Month: July 2024

On this page:

• Sod Calculator
• How to Estimate Sod for Your Lawn
  • Steps to Calculate Sod
  • Example Sod Calculation
• Sizes of Sod Rolls & Slabs
• How Much Sod is on a Pallet?
  • How Many Square Feet are on a Pallet?

How to Estimate Sod for Your Lawn

Growing a lawn from seed is very economical, but can be tricky and time-consuming as well. If you are considering seeding your lawn, you can use our grass seed calculator to help find the right quantities.

If you don’t want to wait for seeds to take root, or to deal with the potential issues they can have, however, laying sod can be a great alternative. Sod provides many advantages over direct seeding, making it an attractive option for many projects.

Perhaps the greatest advantage of sod is that it provides an instant lawn. You don’t have to wait for the right season for planting, worry about germination and growth, or contend with competition from weeds.

You can install sod in nearly any season as long as the ground is not frozen and you don’t expect a hard, deep freeze for at least three weeks. As long as the sod is delivered fully mature and weed-free, it can take root fairly quickly in all climates.

Establishing sod uses less water than growing seed, too, which is good for the environment and your pocketbook. Finally, sod is fast to lay down, giving you beautiful landscaping in a matter of hours instead of months.

Steps to Calculate Sod

To calculate how much sod you need, you need to know how big the area is that you want to cover. Measure the length and width of the area in feet. Plug those numbers into the calculator above and let it do the work for you.

If you know the acreage you are covering, you can use that number as well. If your area is irregular in shape, measure it in smaller, regularly shaped areas, calculate each of them separately, then add the results together.

If you already have a specific type of sod in mind and know the price, insert that price into the calculator for a more accurate estimate of the cost. If not, learn more about how much sod costs. The calculator above instantly tells you how much sod you need in rolls and pallets, plus the approximate cost.

If you prefer to calculate by hand, do the following:

1. Calculate the square footage of the lawn for new turf.
   • Measure the length and width of the area.
   • Multiply them together to obtain sq. ft.
   • If needed, use our acreage calculator to find the size of your lawn.
2. Divide the square footage result by 10 (most rolls cover ten sq. ft.) to obtain the number of rolls of turf needed.
3. If ordering by the pallet, divide the number of rolls needed by 45 to obtain the number of pallets needed.
4. Multiply the number of rolls or pallets by the price of the sod you desire to obtain the total cost of your lawn.

Example Sod Calculation

Suppose you have a new yard that is 0.13 acres that you want to sod in Kentucky Bluegrass, which costs $4 per roll in your area.

Sizes of Sod Rolls & Slabs

Sod comes in pre-cut rectangles that are stacked or rolled. The size of the rectangle depends on what type of machine the grower used to harvest it.

The rectangles can range from 16″ to 24″ wide for “rolls” and up to 4′ wide for “slabs.” Lengths vary as well and can range from 3½’ to 6′ long.

Follow the example above to calculate the number of rolls by dividing the total square footage by the square feet per roll.

How Much Sod is on a Pallet?

Sod is usually sold by the pallet, so it’s a good idea to estimate quantities by the pallet, especially for larger projects.

In most cases, there are 450 – 500 square feet of sod on a pallet. Each pallet has 60 rolls or 100 slabs of sod.

If your turf supplier uses non-standard sizes, they will be able to give the coverage of a roll or slab in square feet.

Tips for Buying Sod

For very small areas, you can buy sod by the roll. But, if you have more than 400 square feet, consider buying it by the pallet. Your supplier will usually deliver it for a small fee.

If you are contemplating transporting sod yourself, bear in mind that one pallet weighs 1,500 lbs and 3,000 lbs, depending on the moisture content. Ensure that your truck or trailer is capable of handling this load safely.

Tips for Laying Sod

You must lay sod on tilled, leveled soil. It’s common to till the current soil about 6″ to 8″ down. Once tilled, you should check the pH of your soil; if the soil is too acidic or alkaline for the grass you want to lay, it may not take.

Therefore, you may need to amend the soil. It’s common to spread 2″ to 3″ of compost on the tilled soil to help amend it if necessary. It’s also common to put down a fresh bed of topsoil, or soil that has been screened to remove impurities and break up clumps.

You can use our soil calculator to help you calculate the amount of compost or topsoil you will need.

Once laid, it’s also common to fertilize and water your sod to help it start out healthy. If after it’s had a chance to begin to root, you find some areas that are sparse, yellow, or that didn’t take, you can overseed these areas with the same type of grass to help replenish them.

Contractors can help you with soil, grass variety choices, delivery, and installation. You can use our contractor locator tool to help you find local contractors willing to give you a free estimate for your project.

