Landscaping
How to Estimate Topsoil for Your Lawn
Estimate how much topsoil you need for a new lawn, top-dressing or levelling. Recommended depths, worked examples, settling allowance and weight for transport.
2 min read
Free · No sign-up · Imperial & metric
Building Material Calculators — Know Exactly What You Need
22 free calculators for concrete, gravel, mulch, topsoil, pavers and lumber, built on standard formulas with results you can take straight to your supplier.
- Free calculators
- 22
- Free calculators
- Project categories
- 6
- Project categories
- Unit systems
- 2
- Unit systems
- Data sent to a server
- 0
- Data sent to a server
Material Calculators Built for Real Projects
BuildCalcWorld is a growing library of estimating tools for concrete, aggregates, landscaping, pavers, lumber and DIY projects. Each calculator accounts for the things that change a real order (waste, compaction, bag yield and unit conversions), so the number you get is one you can actually buy against.
Browse by category
Find calculators grouped by material and project type.
- Concrete CalculatorsSlabs, footings, columns, stairs, fence posts, bags and concrete cost.8 calculators
- Landscaping CalculatorsMulch, topsoil and grass seed for gardens and lawns.3 calculators
- Gravel & Aggregate CalculatorsGravel, driveway stone and compacted paver base.4 calculators
- Flooring & Paver CalculatorsPavers, retaining wall blocks and backsplash tile.4 calculators
- Lumber CalculatorsBoard feet, deck boards and picket fences.3 calculators
- Home Improvement CalculatorsDriveway costs, recessed lighting, epoxy resin, tiling and other DIY projects.8 calculators
Popular Calculators
Showing 22 of 22 calculators
Concrete Cost Calculator
Estimate concrete cost per cubic yard and per square foot, with optional delivery, rebar and labour.
ConcreteDriveway Cost Estimator
Compare concrete, asphalt, gravel and paver driveway costs using your local prices.
Home ImprovementConcrete Slab Calculator
Volume in cubic yards and metres plus the number of pre-mixed bags for patios, pads and floors.
ConcreteGravel Calculator
Cubic yards, cubic metres and estimated tons of gravel for any rectangular area.
Gravel & AggregateMulch Calculator
Cubic yards, cubic feet and bag counts of mulch for garden beds.
LandscapingBoard Foot Calculator
Board feet, cubic volume and cost for hardwood and lumber purchases.
LumberConcrete Footing Calculator
Concrete volume for continuous wall footings or multiple pad footings.
ConcreteTopsoil Calculator
Topsoil volume, estimated weight and bag count for lawns and garden beds.
LandscapingConcrete Column Calculator
Volume for round (tube form) or rectangular columns and piers.
ConcreteConcrete Bag Calculator
How many 40, 60, 80 lb or 20–30 kg pre-mixed bags you need.
ConcreteConcrete Stairs Calculator
Concrete volume for solid poured steps, including an optional top landing.
ConcreteFence Post Concrete Calculator
Bags of concrete for fence and deck post holes, minus the post volume.
ConcreteDriveway Gravel Calculator
Layer-by-layer gravel quantities for a new or resurfaced gravel driveway.
Gravel & AggregateGrass Seed Calculator
Pounds or kilograms of seed for new lawns and overseeding by grass type.
LandscapingPaver Calculator
Number of pavers for a patio or walkway, including joint spacing and waste.
Flooring & PaversPaver Base Calculator
Crushed-stone base and bedding sand quantities for paver installations.
Gravel & AggregateRetaining Wall Block Calculator
Number of wall blocks, courses and cap blocks for segmental retaining walls.
Flooring & PaversBacksplash Tile Calculator
Tiles and boxes needed for a kitchen or bathroom backsplash.
Flooring & PaversDeck Board Calculator
Deck boards, rows, linear footage and screws for a rectangular deck.
LumberEpoxy Resin Calculator
Mixed resin volume, part A/B amounts and kits for tables, moulds and coatings.
Home ImprovementRecessed Lighting Calculator
How many recessed lights a room needs, with a grid layout, spacing and distance from the walls.
Home ImprovementPicket Fence Calculator
Pickets, posts, rails and fasteners for a picket fence of any length.
Lumber
Transparent, Editable & Built for Accurate Planning
No black boxes. Every result comes from a documented formula and assumptions you can see and change.
How the formulas work
Every calculator shows the formula it uses, the unit conversions involved and a worked example, so you can check the maths yourself.
Read the guidesAssumptions you control
Densities, bag yields, waste and compaction vary by product and supplier. Each one is an editable input, not a hidden constant.
Try a calculatorPrivate by design
Calculations run entirely in your browser. Your measurements are never sent to a server and no account is needed.
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Go Deeper With Our Guides
Worked-example articles for when a quick estimate isn't enough.
ConcreteConcrete Slab Thickness: A Practical Guide
How thick should a concrete slab be? Practical thickness ranges for patios, walkways, shed bases, driveways and garage floors, plus how thickness affects cost.
3 min read
Pavers & HardscapingHow to Calculate Paver Base Material
Learn how to calculate paver base gravel and bedding sand, choose the right base depth, account for compaction and convert to tons for ordering.
2 min read
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about estimating building materials. Still unsure? Contact us.
How accurate are building material calculators?
The maths is exact for the measurements you enter, but real projects vary: ground is uneven, products differ in density and yield, and some material is always lost. Treat results as a well-founded estimate, add a sensible waste allowance and confirm product specifications with your supplier.
Why should I add a waste allowance?
Spillage, cuts, breakage, compaction and uneven subgrades all consume extra material. Typical allowances range from about 5% for simple concrete pours to 15% or more for patterned paving or tiling. Each calculator suggests a starting value you can change.
Can I switch between imperial and metric units?
Yes. Every calculator has an imperial/metric toggle. When you switch, the values you have already entered are converted so you do not lose your measurements.
How do I convert cubic feet to cubic yards?
Divide cubic feet by 27, because a cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft. For example, 54 ft³ ÷ 27 = 2 yd³. One cubic yard is about 0.765 m³.
Why does the weight of gravel or soil vary?
Bulk density depends on the type of stone or soil, particle size and moisture. That is why our calculators let you edit the density. Your supplier can give you the figure for the exact product you are buying.
Do I need to create an account to use the calculators?
No. All calculators run in your browser, are free to use and do not require an account. Your measurements are not sent to our servers.
Ready to start your project?
Pick a calculator, enter your measurements and get a material list you can take to your supplier.