How many cubic yards do I need for my project?

Two values are needed:

• The square footage (Length x Width) of the area covered by each material
• And the depth of the landscaping materials

With these two values, you can use our volume calculator to give you the total cubic volume needed.

Common Material Depths

Topsoil - 4 inches

Garden Mix - 2 to 4 inches

Mulches - 2 to 3 inches

Aggregates - 1 to 2 inches

Examples of square foot areas at 1" -  4" depth

A tandem truck can deliver 12 yards of soil products.

12 yards at 4" depth will cover 972 Square feet

Tips for calculating a property

Break up your design into Rectangles

Combine the rectangular square footages for your total and choose an appropriate depth. Then enter these values into a volume calculator.

My Landscape Design Has Curves?

Without getting into heavy math.

This is a rough estimate of the area needed for a curved area.

• Create a rectangle outline with string or tape measures.
• Have equal parts overhang (green) as missing (blue)
• Use a flexible material such as a tarp or blanket to compare how close your missing and overhang areas are to each other.
• Adjust the size of your rectangle until it is close to the desired accuracy.
• Measure your rectangle.

Most accurate method - Use a CAD program

With a CAD program, you are able to input the measurements of your property found in an RPR or plot plan and combine with your landscape design or onsite measurements. It often will take longer but it is able to calculate the square footage of any geometric shape. And is only limited by the values inputted into the software.

Our Recommendation Sketchup

Free with signup | Also does 3d design

A short video using SketchUp to calculate square feet.

Volume Calculator