Our lawn mowing calculator will help you estimate how long it will take to mow your new lawn. Enjoy your new lawn!

On this page:

• Sand Calculator
• How to Calculate Sand
  • Step One: Calculate Volume in Yards
  • Step Two: Calculate Sand in Tons
• Sand and Landscaping Material Weight
• How to Account for Overage
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Calculate Sand

If you’re planning a landscaping project, you might be asking yourself, how much sand do I need? To calculate sand for a project, follow these easy steps.

Step One: Calculate Volume in Yards

The first step to calculating sand is to estimate the volume of material needed in cubic yards. Measure the length, width, and depth of the area you need to fill in the same unit of measurement.

This can be inches or feet; the depth of the sand will likely determine which measurement is easier for you to work with.

Then, multiply the length, width, and depth together to find the volume.

For example, if you are filling a playground area that is 120″ long, 140″ wide, and 10″ deep, then you will have a volume in cubic inches of 168,000 cubic inches.

If you are filling an area that is 10′ long, 15′ wide, and 1′ deep, you are filling an area that has 150 cubic feet.

Cubic Yards Formula Using Inches

There are 46,656 cubic inches in a cubic yard, so if you measured in inches, then divide the volume measurement by 46,656 to get cubic yards.

Cubic Yards Formula Using Feet

There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, so if you measured in feet, then divide the volume measurement by 27 to get cubic yards.

You can also just use our cubic yardage calculator to easily calculate this.

Step Two: Calculate Sand in Tons

Now that you know how much sand you need in cubic yards, you can find the weight in tons by multiplying that by the material density.

How Much Does a Yard of Sand Weigh?
The density of sand varies depending on the size of the grains and its moisture content, which affects the weight. Dry sand weighs 1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard, while damp sand weighs 1.5 to 1.7 tons per cubic yard.

Having more earth, soil, or clay in the mix will increase the weight per yard as well.

Finer sand will also have a higher weight per yard, while coarser sand will have a lower weight per yard. The larger the grains of sand, the lighter your total volume will ultimately be.

Cubic Yards to Tons Formula
Using the volume in cubic yards and the weight of sand per yard, use the following formula to find how much you need:

Thus, the amount of sand needed in tons is equal to the volume in yards times the density.

Use our gravel, stone, and soil calculators to estimate other landscaping materials.

Sand and Landscaping Material Weight

Refer to the chart below for the weight of sand, gravel, and other landscaping material.

Weight per cubic yard and cubic meter of sand, gravel, and soil

How to Account for Overage

Sand is a loose material that can shift, move, and migrate easily. The finer the sand, the more likely it is to move or migrate as well. This means that during the transport or moving of the sand from the truck to the final site, you may experience some material loss.

In addition, the sand may settle slightly over time, and depending on the area being filled, there can sometimes be unseen voids that will absorb added material.

To account for these issues, it is recommended that you increase the amount of material you need by 10% to make sure you have enough for your project. If your project calls for 10 tons of sand, it is best to order 11 tons to account for these potential losses.

On this page:

• Retaining Wall Calculator
• How to Calculate Block Retaining Wall Materials
• How Many Retaining Wall Blocks Do You Need
• Estimating Wall Square Footage
• Retaining Wall Estimation Tips
• How to Estimate Base Gravel
• How to Estimate Backfill Gravel

How to Calculate Block Retaining Wall Materials

Retaining walls can be built for a variety of purposes, but most are used to help hold back soil or water. They can be simple or complex depending on their size and what they are being used to contain.

This calculator estimates the most popular materials for creating aesthetic retaining walls – concrete blocks, cinder blocks, and decorative blocks that are designed to be used as a dry stack wall without mortar.

To estimate block retaining wall materials using the calculator above, enter the wall’s width and height and the preferred block dimensions.

If you’re using a different block style for the cap row, then enter those dimensions separately to get a separate estimate for the cap blocks. You can also add the price per block to estimate the retaining wall cost.

How to Estimate Block Walls With Patterns

Keep in mind that retaining wall blocks can be purchased in grouped patterns. Meaning that the walls may be made of blocks of three sizes designed to be used together in one pattern. If this is the case for the wall you are estimating, you will need to add the width of the blocks together.

The depth and height of the blocks should be the same; it’s only the width that typically differs. So, if the blocks have widths of 6 inches, 8 inches, and 4 inches, you will enter the block width of 18 inches into the calculator.

Because the blocks are grouped, your results will give you the number of “grouped” blocks to purchase. If the blocks are all one size, you can simply enter their dimensions as is.

Keep reading to learn the formulas to calculate retaining wall materials yourself.

Note: Estimating material for concrete block walls that are mortared is a bit different from a dry stack block wall. If you’re building a mortared concrete block wall, then try our concrete block calculator. If you are using concrete blocks without mortar, this calculator can be used to get you the results you need.

