Guides
Plain-English background to the numbers behind the calculators — how much mulch, sod and gravel you need, how many pavers and fence pickets, what a paver patio, fence or tree removal costs, and how much water and how many plants your yard needs.
How much mulch do I need?Work out how much mulch you need in cubic yards and bags: multiply the bed area by the depth in inches, divide by 324, and buy about 5-10% extra.How much sod do I need?Figure out how much sod you need in rolls and pallets: take your lawn area, add 5-10% for waste, then divide by the roll and pallet coverage.Grass seed calculator: how much seed do I need?How much grass seed you need: multiply lawn area by the seeding rate per 1,000 sq ft and divide by 1,000. Rates by grass type and overseeding.How much gravel do I need (cubic yards & tons)?Calculate gravel in both cubic yards and tons: area times depth divided by 324 for the volume, then multiply the cubic yards by the density to get tons.How many pavers do I need for a patio?Count pavers for a patio: divide the patio area by the face area of one paver, add 5-10% waste, and round up. Includes base gravel and sand.How much does a paver patio cost?Estimate a paver patio cost from your own numbers: the patio area times your price per square foot, plus base costs, with a contingency on top of it.Retaining wall: block count, cost & when you need an engineerCount retaining-wall blocks from the wall face area divided by the block face, estimate cost per square foot, and know when a wall needs an engineer.How many fence posts and pickets do I need?Count fence posts, rails and pickets from length and spacing: sections equal length over spacing, posts are sections plus one, pickets from width and gap.How much does a fence cost?Estimate a fence cost from your own numbers: the run length times your price per linear foot, plus a flat cost per gate, with a contingency added on top.How much decking do I need (boards & fasteners)?Count deck boards from the deck area and board coverage: area over one board coverage, plus waste, rounded up. Includes fasteners and post concrete.How much does tree removal cost?Estimate tree-removal cost from height and your own price per foot, plus stump and haul add-ons. Tree work is dangerous - hire a licensed arborist.How much fertilizer does my lawn need? (N rate & NPK)Turn the NPK on the bag into pounds of product: lb = (N rate times area over 1,000) divided by %N over 100. A typical rate is 1 lb of N per 1,000 sq ft.How much water does a lawn need (and how long to run sprinklers)?Convert an inch of water to gallons with the 0.623 identity: gallons = area times inches times 0.623, then divide by system GPM for the run time.Plant spacing: how many plants do I need?Count plants for a bed from the on-center spacing: plants = area divided by spacing squared for a square grid, about 15% more on a triangular grid.