus base, reinforcement and control-joint basics.
How to Order Ready-Mix Concrete: Yards, Slump, Strength and DeliveryWhat to tell the batch plant when ordering ready-mix concrete: volume, strength, slump, additives and site access, plus how to avoid running short.
Concrete for Footings and Post Holes: Sizes, Depth and VolumeCalculate concrete for deck footings, fence posts and continuous footings. Covers frost depth, form tubes, hole sizes and how to total many holes at once.
Concrete Curing Time: When Can You Walk, Drive and Build on It?A practical timeline for new concrete: when to walk on it, when to drive on it, why 28 days matters, and how to cure it properly in hot and cold weather.
Concrete Mix Ratios Explained: 1:2:3, 1:2:4 and Water–Cement RatioUnderstand concrete mix ratios, how much cement, sand and gravel go into a cubic yard, why the water–cement ratio controls strength, and how to mix by hand.