Landscaping Calculators
Calculators for gravel, soil, pavers, retaining walls and fences, with the engineering notes most sites skip. Each tool gives quantities in cubic yards and tons, includes compaction and waste, and explains the base and drainage that decide whether the job lasts.
Gravel, soil and volume
- Gravel Calculator – tons and yards of gravel or crushed stone
- Fill Dirt Calculator – fill to buy, or soil to haul, with compaction
- Cubic Yard Calculator – any shape to cubic yards and tons
Patios and walls
- Paver Calculator – pavers, base gravel and sand
- Retaining Wall Block Calculator – blocks, caps and gravel backfill
Fences
- Fence Calculator – posts, rails, pickets and concrete
- How Deep Should Fence Posts Be – post depth, frost and hole size
- Concrete for Post Holes Calculator – bags per post hole
Typical material weights
| Material | Tons per cubic yard (loose) |
|---|---|
| Topsoil or fill dirt | About 1.1 to 1.3 |
| Sand | About 1.3 to 1.4 |
| Gravel or crushed stone | About 1.4 to 1.5 |
| Mulch | About 0.2 to 0.4 |
Weights vary with moisture; suppliers sell by the yard or the ton, so ask which.
Engineer's note: the part of a landscape job you never see does most of the work. A paver patio or a block retaining wall lives or dies on its compacted gravel base and its drainage: water trapped behind a wall can more than double the pressure on it. Under the IRC, retaining walls taller than 4 ft (measured from the bottom of the footing), or walls holding up a driveway or slope, need a design.
Everything in this section
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Maintained by: Engr. Abdul Latif, civil and structural engineer. Every calculator here shows its formula and the code table it follows. For planning only; confirm with your local building department.