How Many Retaining Wall Blocks Do You Need

To estimate the total number of retaining wall blocks, you’ll first need to calculate the number of rows and columns needed for the wall.

Step One: Take Measurements for the Wall

Start by measuring the wall’s width and height. Most experts suggest embedding the first course of blocks below grade about 10% of the wall height to support it correctly.

For example, if the desired wall height is 6 feet, you should embed it below grade by 7-8 inches. Be sure to account for this when measuring the wall height.

Step Two: Calculate the Rows and Columns

Divide the wall’s width in inches by the block width and round up; this is the number of columns. Divide the wall’s height in inches by the block height and round up; this is the number of rows.

For example, if your wall is 3 feet high and 30 feet long using blocks that are 6 inches high and 10 inches wide, then you will have 6 rows and 36 columns.

Formulas to Calculate Rows & Columns

Step Three: Calculate the Retaining Wall Blocks Needed

To find the total number of blocks needed for the wall, multiply the number of columns by the number of rows; don’t forget to subtract a row if using cap blocks.

Formula to Calculate Blocks

Calculate Cap Blocks

If the top row will be a cap block, then the number of cap blocks needed is equal to the number of columns found above, as long as the cap blocks have the same width as the field blocks. Otherwise, you will need to calculate those separately.

Estimating Wall Square Footage

Some blocks are sold by the square foot rather than by the block. Others may be sold by the pallet, with a set number of square feet per pallet. This is particularly true if you are purchasing a block material that is arranged in a pattern or that may have varying colors of blocks.

Therefore, you will need to get the total square footage of the wall you intend to build. For this, you will need the width and height of the wall in feet or inches. This should be the total height of the wall, including any block material that will be used below grade.

Multiply these two measurements together. If you are using feet, the resulting number will be your total square feet for the wall. If you are using inches, divide this number by 144 to get the total square feet. Round up to the nearest full pattern or pallet being sold.

Retaining Wall Estimation Tips

When ordering supplies, it’s a good idea to plan for additional retaining wall materials, including blocks and cap blocks to account for waste or bad material. We suggest ordering an extra 10% of materials to accommodate this, but the project’s complexity might require more or less.

Don’t forget to account for embedding the first course of blocks below grade when measuring the desired wall height. Accounting for this from the start will ensure that the wall does not end up too short.

If the wall is too high, you may need to embed it deeper in the ground to reach the desired height; this requires a little more digging but is otherwise ok. See our retaining wall cost guide to find the average price of a retaining wall.

Keep in mind that unless you are using structural or mortared blocks, most dry stack walls can only achieve total heights of 3 to 6 feet safely. If you are making a decorative, freestanding wall that is not holding back soil, most dry stack walls can only achieve 3 feet in height as the maximum.

How to Estimate Base Gravel

Most experts suggest embedding the retaining wall below grade on a level base of 6″ compacted gravel or stone. They also suggest making the base twice as wide as the block depth to account for settling.

The calculator accounts for this in the material estimate, but you can also use our gravel calculator to estimate gravel for the project.

Keep in mind that compacted gravel can lose as much as 20% of its initial volume. 6″ of loose gravel may compact down to 4.8″, so it is recommended that you purchase an additional 20% of gravel when compacting to account for this loss.

To calculate the gravel needed in cubic yards for a 6″ base, use the following formula keeping all dimensions in inches:

Be sure to add an additional 20% of gravel to account for compaction.

How to Estimate Backfill Gravel

The retaining wall should have 12″ of gravel immediately behind the entire wall to allow for proper drainage. The calculator above will estimate this, or you can use our cubic yards calculator to calculate this separately.

When backfilling with gravel, keep in mind that there may be voids that are difficult to measure for, so it is recommended that you add an additional 10% to this number to account for any voids.

Don’t forget that you’ll also want to consider adding a layer of landscape fabric between the stone backfill and the earth behind it to prevent the dirt from filling the pores of the gravel, making it less effective. Be sure to get this when purchasing material.

On this page:

• Calculator
• How to Calculate Pool Volume
  • How to Calculate Rectangular Pool Volume
  • How to Calculate Circular Pool Volume
  • How to Calculate Oval Pool Volume
  • How to Calculate Irregular Oblong or Kidney-Shaped Pool Volume
• Weights and Measures

How to Calculate Pool Volume

If you’re here, then there’s a good chance you’re trying to find the size of your pool in gallons or trying to figure out how much water is needed to fill it. Keep reading to see the volume formulas for various pool shapes.

