Measuring an area and depth
Measure the length and width of each bed, path or pad; for curved shapes, split them into rectangles and triangles and add the areas, then use the “known area” option. Decide the depth of the layer and enter it in inches or centimeters – depth has as much effect on the volume as area does.
Volume, weight and bags
Bulk materials are sold by the cubic yard, cubic meter or ton. One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Weight depends on the material and on whether it is loose or compacted, so the gravel calculator asks for your supplier’s figure instead of assuming one. For bagged products, enter the volume printed on the bag; the calculators round up to whole bags.