YardWho builds and reviews the calculators
YardCalcHub is written and maintained by Umar Farooq. Each calculator and guide is reviewed when it is published and again whenever a reader reports a problem; the "Last reviewed" date on each page shows the most recent review. All results are planning estimates – always confirm quantities with your supplier or contractor.
Core formulas
All calculators run the same basic math in US units. Metric inputs are converted first, and results are converted back for display.
| Quantity | Formula |
|---|---|
| Area (rectangle) | length × width |
| Area (circle) | π × (diameter ÷ 2)² |
| Area (triangle, gable) | ½ × base × height (rise) |
| Cubic feet | area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 |
| Cubic yards | cubic feet ÷ 27 |
| Tons (bulk materials) | cubic yards × tons per cubic yard |
| Tons (asphalt) | cubic feet × lb per cubic foot ÷ 2,000 |
| Bags | cubic feet ÷ bag size (cu ft), rounded up |
| Truckloads | cubic yards ÷ truck capacity, rounded up |
| Pavers | area ÷ (paver length × width ÷ 144) × (1 + waste) |
| Joint sand | pavers × (length + width) × joint width × paver thickness ÷ 1,728 |
| Siding squares | (walls + gables − openings) × (1 + waste) ÷ 100 |
Material densities
Weight per cubic yard is the biggest source of difference between a calculator and a supplier's ticket. Stone type, moisture and how much fine material a product contains all change it. We use a typical value as the default and show it next to the input so you can replace it with your supplier's figure.
| Material | Typical range | Default we use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel / crushed stone | 1.3–1.5 t/yd³ (2,600–3,000 lb) | 1.4 t/yd³ | Wet stone and stone with fines weigh more |
| Crusher run / road base | 1.4–1.7 t/yd³ | 1.4 t/yd³ (edit to supplier figure) | Fines make it denser |
| Topsoil | 1.0–1.3 t/yd³ | 1.1 t/yd³ | Wet soil can exceed 1.5 t/yd³ |
| Fill dirt | 1.1–1.4 t/yd³ | 1.2 t/yd³ | Clay is heavier than sandy fill |
| Mulch | 400–800 lb/yd³ | Volume only | Mulch is sold by volume, not weight |
| Bedding / paver sand | 1.3–1.5 t/yd³ | 1.35 t/yd³ | Dry sand |
| Joint / polymeric sand | about 100 lb/ft³ | 100 lb/ft³ | Check the coverage chart on the bag |
| Hot mix asphalt (compacted) | about 145 lb/ft³ | 145 lb/ft³ | SMA 148–152, open-graded ~130, cold mix ~140 |
The full list, with more materials, is in the landscape material weight chart.
Waste and extra allowances
Loose materials settle, fill compacts and pavers and siding need cuts. Each calculator adds a default allowance, shown in its own field so you can change it:
| Calculator | Default extra | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | 10% | Settling, uneven ground, spillage |
| Mulch | 5% | Settling and uneven beds |
| Topsoil | 10% | Settling as it is watered; use 15–20% for deep beds |
| Fill dirt | 25% (1.25 factor) | Loose fill shrinks when compacted; 30% for clay |
| Pavers | 5–20% by pattern | Running bond 5%, basketweave 7%, herringbone 10–15%, circular 20% |
| Asphalt | 5% | Uneven base and edges |
| Siding | 10–20% by type and shape | Vinyl 10%, fiber cement 12%, wood 15%; +5% for complex houses |
| Siding trim | 10% | Laps and cuts |
The fill-dirt factor follows the common shrink-and-swell rule: loose cubic yards to order are about 1.25–1.30 times the compacted volume needed. Paver waste by pattern and siding waste by material follow typical installer practice and manufacturer guidance.
Bags, containers and trucks
- Bag sizes are the common retail sizes: mulch in 1.5, 2 and 3 cu ft and 50 litre (1.77 cu ft) bags; topsoil in 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 cu ft bags. Bag counts are always rounded up.