How to Calculate Rectangular Pool Volume

You can find the volume of a rectangular swimming pool in gallons by multiplying the length by the width by the average depth in feet by 7.48. The formula to find pool volume in gallons is thus:

The first part of this formula determines the volume of water in cubic feet. The second part converts cubic feet to gallons; there are 7.48 gallons of water per cubic foot of water.

Most pools have varying depths that slope from shallow to deeper. To accurately find the volume of water, you’ll need to estimate the average depth. To find the average depth add the shallow depth with the deep depth, then divide by 2, e.g. (shallow + deep) ÷ 2.

For instance, if your pool’s deep end is 12 feet and the shallow end is 4 feet, your average depth will be 8 feet.

If you have an L, T, or stepped-shaped pool, you can use the same basic formula to calculate your volume. You will need to treat each section of the pool separately, then add them together at the end for the total volume.

For example, if your L-shaped pool has one section that is 20 feet long and 10 feet wide with an average depth of 8 feet, and a second section that is 10 feet long and 10 feet wide, with an average depth of 6 feet, you will calculate the volume like this:

20′ × 10′ × 8′ × 7.48 = 11,968 gallons
10′ × 10′ × 6′ × 7.48 = 4,680 gallons
11,968 + 4,680 = 16,648 total gallons

If your pool is triangular in shape or has a triangular section, the triangular area can be found by multiplying length × width and then multiplying the result by 1/2.

For example, you can calculate the number of gallons for a triangular shaped pool that has a length of 20 feet and a width of 10 feet with an average depth of 6 feet will have a formula to calculate the number of gallons like this:

20′ × 10′ × 1/2 × 6′ × 7.48 = 4,488 gallons

How to Calculate Circular Pool Volume

You can calculate the volume of a circular swimming pool by multiplying 3.14 times the radius squared times 7.48. Thus, the formula is:

The first part of this formula (πr2) determines the area, and multiplying by the depth finds the volume. Multiplying by 7.48 finds the gallons of water per cubic foot of water.

Your pool’s radius is 1/2 of the diameter. So if your pool is 10 feet wide, the radius is 5 feet.

To get the radius squared, multiply 5 feet by 5 feet, giving you 25 feet. If your average depth is 4 feet, then your volume formula will look like:

How to Calculate Oval Pool Volume

You can calculate the volume of an oval swimming pool by multiplying the length times the width in feet times 3.14 divided by 4 times the average depth in feet times 7.48. The formula is:

The first part of this formula (length × width × π ÷ 4) determines the area, and multiplying by the depth finds the volume. Again, multiplying by 7.48 determines how many gallons of water are in the pool.

Like a rectangular pool, the average depth can be found by adding the shallow and deep depths and then dividing by 2.

How to Calculate Irregular Oblong or Kidney-Shaped Pool Volume

Calculating the volume of an oblong or kidney-shaped pool is a little more complicated. Begin by getting the total length of the pool, and the width of both its ends.

You will add together the width of both ends, so if your pool has an end that is 10 feet wide and an end that is 6 feet wide, you will have a total width of 16 feet for the purposes of this calculation.

Calculate the volume of the pool by multiplying the length in feet times your total, added width (the shorter width in feet + the longer width in feet) times 0.45 times the average depth in feet times 7.48.

The first part (length × (short width + long width) × 0.45) is used to find the area, and then the volume is found by multiplying by the depth. Like before, multiplying by 7.48 finds the number of gallons in the pool.

For example, for a pool that is 20 feet long with an added width of 18 feet and an average depth of 8 feet, your formula will look like:

20′ × 18′ × 0.45 × 8′ × 7.48 = 9,694 gallons

Weights and Measures

To find pool volume in liters, you can use our gallons to liters unit conversion calculator or multiply the gallons by 3.79 – the number of liters in one gallon.

To find the weight in pounds of the water in the pool, you can multiply the number of gallons by 8.33, or use our water weight calculator.

One cubic foot of water is 12″ wide × 12″ long × 12″ deep and weighs 62.4 pounds.

On this page:

• Plant and Flower Calculator
• How to Calculate How Many Plants You Need
  • Rectangular Planting Grid
    • Steps to Estimate Plant Spacing for a Rectangular Grid
  • Triangle Planting Grid
    • Steps to Estimate Plant Spacing for a Triangle Grid

How to Calculate How Many Plants You Need

The first step to finding how many plants or flowers you need is to select a pattern you would like to use when planting them and choose the spacing between each plant. Plants may be put in a rectangular or a triangular grid and estimating the plants needed for each pattern is a bit different.

Rectangular Planting Grid

To plant flowers in a rectangular pattern, place each in parallel rows and columns in a grid. Start by dividing the landscape bed into squares that are the width and length of the desired spacing, then add a plant at each corner of the square.

To estimate how many plants are needed, find the number of rows and columns and determine the spacing between each.

