About YardCalc
Alex Wright
Full-stack engineer and avid gardener. After years of estimating materials for landscape projects — gravel driveways, raised beds, retaining walls — I kept hunting for a clean calculator that didn't take three minutes to load or bury the answer in ads. So I built one.
YardCalc is a free collection of material calculators for homeowners, contractors, and landscapers who need quick, practical estimates without digging through ad-heavy websites. It's built and operated by Meadowlark Labs LLC.
Whether you're planning a gravel driveway, pouring a concrete slab, building a retaining wall, or laying sod, YardCalc gives you cubic yards, tons, material counts, and cost estimates in seconds. Just enter your dimensions — no account required.
Why I Built This
I got tired of clunky material calculators that load slowly, show popup ads, and make you guess at formulas. YardCalc is what I wished existed: fast, clean, mobile-friendly, and genuinely useful at the supply yard or on the job site.
Instant Calculations
Results update as you type. No submit buttons or page reloads.
20+ Calculators
Gravel, mulch, concrete, topsoil, sand, pavers, sod, retaining walls, fences, French drains, drip irrigation, and more.
Minimal & Non-Intrusive
No popups, no login walls, no selling your data. Just calculators with minimal, respectful ads to keep the lights on.
How Accurate Are the Estimates?
YardCalc is designed for planning and ordering estimates, not engineering takeoffs. Accuracy depends on your measurements and the assumptions used for each material. Site conditions, material grades, moisture content, and installation methods all affect actual quantities, so confirm density, compaction, waste, and delivery units with your supplier before ordering.
How I Research and Write the Guides
YardCalc starts with standard geometry and unit conversions, then adds material-specific assumptions such as density, depth, coverage, or waste where a calculator needs them. Those assumptions can vary by material, supplier, and site, so results are planning estimates rather than guarantees.
For newer and updated guides, I use sources such as manufacturer documentation, university and Extension resources, supplier information, and hands-on project experience when they are relevant. I'm also continuing to make the assumptions and sourcing behind YardCalc's older tools clearer.
Cost ranges are rough planning estimates, not live quotes. Local supplier pricing, delivery minimums, season, quantity, and region can move them significantly, so confirm current pricing locally before ordering. You can read more about YardCalc's calculator methodology and assumptions.
If you spot an error in a formula or an outdated price, use the contact form below. I take accuracy seriously and update guides when I find mistakes.
Built by Meadowlark Labs
YardCalc is a product of Meadowlark Labs LLC, my software company focused on building practical, no-nonsense tools for people who work with their hands. I'm based in the United States.
I built YardCalc because I kept running into the same problem: material calculators online were either buried in ads, required sign-ups, or produced results I couldn't verify. I wanted a tool I'd trust to hand to a supplier. So I built one.
Get in Touch
Have a question, bug report, or feature idea? Send us a message and we'll get back to you.