Free tools
All Calculators
Seven free calculators for working out how much material a project needs. Pick the one that matches your job, enter your measurements and press Calculate.
- 7 calculators
- 9 shapes
- 6 units
- No sign up
Volume and Area Calculators
Start here when the job is about size rather than one particular material.
Cubic Yard Calculator
The general tool for anything sold by the yard. Pick one of nine shapes, enter the size and depth, and get the volume in cubic yards, feet and meters.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Cubic feet
- Cubic meters
- Cost
Good for: Compost, fill dirt, river rock, bark and any other loose material.
Square Feet Calculator
Finds the area of a room, lawn or lot in any of eight shapes. Add a depth and it also turns that area into cubic yards.
Gives you
- Square feet
- Square yards
- Square meters
- Acres
Good for: Flooring, sod, paint and checking the area on a plan.
Landscaping and Construction Material Calculators
Each of these knows how its material is usually sold, so alongside cubic yards you get the unit your supplier quotes in: bags, tons or premix bags.
Mulch Calculator
Works out how much mulch a bed needs at the depth you choose, for a bulk delivery or for bagged mulch.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Bags (1 to 3 ft³)
- Cost
Good for: Garden beds, borders and rings around trees.
Topsoil Calculator
Covers lawns, garden beds and raised beds, and shows the weight so you know what a truck or trailer will be carrying.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Tons
- Metric tonnes
- Cost
Good for: New lawns, raised beds and filling low spots.
Gravel Calculator
Handles paths, driveways and drains, with a density you can edit so the tons match your supplier's stone.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Tons
- Metric tonnes
- Cost
Good for: Driveways, walkways, shed bases and French drains.
Sand Calculator
Just as useful for a one inch bedding layer as for a deep sandbox, with the weight in tons for ordering.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Tons
- Metric tonnes
- Cost
Good for: Paver bedding, sandboxes and pool bases.
Concrete Calculator
Calculates slabs, footings and round columns, and converts the volume into 40, 60 or 80 lb premix bags.
Gives you
- Cubic yards
- Premix bags
- Cubic feet
- Cost
Good for: Patios, shed pads, footings and post holes.
Which Calculator Fits Your Project?
Not sure where to start? Find the job that sounds most like yours.
| Your project | Use this calculator | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Mulching garden beds or a ring around a tree | Mulch Calculator | Cubic yards and bags |
| Filling raised beds or laying a new lawn | Topsoil Calculator | Cubic yards and tons |
| A gravel driveway, path or French drain | Gravel Calculator | Cubic yards and tons |
| Bedding sand under pavers, or a sandbox | Sand Calculator | Cubic yards and tons |
| A slab, footing or post holes | Concrete Calculator | Cubic yards and 40, 60 or 80 lb bags |
| Flooring, sod or paint | Square Feet Calculator | Square feet, square yards, square meters and acres |
| Compost, fill dirt, river rock or anything else sold by the yard | Cubic Yard Calculator | Cubic yards, cubic feet and cubic meters |
Doing more than one job? A paver patio, for example, needs gravel for the base and sand for the bedding layer, so run each layer through its own calculator.
What Every Calculator Has in Common
Nine shapes
Rectangle, square, circle, triangle, trapezoid, borders, rings and a known area, each with a labeled drawing.
Any mix of units
Feet, inches, yards, millimeters, centimeters and meters, even within one calculation.
Your own allowance
The waste field starts at 0%, so nothing is added unless you choose to add it.
Cost at a glance
Enter a price per yard, ton, bag or square foot to see an estimated total.
Working you can check
Every result shows a one line breakdown you can copy into a quote request.
Private by design
Calculations run in your browser, and nothing you type is stored or sent.
Guides That Explain the Numbers
The calculators do the arithmetic. These guides explain what sits behind it.
- How to calculate cubic yards: the method every calculator on this site uses.
- How much area one cubic yard covers: what a delivery will spread over at each depth.
- Cubic yards to tons: why the weight depends on the material.
- How many bags are in a cubic yard: bag labels in cubic feet, liters or pounds.
- Square feet to cubic yards: turning the area on a plan into an order.
More guides are on the blog.
All Calculators FAQ
Which calculator should I use for compost or fill dirt?
Use the Topsoil Calculator if you also want the weight, and change the density to match the material. If you only need the volume, the Cubic Yard Calculator works for any loose material.
Why do some calculators show bags and others show tons?
Each one follows the way its material is usually sold. Mulch and premix concrete often come in bags, while gravel, sand and topsoil are often sold by weight. Every calculator also shows cubic yards, so you can compare quotes either way.
Can I calculate several areas at once?
If the areas are the same size, enter one and set the quantity field. If they differ, calculate each area and add the results together.
Do the calculators work on a phone?
Yes. They are built for small screens, and the result appears right below the Calculate button.
Can I suggest a new calculator?
Yes. Send your idea through the contact page. Requests help decide which calculator is built next.
Missing a calculator you need?
Tell us what you are working on. Requests from readers decide which calculator is built next.
Suggest a calculator