Steps to Estimate Plant Spacing for a Rectangular Grid

First, measure the landscape bed length and width in inches. Use our feet to inches conversion tool to convert a measurement in feet to inches.

Divide the width by the spacing to get the number of columns then divide the length by the spacing to get the number of rows.

Finally, multiply the rows by the columns to find the number of plants needed.

Triangle Planting Grid

Planting flowers in a triangle pattern is a little bit different. It involves offsetting each row so that the plants are at a 45° angle to each other.

To plant using the triangle pattern, divide the landscape bed into a series of equilateral triangles with the edges of the triangle the desired spacing. The rows will be offset or shifted by about half of the spacing length and will be closer together since the spacing will be at an angle.

Steps to Estimate Plant Spacing for a Triangle Grid

To estimate the number of plants needed, measure the length and width of the landscape bed in inches.

Then, divide the width by the plant spacing to find the number of columns.

Since the plants are at an angle to each other, the spacing between the rows will be shorter. Use the following formula to find the spacing between rows:

row spacing = (plant spacing ÷ 2) × √3

To find the number of rows simply divide the length by the row spacing.

Finally, multiply the number of rows by the number of columns to find how many plants are needed.

Check out our soil calculator to estimate soil for your plantings and our mulch calculator to find how much mulch you need for your landscaping.

On this page:

• Mulch Calculator
• How to Calculate How Much Mulch You Need
  • Steps to Calculate Mulch
• How Many Bags of Mulch Do You Need?
• How to Account for Overage and Loss~
• Frequently Asked Questions
• References

How to Calculate How Much Mulch You Need

Adding mulch is a great way to refresh a landscaping bed and prevent weed growth. Mulch adds moisture to the soil and can help prevent soil erosion or compaction over time.

Because mulch is lightweight and organic, it may break down or migrate over time. When this happens, you may need to refresh your mulch bed by adding more.

The easiest way to calculate mulch coverage is to use the calculator above since it takes all the math and guesswork out of the process, but you can follow the steps below to calculate how much you need without a calculator.

Steps to Calculate Mulch

If you want to do the calculations yourself, you can estimate material in a few easy steps.

Step One: Measure the Landscaping Space

The first step to calculating how much mulch you need is to measure the space you want to cover. Use a tape measure to measure the length and width of the space.

Ensure all measurements are in the same unit of measure. Because the depth of the mulch will be in inches, it will be easiest if the length and width are also in inches; the measurements can be easily converted to feet and cubic yards later.

Step Two: Determine the Depth of the Mulch

Next, determine the depth of the mulch bed. The depth of the mulch can vary depending on the type that you use.

Fine mulch is only recommended to a depth of 1″ to 2″, while coarse mulch should be roughly 3″ to 4″ deep if you are layering the mulch around plants.

However, if you are using mulch to help prevent weed growth, you may go much deeper, particularly if you are worried about erosion or if you are mulching an area that will be walked on frequently and want a deeper base to prevent migration.

Step Three: Calculate the Volume of Mulch Needed

Once you have measured the space, it’s time to calculate the volume.

Multiply the length times the width to find the area of the space. If the landscape bed is complex, then split it up into manageable sections and measure each separately or use an area calculator.

Then, multiply the area by the depth. Remember to keep all measurements in the same unit of measure, so if the width and length are in inches, then multiply the area by the depth in inches.

Volume Formula

For a rectangular area, you can use the following formula to calculate the volume.

Step Four: Convert the Volume to Cubic Feet or Yards

The final step to calculating how much mulch you need is to convert the volume measurement to the unit of measure that the mulch is sold by if it isn’t already in the same unit of measure.

Mulch is usually sold in bulk by the cubic yard at most landscape suppliers, with smaller amounts also being sold by the bag.

When calculating volume, if all the measurements used are in feet, then the volume is in cubic feet. If the measurements were in inches, then the volume is in cubic inches.

Cubic Feet Formula

There are 1,728 cubic inches in a cubic foot, so if you measured in inches, divide the cubic inches measurement by 1,728 to get cubic feet.

Cubic Yards Formula

There are 46,656 cubic inches in a cubic yard, so divide the cubic inches measurement by 46,656 to get cubic yards.

You can also use our cubic yardage calculator to find the cubic yards using measurements in different units.

How Many Bags of Mulch Do You Need?

When buying it at the hardware store, home center, or local market, mulch is usually sold by the bag. Most bags hold two-cubic feet of mulch, but in some cases, they hold 3 cubic feet. The finer the mulch, the more volume that will likely be in the bag.

You’ll need 14 (2 cu ft) bags or 9 (3 cu ft) bags per cubic yard of mulch required. The table below shows how many bags you’ll need for each cubic yard required.

