Barrow Load

Mulch, soil and gravel calculator

Measure your garden beds or paths, pick a material, and get the cubic metres, tonnes, bags or trailer loads to order.

Material
mm

Your areas

Add each bed or path separately. Odd shapes can be split into rectangles and circles.

Prices (optional)
$
$
$

Bulk from a landscape supply yard is usually far cheaper than bags once you need more than about half a cubic metre.

Change the assumptions
t/m³
%
L
m³
m³
L

Your order list

How much mulch or soil do I need?

Multiply the area in square metres by the depth in metres. A 10 m² bed at 75 mm deep needs 10 × 0.075 = 0.75 m³. Then add a little extra, because loose material settles once it's spread and watered.

Landscape yards sell bulk by the cubic metre, often in half-metre steps, so round up rather than coming up short halfway through the job.

How deep should it go?

  1. Mulch: 50 to 100 mm keeps weeds down and holds moisture. Keep it clear of plant stems.
  2. New garden beds: 150 to 300 mm of garden soil, deeper for veggies and shrubs.
  3. Turf underlay: 75 to 100 mm under new turf.
  4. Decorative gravel: 40 to 50 mm over weed mat. Paths with foot traffic: 50 to 75 mm over a compacted base.

These results are estimates to help you plan and order. Densities and moisture content vary between products and suppliers, so check quantities and weights with your supplier before you buy, and don't overload your trailer or vehicle.