The last thing you want when doing your landscaping project or building a driveway is running out of gravel midway through the project. It is equally frustrating when you discover that you bought excess gravel, which you will have to give away. Fortunately, it is now easy to estimate the right amount of gravel you need for your project.
Why You Need a Gravel Calculator
Before looking at how to calculate how much gravel you need, it’s important to first understand why you need to have a near-accurate measure. Generally, working with just the right amount of gravel can make your project look well done. When you have too much gravel, your surfaces may look uneven, while working with too little can leave some spots thin and unstable.
Using Our Gravel Calculator
Our gravel calculator helps you take the guesswork out of your project planning. To determine how much gravel you will need, you must first get your measurements right.
Here’s how it works:
Measure Your Space
Measure the length and width of the area you want to lay the gravel using a tape measure. If it’s a circular space, measure the diameter (length between two widest points) and divide by 2. That number times π (pi) gives you the area. Conversely, if your area is triangular, be sure to measure the length of the base and the height (the line from the base to the opposite point). You’ll multiply the length by the height and then multiply that by 2. All of these calculations will be multiplied by the depth to give you volume.
Figure Out How Deep You Want the Gravel to Go
Once you know how deep you want the layer to be, you will be in a better position to calculate how much gravel you need. For ordinary landscaping, 2–4 inches is deep enough. If you’re building a driveway, 5–8 inches would be on the safer side.
For instance
Assume you have a garden path that measures 10 feet long and 4 feet wide, and you want a gravel depth of 4 inches (to convert inches to feet, divide the 4 inches by 12).
Here is how you will go about it:
Volume = length x width x depth
= 10 x 4 x (4/12) = 13.33 feet³
To convert feet³ into cubic yards, divide by 27:
13/27 = 0.1235 yd³
Simply put, you need 0.1235 cubic yards for your garden path.
For circular or triangular spaces, you’ll multiply the calculated area by the depth.
Read more: Comparing Gravel and Mulch: Choosing the Best Option for Your Landscape
Get in Touch With Us
Once you figure out how much gravel you need, the next thing is to find a good supplier. Mulch Pros Landscape Supply delivers bulk amounts of gravel and mulch in Alpharetta and surrounding areas. We will also help you choose the right gravel for your project. Call us today!