Number of bags of mulch equivalent to a cubic yard.

Be sure to check out our soil calculator to calculate how much soil you need for a garden bed.

How to Account for Overage and Loss

Despite how heavy mulch can be in bulk, the individual pieces are lightweight and do tend to migrate and settle. When moving mulch by wheelbarrow, it’s common to lose some material through movement.

It’s also common to lose some mulch through simple errors as well as shifting and settlement. Therefore, it is generally recommended that you add another 10% to your total estimated volume, and if you are between bag numbers, that you round up rather than down.

On this page:

• Lawn Mowing Calculator
• How to Estimate the Time to Mow a Lawn
  • Size of the Lawn
  • Size of the Mower
    • Average Lawn Mower Speeds
  • How Fast Can You Mow
    • Average Lawn Mower Speeds
  • Lawn Conditions
• Average Lawn Mowing Time
• Average Lawn Mowing Pace

How to Estimate the Time to Mow a Lawn

The time it takes to mow a lawn is determined by several factors including the size of the lawn, size of the mower, speed the mower is moving, and lawn conditions such as hills or obstacles.

Size of the Lawn

The property size greatly impacts how long it takes to mow. Larger lawns require more mowing time for obvious reasons. Find how large your lawn is in acres to help find how long it will take to cut.

Size of the Mower

The size of the mower deck impacts how long it will take to mow a lawn. A larger deck will allow the mower to cut a larger swath of grass in a single pass, allowing it to complete a lawn in a less time. Larger mowers have longer blades which require a larger engine and are typically more expensive.

How Fast Can You Mow

Some lawn mowers are designed to cut at a faster pace than others. The size of the engine greatly influences how fast it can move and how fast the blades can spin. It is important to have sharp blades and not push your mower by going too fast to get an even cut and avoid damage to the lawn.

Average Lawn Mower Speeds

The average speeds of common lawn mowers

Lawn Conditions

The conditions of the lawn greatly impact how long it takes to mow. A yard with many curves, trees, hills, walls, and other obstacles will take much longer to mow than a square yard with no obstacles. It will be difficult to predict exactly how long these obstacles will slow mowing time, but keep in mind that the more there are the longer it will take.

Muddy or overgrown patches of lawn can also take longer to mow or work around. Use our grass seed calculator to estimate how much seed is required to fill in these areas with grass or our sod calculator to estimate sod needed.

Average Lawn Mowing Time

How long will it take to mow a 1 acre lawn with common lawn mower sizes

Average Lawn Mowing Pace

Approximate pace of common lawn mower sizes

On this page:

• Gravel Calculator
• How to Estimate How Much Gravel You Need
  • Step One: Calculate Volume in Yards
  • Step Two: Calculate Gravel Weight in Tons
• How Many Tons in a Yard of Gravel
• How Many Yards in a Ton of Gravel
• How to Account for Overage and Compaction
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Estimate How Much Gravel You Need

Gravel and other landscaping material are often sold either by the ton or the cubic yard. While this varies by supplier, many sell large volumes by weight in tons.

Therefore, to know how much material you will need to order, you will need to start with getting the weight of the material you need.

To find the weight of material in tons, you’ll need to know the approximate density of the material. Fortunately, there are some common densities that you can use for these calculations. See the chart below to see how many tons are in a cubic yard of gravel.

Step One: Calculate Volume in Yards

In addition to the weight of the material, you also need to know the volume of the space you are filling. Both weight per cubic yard and the total volume are necessary to determine how many tons you will need to order. Therefore, the first step to estimating how much gravel, sand, or soil you need is to estimate the volume of material needed.

Start by measuring the length, width, and depth of the area you need to fill in the same unit of measurement.

Multiply the length, width, and height together to find the volume of the space. If you measured in inches, then what you have is the volume needed in cubic inches, and if you measured in feet, then you have your total cubic feet.

Next, convert the volume to cubic yards.

If the initial measurements were in inches, then convert cubic inches to cubic yards by dividing the total number of cubic inches by 46,656. If the initial measurements were in feet, then divide the total number of cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards.

As a shortcut, try our cubic yardage calculator to conveniently calculate your volume.

Step Two: Calculate Gravel Weight in Tons

Armed with the volume of material needed in cubic yards, the weight of material in tons can be found by multiplying the volume by the material density. Most gravel weighs 1.4 to 1.7 tons per cubic yard. See below for more common material densities

For example, let’s find the amount of gravel needed for a space that is 10 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 1 foot deep.

volume = length × width × depth
volume = 10′ × 10′ × 1′ = 100 cu ft
cu yds = 100 cu ft / 27 = 3.7

weight = cu yds × density
weight min = 3.7 × 1.4 = 5.2 tons
weight max = 3.7 × 1.7 = 6.3 tons

How Many Tons in a Yard of Gravel

The chart below shows how many tons are in a yard of gravel, rock, sand, soil, and other landscaping materials.

