Landscape materials calculator
Measure your area, pick a material, and see how much to order: in cubic yards, tons, bags or pallets. Odd shapes are fine: add them up piece by piece and subtract patios or paths. Every number shows how it was calculated, so you can check it against a supplier’s quote.
Split odd shapes into pieces and add them up. Use Subtract for patios, paths or anything you won't cover. Lengths like 12'6" work too.
Compare prices
Assumptions (edit to match your supplier)
Show the working
Free, no sign-up, no ads, and no supplier pays to be here. Figures are typical values; your supplier's own numbers for weight and coverage always win. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
How to measure
- Rectangles and squares: length × width. An L-shaped bed is two rectangles; add them as two pieces.
- Circles: measure straight across the middle (the diameter). For a ring around a tree, add the full circle and subtract the inner circle.
- Triangles: measure all three sides. You don’t need the height.
- Curvy beds: run a tape measure along the longest straight line through the bed. Every few feet, measure straight across at a right angle. Enter those widths in order, including both ends (0 if the bed comes to a point). The more widths you measure, the more accurate the area.
Why order more than you measured
Loose soil, compost and mulch settle once they are spread and watered, and road base or sand shrinks when it is compacted. The calculator adds a typical allowance for each material; you can change it under Assumptions. It then rounds up to the next half unit, because suppliers rarely sell less.
Cubic yards vs tons
Soil, compost and mulch are usually sold by the cubic yard (volume). Stone, gravel and sand are usually sold by the ton (weight). The same cubic yard can weigh anywhere from about 600 lb (mulch) to over 2,500 lb (gravel), so a price per ton and a price per yard cannot be compared without knowing the weight. Ask your supplier what their material weighs per yard, and put that number in Assumptions.
Before you buy topsoil
“Topsoil” has no legal definition, and quality varies a lot. Before you buy, ask:
- Is it screened? Screened soil has had rocks, roots and clods removed.
- What is in it? Native soil, a blend with compost or sand, or fill dirt?
- Has it been tested? Ask for pH, organic matter, salts and texture. A reputable supplier can tell you.
- Can I see it first? Look for weeds, construction debris, plastic or a sour smell. When the load arrives, check that it matches what you saw.
Don’t pay for more than you need: a quote for several times the volume this calculator gives is worth questioning.