- Concrete bag yields are the figures printed on standard concrete-mix bags: about 0.60 cu ft for an 80 lb bag, 0.45 cu ft for 60 lb and 0.30 cu ft for 40 lb – 45, 60 and 90 bags per cubic yard.
- Cold patch is counted in 50 lb bags at about 140 lb/ft³, or roughly 0.36 cu ft per bag.
- Trucks (by volume): pickup about 1 yd³, single-axle dump 5 yd³, tandem 10 yd³, tri-axle 15 yd³. Asphalt trucks (by weight): single-axle about 6 tons, tandem 14–20 tons (16 used), tri-axle 20–25 tons (22 used). Weight limits often cap heavy, wet loads, so you can enter your hauler's own figure.
- Wheelbarrows: 6 cu ft (170 L), filled level. Heavy materials are usually carried in smaller loads, so change the size to what you actually move.
- Order rounding: the cubic yard calculator rounds up to ¼ yard by default, the step most landscape yards and concrete plants sell in.
Paver joint-sand model
Each paver is treated as "owning" one long and one short joint. Joint volume per paver is (length + width) × joint width × paver thickness, multiplied by the number of pavers before waste. Polymeric sand is estimated at about 100 lb per cubic foot and counted in 50 lb bags. Real coverage depends on how deep the sand settles into the joints, so check the bag's coverage chart before you buy.
Siding assumptions
- Standard openings: window 3 × 4 ft (12 sq ft), entry door 3 × 7 ft (21 sq ft), garage door 9 × 7 ft (63 sq ft). All three are editable.
- J-channel is estimated around each window (full perimeter), around each door (sides and top) and up both rakes of every gable. Piece length 12½ ft.
- Starter strip runs along the wall perimeter minus door widths (12 ft pieces); undersill trim along the width of each window (12 ft pieces); one 10 ft outside corner post per corner for each 10 ft of wall height.
- Vinyl siding cartons default to 2 squares (200 sq ft); fiber cement planks to about 7 sq ft of exposure each (8.25 in × 12 ft at 7 in exposure).
Metric conversions
| From | To | Multiply by |
|---|---|---|
| cubic yards | cubic meters | 0.7646 |
| cubic feet | litres | 28.32 |
| short tons (US) | metric tonnes | 0.9072 |
| tons per cubic yard | tonnes per m³ | 1.1866 |
| lb per cubic foot | kg per m³ | 16.02 |
| feet | meters | 0.3048 |
| inches | centimeters | 2.54 |
Sources we check defaults against
Our defaults are typical published values. These are the references we point readers to and check our figures against:
- U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission – Public Playground Safety Handbook, for playground surfacing depths such as rubber mulch.
- Interlocking Concrete Pavement Institute (ICPI) – installation guidance for paver base depths, bedding sand, edge restraints and slope (icpi.org).
- National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) – asphalt mix types and pavement thickness guidance (asphaltpavement.org).
- Vinyl Siding Institute – vinyl siding installation manual for trim and accessories (vinylsiding.org).
- Fiber cement manufacturers' installation instructions (for example James Hardie) – plank sizes and exposure.
- Concrete-mix manufacturers' bag labels – yield per bag.
- University cooperative extension services – mulch depth, mulching around trees and soil guidance.
- Quarry and landscape-supplier product sheets – bulk densities for stone, soil and sand.
Manufacturer and supplier figures change. If a product label or your supplier gives a different number, use theirs – every default can be edited in the calculator.
Limits of these calculators
The calculators estimate material quantities for planning and ordering. They are not engineering tools and do not design driveways, retaining walls, slabs or structural fill. For load-bearing work, drainage problems, steep sites or anything that needs a permit, consult a qualified local professional.
Corrections
Found a number that does not match your experience or a product label? Please tell us through the contact page. We check every report and update the page and the review date.