Weight per cubic yard and cubic meter of gravel and other common landscape material

How Many Yards in a Ton of Gravel

The chart below shows how many yards are in a ton of gravel, rock, sand, and soil.

Table showing how many yards per ton of gravel, rock, soil, and sand.

Check out our stone and mulch calculators for estimating other landscape materials.

How to Account for Overage and Compaction

In most instances, it’s a good idea to factor in additional gravel or overage when calculating what you need. For example, some gravel may be lost when you transport it to the final site. It may slip off your wheelbarrow or spill from the back of the truck prematurely.

In addition, if you are backfilling an area with gravel, there may be voids that you have not accounted for, which will increase the amount of gravel needed to complete the job. To account for these, it’s generally a good idea to order an additional 10%.

For example, if your calculations call for 5.2 tons of gravel, you will want to purchase 5.7 tons to account for necessary overage.

Gravel is also sometimes compacted prior to other materials being placed on top of it. This compacting can lose as much as 20% of the total volume you wanted to fill. Therefore, after accounting for overage, you will need an additional 20% of material to account for the volume lost during compacting.

In the above example, 5.7 tons is necessary to include overage, but to account for compacting, you would need roughly 6.8 tons to make up the lost volume. Keep in mind that not all gravel needs to be compacted, and some varieties compact more than others, so this much additional material will not always be required for every project.

On this page:

• Grass Seed Calculator
• (Re) Seeding Grass – How Much Seed Do I Need?
  • Grass Seed Coverage Rates
• Grass Varieties and Quantity
• Example Grass Seed Calculation:

(Re) Seeding Grass – How Much Seed Do I Need?

When creating a lawn, there are basically two options, either lay sod (pre-grown grass that comes in squares or rolls) or plant grass from seed. There are advantages to each method.

Laying sod provides an instant lawn that can be installed in nearly any season, quickly eliminating muddy, unattractive yards. Sod is fast to lay down and is available in several varieties.

All this convenience comes with a substantial price tag, though. Installing fresh sod can cost thousands of dollars. If you are considering this option, try our sod calculator to figure an estimate for your project.

Grass seed is a cost-effective alternative to sod and offers a few other advantages as well. There are many more varieties of seed available than varieties of sod.

And, planting seed allows the grass to establish itself directly in the environment in which it will live.

The drawback, of course, is that seed takes time to grow and must be planted at the proper time of year to be successful. This can mean a long wait until you have grass to mow.

Grass seed makes up for it in cost savings, though, and is the best alternative for filling in bare spots in existing lawns.

Grass Varieties and Quantity

Lawn grasses are usually classified into either warm-season or cool-season grasses. The different varieties offer different textures, hardiness, and drought tolerance. They also require different amounts of seed to grow into lush lawns.
Warm-season grasses grow better in warmer climates, including the southern US. Bermuda, St. Augustine, and Zoysia are warm-season grasses.

Cool-season grasses thrive in cooler temperatures or climates with temperature fluctuations. Fescues, Kentucky Bluegrass, and Ryegrass are beautiful cool-season varieties.

Besides variety, how much grass seed you use also depends on whether you are growing a lawn from bare soil or over-seeding an existing one. New lawns generally require about twice as much seed as overseeding.

Most seed suppliers indicate coverage rates in pounds of grass seed per 1,000 square feet of land covered. Your supplier will know the coverage rate for the variety you’re purchasing, or see the table below for recommended coverage rates for common varieties.

Grass Seed Coverage Rates

Grass seed coverage rates for common grass varieties.

Calculating Seed Quantities for Your Property

If you are using the calculator above, you can skip this section and get right seeding your lawn! Try our lawn mowing calculator to estimate how long it will take to mow your new lawn.
If you want to calculate by hand, read on!

To calculate the total quantity of grass seed you will require, you will need to know the type of grass you want and the size of the area you’re planting. Since most coverage rates are given per 1,000 square feet (or square meters), you will need to end up with those units.
Here’s how:

• If your area is smaller, simply measure it in feet or meters. Then multiply the sides together. Done!
• If you already know the acreage size, you can convert acres to square feet using our acres to square feet conversion calculator. Or, multiply the number of acres by 43,560 sq. ft.
• If you are unsure of the acreage, use our map-based acreage calculator to find out.
• After you’ve found your square footage, divide it by 1,000.

All that’s left to do is multiply your area (in 1,000’s of sq. ft.) by the amount of grass seed recommended for your grass type. Now you have the total number of pounds of seed needed.

