All guides
Gravel & Stone
Calculate how much gravel, crushed stone, pea gravel, or decorative rock you need for driveways, paths, and drainage projects.
Gravel Base for a Shed: Depth, Size, and Materials
A gravel shed base needs 4–6 inches of compacted crusher run on a level pad 1 foot larger than the shed on each side. Step-by-step guide with material math.
How Deep Should a Gravel Driveway Be?
A gravel driveway needs 12 inches of total depth for new construction: 6 in compacted base, 4 in middle layer, 2 in top coat. Maintenance top-dressing takes 2–4 in.
How Much Does a Yard of Gravel Weigh?
A cubic yard of gravel weighs 2,700–3,000 lbs (1.35–1.5 tons). Pea gravel runs lighter; crushed limestone heavier. Weight chart and truck payload guide inside.
Pea Gravel vs. Crushed Stone: Which Should You Use?
Pea gravel is smooth and decorative; crushed stone is angular and structural. Use crushed stone for driveways and bases; pea gravel for paths, drains, and play areas.
Types of Gravel: Which One Do You Need?
A plain-English guide to the most common gravel types—crushed stone, pea gravel, crusher run, river rock, and more—with uses, drainage, and cost data.
Mulch & Soil
Estimate cubic yards of mulch, topsoil, and raised-bed soil mix for garden beds, tree rings, and planting areas.
Bagged vs. Bulk Mulch: Which Is Cheaper?
Bulk mulch costs 30–60% less than bagged mulch per cubic yard, but you need a minimum of 2–3 yards to make delivery worthwhile. Here is the break-even math.
How Deep Should Mulch Be?
Mulch should be 2–3 inches deep for most landscape beds. More than 4 inches smothers roots and promotes rot. Here's the right depth for every situation.
Raised Bed Soil Mix: The Best Recipe and How Much to Buy
The best raised bed soil mix is 60% topsoil, 30% compost, and 10% coarse perlite or vermiculite. Calculate exact cubic yards needed by length × width × depth ÷ 27.
Topsoil vs. Garden Soil: What's the Difference?
Topsoil is unimproved mineral soil for grading and filling. Garden soil has compost and nutrients mixed in for planting. Use the right one or you'll waste money.
Types of Mulch: Which One Is Right for Your Yard?
Wood chips, bark nuggets, straw, rubber, and compost mulch each serve different jobs. This guide covers 7 common mulch types with cost, longevity, and best-use data.
What Is a Cubic Yard? (And How to Visualize It)
A cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet (3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft). It is the standard unit for ordering mulch, gravel, and concrete. Coverage table and conversion formula inside.
Concrete
Figure out how many bags of concrete you need for slabs, footings, fence posts, and columns — with ready-mix comparisons.
Bagged Concrete vs. Ready-Mix: Which Should You Use?
Use bagged concrete for under 1 cubic yard. Above that, ready-mix wins on cost and effort. Break-even is ~45 bags, where a truck becomes cheaper and faster.
Concrete Cure Time: When Can You Walk, Drive, or Build on It?
Concrete is walkable in 24–48 hours, ready for vehicles in 7 days, and at full design strength in 28 days. Temperature and mix type shift every milestone.
Concrete Slab Thickness: What You Need for Each Project
Patios and sidewalks need 4 inches. Driveways need 4–6 inches. Garage floors need 5–6 inches. Foundations need 8–12 inches. Thickness guide with ACI code references.
How Many Bags of Concrete Do I Need?
A 60-lb bag yields 0.45 cu ft; an 80-lb bag yields 0.60 cu ft. A 10×10 ft slab at 4 in thick needs 62 bags of 80 lb mix. Full table and worked math inside.
How Much Concrete Do You Need for Fence Posts?
Most 4×4 fence posts need 1–2 bags of 80-lb concrete per post. Gate posts and corner posts need 2–4 bags. Hole size and depth determine actual concrete volume.
How to Pour a Concrete Slab: Step-by-Step
Pour a concrete slab in 8 steps: mark, excavate, build forms, add gravel base, pour, screed, finish, and cure. Full guide with material list and safety notes.
Rebar vs. Wire Mesh for Concrete Slabs
Wire mesh controls shrinkage cracks in light slabs. Rebar provides structural strength for driveways and loaded slabs. Here's when to use each—and when to use both.
Pavers & Walls
Count pavers, base gravel, bedding sand, and retaining wall blocks for patios, walkways, and landscape walls.
How Deep Should a Paver Base Be?
Paver base depth depends on use: 4 in. for walkways, 6 in. for patios, 8–12 in. for driveways. Add 1 in. bedding sand. Full depth guide with worked examples.
How to Lay Pavers: Step-by-Step Patio Guide
Learn how to lay pavers in 10 steps: mark, excavate, compact base, screed sand, lay in pattern, cut, edge, and fill joints. Includes material math and slope rules.
