Calculate how much mulch you need for any project with this free and easy calculator. Enter values for feet for the length and width, and then inches for the depth and the number of cubic yards and the number of 2 cubic feet bags will be generated.

Bagged Mulch

For smaller projects it is better to use mulch in bags from your local supplier. These bags most often come in 2 a cubic feet size. This calculator works by solving for the volume of a rectangular prism.

Often shapes are not not exactly rectangular. For such a simple matter as this, it is acceptable to just visualize the nearest sized rectangle for whatever shape you are dealing with. On more complicated scenarios, simply break the whole thing down into smaller rectangular prisms.

Cubic Yards

It is much more economical to buy mulch in bulk. Big truck loads are generally sold by the cubic yard. A cubic yards fills a volume 3′ x 3′ x 3′. Some companies have trucks that easily deliver 5 tons and more.

Calculate the gazebo lay out, the length of the sides, the length of the the center rafter, and the length of the hips.

Based on the width of the gazebo and the pitch of the roof, this tool automatically returns critical information.

Lay out

The layout dimension is based on what to measure off each corner of an established square as wide as the gazebo.

Length of sides

What is left over after measuring off each corner is the length of the sides. They should be close to uniform all of the way around. If they are not, then there is a problem with the lay out. The angle for the miters to meet correctly on the wall plates is 22.5º, or you could use 45º and not bisect the angle.

Length of rafters

The rafters are in the center of each side. The calculated result is to a center point and allows for no king post. You can make this adjustment easily with a framing square. The measurement is from the HAP and does not include the tail.

Length of hips

If you do not have a great deal of experience in laying out hip tails, then you should check the measurements directly on site. Always test fit the hips and the center rafters.

Pitch of hips

The pitch is based on a 12″ run on the framing square. For example, a 12/12 roof pitch would have 11 1/16″/12 pitch hips.

How many tons of gravel do I need?  This calculator solves for the cubic yards but returns the number of tons based on 2,800 lbs. per yard. Round up to the nearest foot in the length and width boxes, and the same thing just use inches in the depth box to instantly get a result that will work well with most common aggregates.

Solving for the number of tons of gravel needed on uneven surfaces requires at least some estimating. Shapes other than rectangles also need special attention.

• When using gravel for fill, the underlying surface can often be very uneven. This is going to make the depth vary drastically from spot to spot. The best way to compensate for this is use as many different rectangles as possible for a more accurate calculation.
• When dealing with a circle, its simple, just treat it like a square and multiply the results by .78.
• When dealing with triangles and trapezoids, always find the average width. Measure this halfway up.
• When dealing with irregular shapes it is best to treat it just like uneven ground; break it down into as many rectangles as possible.

Calculate how much flooring it will take with easy to use tool. Select hardwood, tile, plywood or carpet. Then enter a width and length for the room in feet.

Room Shape

The shape of any room is rarely rectangular. It most often consist of multiple rectangles and more and more often, other shapes such as triangles, circles, and ellipses. But, whatever the shape, this tool recognizes only rectangles. To make an efficient estimation for the materials in a case such as this, there are but two options.

The first is to break down the area from a complicated shape into a collection of much more simplified shapes: rectangles. No matter how many different offsets are in a given room, it can always be broken down. Just realize it may not always be that simple.

The second approach is to simply guess at a single rectangle which will cover any shape or configuration of shapes imaginable. In other words, make your best guess. This will prove much more valuable than trying to break down really complicated shapes. Make your best guess, its that simple.

Hardwood

Traditional red oak hardwood flooring is packaged in in bundles 19.5 square feet in size. This tool recognizes only this size. With the advent of so many different types of flooring, it would be virtually impossible to list all of the options on this calculator. If there are any questions about how many square feet a certain size bundle will cover, then consult with the supplier.

Calculate how many pieces of siding it will take to cover a wall or gable with this simple tool. Easy to use radio buttons and number fields.

Siding Calculator

• Select the coverage and the length of the boards. These choices are for the most common sized siding available. For a custom application, just select the next largest size.
• Select whether its a wall or a gable. While both are really walls, what this selection is about is whether its a rectangle or a triangle.
• Select whether or not its tree sawed siding or engineered. The main difference here is that the calculator allows for 10% extra for engineered and 60% extra for tree sawed siding. It takes quite a bit more for the tree sawed because so much of it typically has to be culled. A good example is cyprus. It’s widely used, but installers often don’t allow near enough for the the many boards that will simply not be able to be used. Vinyl, fiber cement, and high end wood products are good examples of when to select the engineered button.
• Enter the dimensions for the wall in feet. It’s pretty simple just select the number field and use feet for the length and height. It does not matter if it is a gable or regular wall. The previous field takes care of that.
• It is an option to enter the approximate square footage for the openings. Some installer simply do not do this. However, this calculator already allows for extra boards and if you do not do this step you could wind up with a great deal of extra boards.