Take the total number of pounds to your supplier and pick out your seed. Grass seed is usually sold by the bag (10lbs, 20lbs, and 50lbs), so you can use your result to figure out how many bags you need.

Example Grass Seed Calculation:

Suppose you have a new yard that is 0.23 acres that you want to plant Sun & Shade Mix.

Calculate Square Feet

0.23 acres × 43,560 sq. ft = 10,018.8 sq. ft.
10,018.8 sq. ft. ÷ 1,000 = 10.02 thousand sq. ft.

Calculate Grass Seed Quantity

From the table above, Sun & Shade Mix requires 6 lbs. of seed per thousand sq. ft. for a new planting.

10.02 thousand sq. ft. × 6 lbs. = 60.11 lbs. of grass seed required

One 50 lbs. + one 10 lbs. bag will be sufficient for your project.

Enjoy your new lawn!

On this page:

• Elevation Grade Calculator
• What is Grade?
• How to Find the Grade of an Elevation
  • Elevation Grade Formula
• How to Measure an Elevation
  • Step One: Measure the Run
  • Step Two: Measure the Rise
  • Step Three: Calculate the Grade

What is Grade?

Grade, also referred to as slope, is the amount of incline of an elevation, for example, the angle of the side of a hill. Grade can be expressed as the amount of rise over run, as a percentage, or as an angle measurement in degrees or radians.

Grade measurements are often used in projects ranging from roofing to road or driveway construction. They can also be useful in determining drainage when installing a patio, since grades that are too steep can be hard to use, while areas that don’t slope enough may not drain properly.

Grade measurements are also used to ensure that ramps meet ADA requirements and for roof design for buildings. Because roof pitch is calculated slightly differently than most other projects, see our roof pitch calculator to learn more about estimating the slope of a roof.

How to Find the Grade of an Elevation

The grade of an elevation can be found by measuring the horizontal length of an elevation, also known as the run, and the vertical height of the elevation, or the rise.

Elevation Grade Formula

Grade is expressed as rise/run, so if the rise is 25 and the run is 80, then the grade is 25/80. This can be reduced to 5/16; use our fraction simplifier to help reduce larger fractions if needed.

Keep in mind that both your rise and run must be in the same unit of measurement. For example, if you measure your rise in inches but your run in feet, you will need to multiply your run measurement by 12 to convert it to inches so that your rise and run will match.

Because many grades are shown as a percentage, such as the common 5% grade required for a patio to drain, you will often find that you need to convert your fraction to a percentage. To find the percent of incline of a grade, solve the rise/run fraction as a decimal, then convert to a percentage.

For example, if the grade is 5/16, solve as a decimal by dividing 5 by 16, which gives you 0.3125.

To find the percentage multiply this decimal by 100%, like this: 0.3125 × 100% = 31.25%. For comparison, something held at a 45-degree angle has a grade percentage of 100%.

The angle of incline can also be expressed in other units of angle measurement, such as radians or grads. While this is less commonly needed by homeowners, laypersons, or landscapers, it may be useful for some applications. You can use our angle converter to convert your slope from degrees to one of these measurements.

How to Measure an Elevation

Whether you are calculating the rise of a slope in your backyard or the slope of your driveway, the measurements are typically done in a similar manner.

Step One: Measure the Run

First, you’ll need to mark the beginning and ending points of the rise.

This can be done using stakes or simply placing a marker on the ground. Measuring the distance between your two markers to get your run.

Step Two: Measure the Rise

To measure your rise, you can use a device such as an altimeter to get your exact elevation at each marker. Then simply subtract the elevation at the start of your run from the elevation at the end of your run to get your rise.

In addition to an altimeter, you can also use surveying levels to help you measure the rise. Dumpy levels, transit levels, and laser levels can all be used to help give you an accurate measuring point at the bottom of your rise. Set up your level using a tripod at the endpoint of the run, so that it is level with the top or endpoint, then measure from the ground to the level to get the rise.

However, if you do not have access to an altimeter or surveying levels, you can measure the rise manually.

Place a wooden stake at the end of the highest point in your elevation and tie a string to the top. Walk the string out to the lowest point and hold it level – this can be checked with a manual level or your phone’s level app held gently to the top of the string.

If possible, tie off the string to keep it level, or have an assistant hold it at level while you measure the distance from the ground up to the string. This will give you the rise.

When measuring rise using any type of level – surveying or string – the measurement from the ground to the level is your total rise. For example, if the measurement from the ground to the level is 20 inches, then your rise is 20 inches.

Step Three: Calculate the Grade

Finally, divide the rise by the run to calculate the grade of the elevation. Then, simplify the fraction if necessary.

The elevation is calculated using common trigonometry formulas; learn more on our angle of elevation calculator.