Practical construction calculators, guides, and helpful resources for estimating materials, measurements, project costs, and quantities. Find simple tools and information for concrete, gravel, lumber, roofing, and other construction projects.
To calculate roof square footage, measure the flat footprint of each roof section (length × width), multiply by a pitch factor to account for the slope, and add the sections together. Divide the total by 100 to get roofing squares. Roof area = horizontal area × pitch factor Roofing squares = roof area ÷ 100 … Read more
How many bundles of shingles in a square is one of the most critical questions for any roofing project. Getting this wrong means costly delays or wasted money on excess materials. Short answer: 3 bundles cover 1 roofing square (100 square feet) for most standard asphalt shingles, which works out to about 33.3 square feet … Read more
To convert cubic yards to tons, multiply your volume by the material’s weight per cubic yard: Tons = cubic yards × tons per cubic yard A cubic yard measures volume. A ton measures weight. Density links them, so the conversion differs for gravel, sand, topsoil, mulch, and concrete. No universal rule says one cubic yard … Read more
If you are wondering how much does a yard of concrete cost, the short answer is that a cubic yard of ready-mix concrete typically ranges from $125 to $195 delivered in most U.S. markets in 2026. This includes a common planning midpoint near $150 to $165 per cubic yard for a standard 3,000 PSI residential … Read more
Converting cubic feet to cubic yards comes down to one number: 27. Since a cubic yard contains exactly 27 cubic feet, you divide your cubic foot total by 27 to get cubic yards. Cubic yards = cubic feet ÷ 27 For example, 40 cubic feet works out to: 40 ÷ 27 = 1.48 cubic yards … Read more
How many cubic yards in a wheelbarrow? It depends on the wheelbarrow’s capacity, because wheelbarrows aren’t all the same size. A small 2 cubic foot garden model holds about 0.07 cubic yards per load, while a 6 cubic foot model holds about 0.22 cubic yards, roughly three times as much. Since 1 cubic yard equals … Read more
You need to convert square feet to linear feet, but the supplier quotes the material by length. These two measurements are different, so there is no fixed conversion that works for every material. You need one more number first: the width of the material. Linear feet = Square feet ÷ Material width (in feet) For … Read more
How to calculate how many sheets of drywall you need is the most important step before starting any renovation. If you’ve measured a basement and divided the square footage by 32, you’ve probably ended up with a number that feels a little too clean. A 500-square-foot room doesn’t need exactly 16 sheets of 4×8 drywall; … Read more
When planning your project, knowing exactly how much concrete for fence posts you need is the first step to building a sturdy, long-lasting fence. There’s no single number that works for every job. A post set in a 10-inch hole needs a lot less concrete than one set in a 14-inch hole, and a 4×4 … Read more
How much does a yard of gravel weigh? A cubic yard typically weighs between 2,400 and 3,000 pounds (about 1.2 to 1.5 tons). For planning purposes, 2,800 pounds (1.4 tons) is a useful estimate, but the actual weight can vary by material and moisture. The exact weight of your gravel will vary based on three main … Read more