1. Select your shape
Choose from rectangle, circle, triangle, trapezoid, L-shape, annulus, or wall-and-window layouts to match your project.
What is landscaping square footage?
Landscaping square footage is the total outdoor surface area of a landscaping project measured in square feet. To find landscaping square footage, measure the project length and width in feet and multiply them together. This determines how much mulch, gravel, pavers, or other landscape material to purchase for your project.
Getting started
How to Calculate Square Footage for Landscaping
To calculate square footage for landscaping, measure the project area length and width in feet and multiply. For bulk materials like mulch or gravel, multiply area by depth (in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. One cubic yard of mulch covers about 162 sq ft at 2 inches deep.
2. Enter your measurements
Input dimensions in feet, inches, yards, meters, or centimeters. The Square Foot Calculator converts units automatically.
3. Get area and cost
View results in square feet, square yards, square meters, and acres. Add a material price per unit to estimate total project cost.
Quick reference
Reference
1 acre = 43,560 square feet
1 square yard = 9 square feet
1 square meter = 10.764 square feet
1 square inch = 0.00064516 square feet
Material pricing
Calculate Cost of Materials
Enter the price per square foot of material to estimate total cost. The calculator accepts pricing in square feet, square inches, square yards, or square meters and converts to the correct total based on your area.
There are 2 steps to calculate material cost:
- Enter the price per unit area. For tiling projects, enter the price per box and the number of square feet each box covers. For carpet, enter the cost per square yard. For flooring installation with hardwood or laminate, enter the cost per square foot.
- Select the unit of area that matches your pricing. The Square Foot Calculator multiplies your total area by the unit price to produce an estimated material cost, including labor costs when added to the per-unit price.
To calculate the volume of bulk materials like mulch or gravel for landscaping, convert area to cubic yards or cubic meters by multiplying the area by the depth of material.
Core formula
Basic Formula for Area
Area is the amount of space occupied by a 2-dimensional shape. The shape could be a floor, a wall, a playground, or a field. The simplest formula for area applies to any rectangular shape:
Area = Length × Width
Measure the length and width of the space in feet. Multiply the two values to get the area in square feet. A rectangular room that is 12 feet (3.66 meters) long and 10 feet (3.05 meters) wide has an area of 120 sq ft (11.15 sq m).
Square yardage is area measured in yards, and square meters is area measured in meters. Measure in feet, find the area in square feet, then convert to the unit you need.
For an L-shape room, split the floor into 2 rectangular sections, calculate each area, and add the results. Convert all measurements to the same unit before multiplying, if your dimensions are in different units like inches and feet.
Basic Length Conversion
Convert other units of measure to feet with these 4 formulas:
| From | To Feet | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | Feet | Divide by 12 |
| Yards | Feet | Multiply by 3 |
| Meters | Feet | Multiply by 3.28084 |
| Centimeters | Feet | Divide by 30.48 |
For example, 48 inches ÷ 12 = 4 feet. A measurement of 5 meters × 3.28084 = 16.40 feet. The Square Foot Calculator handles these conversions automatically when you select the input unit.
Unit conversion
Area Conversion
Measure your space in inches or centimeters, calculate area in square inches or square centimeters, then convert to any unit you need, including square feet, square yards, square meters, or acres.
| Unit | Square Feet Equivalent |
|---|---|
| 1 sq ft | 144 sq in |
| 1 sq yd | 9 sq ft |
| 1 sq m | 10.764 sq ft |
| 1 acre | 43,560 sq ft |
A 300 sq ft room equals 33.33 sq yd, 27.87 sq m, or 43,200 sq in. The Square Footage Calculator displays all conversions at once so you can compare units for flooring, carpet, or tiling projects without manual math.
Shape formulas
Area Formulas for Different Shapes
The Square Foot Calculator supports 11 shape formulas for construction, interior design, landscaping, and flooring projects. Each formula below includes a diagram with labeled dimensions.
Rectangle Shape
Calculate square foot of a rectangle
Using measurements in feet: Area (ft²) = Length × Width. This is the most common formula for calculating square footage of a rectangular room, floor, wall, or field. A room 15 feet (4.57 meters) long and 12 feet (3.66 meters) wide has a Rectangle Area of 180 sq ft (16.72 sq m).
Circle Shape
Calculate square foot of a circle
Using measurements in feet: Area (ft²) = π × (Diameter ÷ 2)², where π = 3.14159. This formula uses the diameter (the full width of the circle). Divide the diameter by 2 to get the radius: diameter = 2 × radius. A circular patio with a 10-foot (3.05-meter) diameter has an area of 78.54 sq ft. The Square Foot Calculator uses a high-precision π constant for accurate results on larger landscaping and construction projects.
Waste factor
Adding 10% Surplus for Materials
Add a 10% surplus to your calculated area to account for material waste during cutting, breakage, and pattern matching. This waste factor applies to flooring, carpet, tiling projects, and landscaping materials.
Original Area
100 sq ft
+10%
Order Amount
110 sq ft
Total Material = Area × 1.10
A room with 200 sq ft of floor area needs 220 sq ft of material: 200 × 1.10 = 220 sq ft. Increase the surplus to 15% (multiply by 1.15) for diagonal flooring installation patterns or complex tiling projects with many cuts. The Square Foot Calculator includes a waste factor field for this calculation.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate square footage for mulch?
Measure bed length and width, multiply for area, then determine depth. Multiply area (sq ft) by depth (ft) and divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 200 sq ft bed with 3 inches of mulch needs 200 x 0.25 / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards.
How much gravel do I need per square foot?
For a 2-inch depth, you need about 0.006 cubic yards per square foot. A 100 sq ft path with 2 inches of gravel needs about 0.62 cubic yards (approximately 1 ton depending on gravel type).
How do I calculate pavers for a patio?
Measure patio area in square feet, add 10% for cuts and waste, then divide by the area per paver. A 200 sq ft patio using 1 sq ft pavers needs about 220 pavers (200 x 1.10).
How many square feet does a yard of mulch cover?
One cubic yard of mulch covers approximately 162 sq ft at 2 inches deep, 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep, or 81 sq ft at 4 inches deep. Multiply coverage by number of cubic yards for total area.
How do I calculate topsoil for a new lawn?
Measure the area in square feet, determine depth needed (typically 4-6 inches), multiply area by depth in feet, divide by 27. A 1,000 sq ft lawn with 4 inches of topsoil needs 1,000 x 0.333 / 27 = 12.3 cubic yards.
How much does landscaping cost per square foot?
Basic landscaping (mulch, plants) costs $4-12 per sq ft. Hardscaping (pavers, stone) costs $15-40 per sq ft. A 500 sq ft patio project with pavers typically costs $7,500-20,000 total.