How To Determine How Much Mulch Is Needed

[johnnywill08]

Originally Posted by Wayne's Lawn Service

Irregular shapes are not as hard as you think. However, depending on the shape, the math is a bit different.

Depending on the size of the area, one way is to take a few measurements going longways and then take the average of that distance as the length. Repeat the same process for the width. Then multiply the average length by the average width to get square feet.

Circles are completed by 3.14 X Radius squared. Radius is equal to 1/2 the distance across the circle. Example: 3.14 X 20 feet X 20 = 1256 square feet.

Triangle = 1/2 base times the height. If the total distance across the base of the triangle is 50 feet (base) by 100 feet tall (height), you would multiply 25 X 100 = 2500 square feet.

Hope this helps.

it IS helpful, and i dont want to sound ungrateful, but i didn't go into landscaping because i was REALLY GOOD at math, know what i mean?

i'm looking for simple, methods that can even just come close, so my customers don't think im screwing em by adding three yards on in the end or by porkin myself by overestimating by 3-4 yds on the bid and losing it cuz im artificially high.

[SavageLandscaping]

make it easy and just ask the people you get your mulch from give them the dimensions they can figure out right on the computer...much less headaches

[Wayne's Lawn Service]

Originally Posted by johnnywill08

it IS helpful, and i dont want to sound ungrateful, but i didn't go into landscaping because i was REALLY GOOD at math, know what i mean?

i'm looking for simple, methods that can even just come close, so my customers don't think im screwing em by adding three yards on in the end or by porkin myself by overestimating by 3-4 yds on the bid and losing it cuz im artificially high.

I don't think these simple formulas will make you a mathematician. However, if you want to be close to accurate on mulch estimates, you might consider remembering them. Mrs. Smith's lawn for example may be an easy guess. But if you are trying to estimate anything of any size, you had better understand these simple methodologies. The lack of knowledge not understanding these simple steps is exactly why the failure rates for the lawn & landscape industry are so high.

Please don't take this as sarcasm, but as a way to help you and your company make more money.

Good luck!

[lsylvain]

Dang this is an old post. Almost 3 years old. good to see it still being used.

[ant]

L X W X .33 Divide BY 27= Cubic Feet Needed
The .33 Represents 4" Of Mulch

[Critical Care]

Originally Posted by SavageLandscaping

make it easy and just ask the people you get your mulch from give them the dimensions they can figure out right on the computer...much less headaches

Uh huh, that could be easy, but could also be totally bad for you. You could be trusting some third grade educated nincompoop to tell you how much mulch you need. If you're lucky, maybe you could hook up with someone with a brain, but I certainly wouldn't count on it.

[Topsoilman]

simple just log onto 1800topsoil there is a topsoil calculator that will also work for mulch. just enter in your dimentions and the thickness you desire and bam its right there.

[rockytop00]

Ah ha! Very good post indeed... my brother and I always argue about the mulch depth question!

[JKEnterprise]

Here is another website that has a nice calculator:

http://www.lumberjake.com/calculators.html

fyi, -Gary

[alesia]

Hey guys when someone wants advice on anything such as material estimating we should not cut them down like DUH or If you don't know how to do it then don't do it! We were all new in this industry at one time. The formula is pretty accurate but there is also variables such as plants shrubs and bushes. I feel pretty confident in eying it and coming up with the amount. But for some the confidence is not quite there yet!