Board & Batten

While this calculator is specifically designed for horizontal products, it can also be used to estimate board and batten. Just rotate the wall 90º in your mind. For example, if you are using a 1 x 8 product and it covers 7 1/4″ and the wall is 9′ by 20′, then select 7″ for the coverage, 10′ for the length, 20′ for the height, and tree sawed for the type of material. If the battens will be ripped from the parent building material, then this must be added manually. Its pretty simple though, just take into consideration how many battens will be ripped from a single piece of siding and convert that to a percentage. For example if the material is 7 1/4″ wide then three battens 2 3/8″ will be yielded while allowing for the two 1/16″ saw kerfs. In other words, since three boards come out of one, then simply add 33% to the total for each wall. If four boards are yielded, then add 25%.

Chimneys and Cupolas

For horizontal applications pertaining to small walls, always do each wall separately. While it is tempting in certain situations to add the length of some short walls together to save time while doing estimating, it may not work out so well to cut this corner.

Tips for Estimating

Most engineered siding products such as fiber cement boards, smart trim, and even PVC vinyl come in 12′ or 16′ lengths. Most pick-up trucks can haul these products, but they present challenges. If you are using tree sawed material and it is available in shorter lengths, and the hauling capabilities are a concern, then it would only make sense to choose shorter boards. For the most part, be prepared to handle at least 12′ material.

For a wall that is 16′ long, use 16′ material if it available. Anytime that breaks can be eliminated jump on the opportunity.

Don’t forget about other material needed for installation. This may include flashing, trim, and nails. In some cases, these materials can amount to a cost of more than the siding itself.

Prices may vary widely from state to state on certain products such as Cyprus. Be aware of cheap prices. This can simply mean that many boards which should have been discarded were not. It is a great deal of work to go through so much material just to find something useful.

Calculate the span for floor and ceiling joist with this free and simple online calculator. The resulting spans are less than the 2012 IRC codes but they are to our standards at Scott’s Framing. The spans for joists according to the code is far more than we find acceptable. We have engineered this calculator to provide spans which will produce a solid built house with no bounce in the floors or any swags in the ceiling.

Joist Span Calculator

• Select a load. There are six choices. The lowest is a plain ceiling joist with no storage (10 pounds per square foot). The highest is a fully loaded floor (70 pounds per square foot).
• Select the on center spacing for the joists. This is how far apart they will be. Most lay outs are on 16″ so the field is pre-selected. To change it, click on another option.
• Enter a span for the joist. This will be slightly less than the length of the board. For example; if a room is 10′ inside to inside and the joists are cut 10′ 7″ so they will bear fully on both walls, then the span will be 10′.
• Finally, select a type of lumber. No. 2 pine is the the most common so the field is pre-selected at that. The other choices include spruce which is actually the spruce-pine-fir category, and the engineered I-joist.

Calculate how many pieces of sheetrock it will take per room or per area. Enter the width and length in feet for an area result, or add the ceiling height for an automatic room estimation.

Sheetrock Calculator

Drywall is available in sizes ranging from 4′ x 8′ to 54″ x 12′. It does matter the thickness of the boards, or whether or not it is fire rated. The coverage is the same. In rooms with 9′ ceilings where 54″ boards will be used for the walls and 48″ boards for the ceiling, use only the width and length to figure each area none at a time.

While areas such as closets and offsets are an integral part of any house building project, they can be tedious to calculate for the number of boards of it will require. Remember, if you are doing the calculations for  a rectangular room, then the closet will not be compensated for. Furthermore, if you are doing the numbers for a simple closet, then the calculator only allows for the inside of any room. Often there are several extra boards required for the outside of the closet compared to just a simple rectangular room. In these cases, use the only the width and length to figure each wall one at a time.

Other Material

Just because the drywall itself is obviously the bulk of the material, it does not mean it will be all that is required. In fact, in some cases such as very small rooms, there will be more expense in corner beads, mud, tape, and nails than the sheetrock itself.

Hauling & Handling

It is difficult to haul 12′ boards on a pick-up truck. Although it can be achieved, it should only be attempted by individuals with experience hauling such material. Just know that 8′ boards are the easiest haul by the average homeowner. There will be more mud and tape involved, but it will be worth it.

The boards are packaged two at a time. There is a strip of paper on each end of a set like this that holds them together. It is best not to release this paper until the product has arrived at its destination. Use the buddy system when stocking drywall. With a man at each end of the two board set, they can handle a great deal more load than a single person could trying to manipulate the material even one board at a time.

Drywall cannot be stored for long periods of time unless it is in a climate controlled environment. The paper will become so soft in humid environments that it will become practically useless after so long. It would be best not to attempt to purchase the material at one point only to have to wait for the funds to become available for the hanging process.

Use this roof decking calculator to easily determine the slopes for hips and valleys on all common pitches. Enter the length of one side and then either select a roof pitch or select custom rake and enter a value of your own. The length of the other side is automatically returned.