How to figure how much bulk material you need
Rectangle - Length x width x depth - divided by 27 = cubic yards
Example: 10 ft x 10 ft x .5 ft (6 inches)
divided by 27 = 1.85 cubic yards
Triangle - Length x width x .5 = square feet
Example: 10 ft x 10 ft x .5 = 50 sq ft
Use conversion chart below (square feet to cubic yards)
Circle - Radius (1/2 the diameter) x 3.14 = square feet
Example: 10 ft radius x 3.14 = 31.4 sq ft
Use conversion chart below (square feet to cubic yards)
Conversion Chart (square feet to cubic yards)
1 yard covers at a depth of:
1/4" deep - 1296 square feet
1" deep - 324 square feet
2" deep - 162 square feet
3" deep - 108 square feet
4" deep - 81 square feet
12" deep - 27 square feet
Volumes
Heaping load on a full size pickup is about 3 cubic yards
Max load on a small pickup is about 1 1/2 cubic yards
Most full size pickups can carry 1 cubic yard of topsoil or stone
(which is very heavy)
Small single-axle dump truck load is 5 yards
Big dump trucks are 10 to 15 yards
27 cubic feet in one cubic yard is 3' x 3' x 3'
One cubic yard = 9 square feet (3' x 3')
There are 21 bushels in one cubic yard
Recommended Depth of Materials
Topsoil in lawns - minimum 4"
Lawn topdressing - 1/4"
Garden soil in flowerbeds - 6-12"
Bark mulches - 3"
Stone less than 1" in diameter - 3"
1 1/2" Riverstone - 4"
3-6" Stone - 6"
Pathways - 4"
Miscellaneous Hints
Be careful when using a wood mulch
around your house because it is a food source for termites and other bugs.
Use bark products instead. Bark is a trees natural protection from these pests.
Try to avoid watering your lawn at
night especially late night. The best times to water are as follows (best to worse):
mid-day, morning, evening then night. Frequent light waterings are best, over-watering
and watering at night help promote disease.
"If you're building a patio, make sure
it is big enough", says landscape architect Paul Maue. "Getting the scale right is the
hardest thing - you always need more space than you think." Try setting up a table and
chairs on the lawn first to see how much room you need. Maue's rule of thumb: allow 25
square feet per person for a chair and room to move.
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