How to Measure Your Landscaping Project
Measure rectangular beds, circles, irregular areas, and changing depths to calculate cubic yards accurately.
A useful material estimate starts with three measurements: the length, width, and depth of the space you want to fill. A few extra minutes with a tape measure can make your order much easier to check.
1. Measure the space you will actually fill
Measure inside the boundaries of the bed or project. For a rectangular area, write down its length and width in feet. Record the depth of new material in inches. If material is already in place, measure how much additional depth is needed.
Use decimal feet when your measurement includes inches. For example, 7 feet 6 inches is 7.5 feet, because 6 ÷ 12 = 0.5. Seven feet three inches is 7.25 feet, not 7.3 feet.
A 20 × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep: 20 × 10 × 3 ÷ 324 = 1.85 yd³.
2. Break irregular spaces into simple shapes
Sketch an L-shaped bed as two rectangles that do not overlap. Measure each rectangle separately and use Add another area in the calculator. Dividing an irregular border into more sections can better approximate its curves.
For a circular bed, measure its diameter straight through the center. Choose Circle in the calculator. The area is π × (diameter ÷ 2)², and the calculator multiplies that area by your depth.
For a ring around a tree, find the area of the outer circle and subtract the area of the empty inner circle. Enter that remaining square footage under Known area. Keep planting clearance separate from the area being filled.
3. Account for changing depths
If the depth changes, divide the space into sections with roughly uniform depths. Enter each section as a separate area. For a simple slope that changes evenly from one depth to another, the average of the two end depths can estimate the section’s volume.
Example: A 12 × 8 ft space that changes evenly from 2 to 4 inches deep has an average depth of 3 inches. Its estimated volume is 12 × 8 × 3 ÷ 324, or 0.89 cubic yards. More complex contours need additional measurements.
4. Check units before ordering
The divisor 324 applies only when length and width are in feet and depth is in inches. If all three values are in feet, divide by 27. A cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet; multiplying the three linear dimensions of a 3-foot cube gives 3 × 3 × 3 = 27.
The calculator’s Metric option uses meters for length and width, and centimeters for depth. Switching units converts your entered measurements so you can keep working on the same project.
How much does one yard cover?
| Material depth | Coverage per yd³ |
|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 square feet |
| 2 inches | 162 square feet |
| 3 inches | 108 square feet |
| 4 inches | 81 square feet |
| 6 inches | 54 square feet |
| 12 inches | 27 square feet |
Calculated coverage before allowances, settling, or compaction.
5. Turn the measurement into an order
Keep the calculated volume as your starting point. Then choose an allowance if your project calls for it, and check how the supplier sells material: bags, quarter yards, half yards, or a minimum bulk delivery.
Do not assume a fixed allowance covers all settling or compaction. Ask whether the supplier’s quoted volume is loose-delivered volume and what adjustment is appropriate for the material and finished result.
Unit reference: NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C.