Polymeric Sand: How to Install It Right
Polymeric sand hardens after wetting to lock paver joints against weeds and erosion. Step-by-step guide covering joint size, temperature rules, and activation.
Retaining Wall Drainage: What You Need Behind the Wall
Every retaining wall needs a 4-in. perforated drain pipe, 12 in. of clean gravel backfill, and outlets to daylight. Skip it and hydrostatic pressure topples the wall.
Retaining Wall Height Limits and Permit Rules
Most jurisdictions require a permit for retaining walls over 4 feet (footing bottom to wall top). Learn permit triggers, engineer requirements, and surcharge rules.
Fences & Decks
Estimate posts, rails, pickets, concrete, deck boards, joists, and hardware for fencing and decking projects.
Composite vs. Wood Decking: Which Is Right for You?
Wood decking costs $1,280–1,600 per 16x20 ft; composite runs $2,900–3,100. Wood needs staining every 2–3 years; composite near-zero maintenance. 25-year cost inside.
Deck Board Spacing: How Wide Should the Gap Be?
Composite deck boards need a 3/16-in. side gap per Trex/TimberTech specs. Dry wood installs at 1/8 in.; wet-treated installs tight. End gaps vary by temperature.
Deck Joist Spacing: 12, 16, or 24 Inches On Center?
Most decks use 16-inch joist spacing. Composite decking often requires 12 inches for diagonal boards. Full IRC Table R507.6 span limits by species and spacing.
Fence Post Spacing: How Far Apart Should Posts Be?
Wood fence posts go 8 feet on center; chain link goes 10 feet; vinyl matches manufacturer panel width (6–8 ft). Learn spacing by fence type and how to divide uneven runs.
How Deep Should Fence Posts Be Set?
Fence posts for a 6-ft fence typically go 24–36 inches deep depending on your frost line and local code. Learn the 1/3 rule, frost depth lookup, and hole sizing.
How to Calculate Picket Spacing for a Fence
Calculate even picket spacing using: Gap = (Section width − Pickets × Picket width) ÷ (Pickets + 1). Pool code limits openings to 4 inches. Worked examples included.
Lawn & Seed
Calculate grass seed by species, sod rolls and pallets, and fertilizer pounds needed for new lawns and overseeding.
Grass Seed Per Square Foot: Rates by Species
Kentucky bluegrass needs 2–3 lb per 1,000 sq ft; tall fescue needs 6–8 lb. Seeding rates by species for new lawns and overseeding, sourced from university extension.
How to Lime a Lawn: Rates, Timing, and Soil pH
Lime your lawn when soil pH is below 6.0 for most grasses. Apply up to 50 lb per 1,000 sq ft per application. Soil test first — overliming causes its own problems.
Overseeding Your Lawn: When, How, and at What Rate
Overseed cool-season lawns Aug 15–Oct 15; warm-season lawns in May–June. Mow low, dethatch or aerate, seed at half the new-seeding rate, water 2–3x daily for two weeks.
Sod vs. Seed: Which Is Better for Your Lawn?
Seed costs $0.05–0.20/sq ft; sod costs $0.50–1.50/sq ft installed. Seed wins on cost; sod wins on speed and slopes. Compare by lawn size, budget, and timeline.
What Do Fertilizer Numbers Mean? NPK Explained
The three fertilizer numbers are the NPK ratio: % nitrogen, % phosphate, % potash by weight. A 28-0-6 bag has 28% nitrogen and no phosphorus. How to read and use them.
When to Fertilize Your Lawn: Cool and Warm Season Schedules
Cool-season lawns get most fertilizer in fall (Aug–Nov); warm-season lawns in late spring and summer. Schedules and nitrogen rates by grass type.
When to Plant Grass Seed: Best Times by Region
Cool-season grasses seed best late August–October; warm-season grasses seed best late April–June. Soil temperature 50–65°F for cool-season, 65–75°F for warm-season.
Project Costs
Rough cost guides for common landscape materials — gravel driveways, paver patios, fences, and concrete slabs.
Concrete Slab Cost: 2025–2026 Pricing Guide
Concrete slabs cost $6–$12 per sq ft installed (2026). A 10×10 slab runs $600–$1,200. Full breakdown by size, thickness, and DIY vs. contractor with worked examples.
Fence Cost Per Linear Foot: 2025–2026 Guide
Fence installation costs $10–$25/linear ft for chain link, $15–$35 for wood, $25–$45 for vinyl, and $35–$70 for wrought iron (2025 national ranges). Full budget guide.
Gravel Driveway Cost: 2025–2026 Pricing Guide
Gravel driveways cost $1–$10 per sq ft in materials, or $4–$10 per sq ft installed. A typical 1,000 sq ft driveway runs $1,800 on average. Full cost breakdown inside.
Paver Patio Cost: 2025–2026 Pricing Guide
Paver patios cost $8–$25 per sq ft installed for concrete pavers; $15–$50 for natural stone. A typical 280 sq ft patio runs $3,800. Full breakdown and budget example.