Measure · Calculate · Build
Buy the right amount. Then do the job right.
Calculators for the materials home projects actually use, each with its formula, a worked example and the manufacturer figures behind it. Every calculator has a step-by-step guide for the job itself.
Calculators
Concrete calculator
Cubic yards and 40/60/80 lb bags for slabs, footings and post holes.
Square footage calculator
Add rooms and odd shapes; get ft², m², yd² and acres.
Gravel calculator
Cubic yards and tons, with density by stone type.
Topsoil calculator
Cubic yards or bags for lawns, beds and low spots.
Tile calculator
Tiles, boxes, waste and an optional grout estimate.
Guides
Concrete & masonry
How to pour a concrete slab
Lay out, dig, form, pour, finish and cure a small concrete slab for a patio or shed. Includes base depth, slope, control joints and curing times from QUIKRETE, NRMCA and the IRC.
Measuring & planning
How to measure square footage
Measure a room, an L-shaped space, a circle or a triangle, and find out why a house's listed square footage is measured differently (ANSI Z765).
Flooring & tile
How to tile a bathroom floor
Check the subfloor (deflection and flatness), install backer board, lay out from the center, set tile in thinset, and grout. Standards from TCNA and ANSI A108, with tile and grout quantities.
Landscaping & yard
How to install a gravel driveway
Plan, dig, layer and crown a gravel driveway: subgrade, geotextile, base and surface stone, compaction and the ½-inch-per-foot crown FHWA recommends. With quantities from the gravel calculator.
Landscaping & yard
How to level a yard
Fix low spots by topdressing or lifting sod, regrade bare areas, and slope soil away from the foundation (6 inches in 10 feet, IRC R401.3). With topsoil quantities.