About MaterialCalcs
MaterialCalcs provides free calculators and guides that help US homeowners figure out exactly how much landscaping material they need — mulch, gravel and stone, soil and dirt, and the cubic yards that every bulk order is priced in. Fourteen calculators across four categories. No more guessing, no more overbuying.
Our methodology
Every number on this site goes through the same process:
Math verification
All calculations are verified using Python Decimal arithmetic to eliminate rounding errors. If a number appears on our site, it’s been checked.
Authoritative sources only
For technical and scientific claims we cite university extension services (.edu) and, where available, government agencies (.gov). We don’t use forums, wikis, or unverified websites.
Real-world pricing
Default prices come from Home Depot and Lowe’s shelf prices and from published price lists of landscape supply yards, checked by hand and reviewed every year. Every price field is editable, so you can enter your local quote.
Regular updates
We review pricing data and source links on a regular schedule and update articles when information changes.
That process sits behind every calculator on the site — mulch, gravel and stone, soil and dirt, and cubic yards — and behind every guide we publish.
Editorial standards
We maintain a two-tier source system. Technical claims — mulch depth, decomposition rates, soil and aggregate bulk density — require .edu or .gov sources: university extension services, USDA, and federal and state transportation specifications. Pricing comes from retailer shelf prices and published price lists of landscape supply yards, checked by hand. If we can’t verify a claim, we don’t publish it.
Contact & corrections
For questions, feedback, or to report an error — a broken source link, an incorrect calculation, outdated pricing — email us at [email protected]. We’ll investigate and fix it promptly.