How to Estimate Landscaping Materials

Landscaping materials can add up very quickly. Before you know it, you've spent way more than you expected to and the job is only halfway completed. Your best option is to measure the area and develop an estimate of your materials before you begin the project. Once you have hard facts down on paper, you can make an educated decision at the home and garden store.

1. Determine the largest shape that would cover the majority of the area you wish to landscape. This could be a rectangle, circle or oval depending on the area you are landscaping.


2. Stake out the area with string to make measuring easier.


3. Determine the square footage of the area you are landscaping. For a rectangular area, multiply the length by the width. For a circular area, measure from the center of the circle to the edge to obtain the radius and multiply the radius by itself, then by 3.14. If your area is more oval-shaped, multiply the radius of a long side by the radius of a short side, then multiply that amount by 3.14.


4. Add all of the areas you are landscaping together to determine the total square footage.


5. Divide the total square footage by the number of square feet each sod roll or seed container yields for sod or seeds, respectively. This amount is how many rolls or containers of seeds you need. For gravel or other types of fill such as sand, multiply the square footage by how deep you want the fill to be. If you want your sand to be 3 inches deep, and your area is 4 feet by 5 feet, then you need 60 cubic feet of sand. Divide this sum by the number of cubic feet per bag to determine how many bags you need.


6. Add the cost for all of the materials you plan to use to get the total estimate for your landscaping cost.