How to Measure Area for Landscaping

Why Measuring Your Landscape Area Matters in Marin, Sonoma, San Mateo, Alameda, San Francisco, Contra Costa and San Mateo counties.

Planning a landscaping project in the North Bay or greater Bay Area? Whether you’re refreshing a backyard in Santa Rosa, installing a new path in San Rafael, or redoing garden beds in Walnut Creek, one of the most important steps before ordering materials is knowing how much space you’re working with. Accurate measurements save time, money, and headaches—especially when ordering mulch, soil, gravel, rock, or sand by the cubic yard or ton.

At North Bay Materials, we help homeowners and contractors order with confidence by combining fast local delivery with easy estimating tools. We deliver bulk materials across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, and San Mateo counties.

Tools You’ll Need for Measuring a Landscape Area

Before you start taking measurements, make sure you have the right tools on hand. Whether you’re tackling a DIY weekend project in Petaluma or managing a full yard renovation in Mill Valley, these essentials will help you gather accurate dimensions:

Basic Tools for Simple Projects

• Basic tools for simple projects

  • Measuring tape (25–100 ft.)

  • Notepad / clipboard (sketch shapes + write dimensions)

  • Calculator or smartphone

  • Stakes + string (mark rectangles/squares)

  
  

• Helpful tools for larger or irregular areas

  • Measuring wheel (great for curves + long runs)

  • Laser distance measurer (big yards, hard-to-reach corners)

  • Mapping / measurement apps (for irregular shapes)

• Pro tip: On slopes or irregular lots (common in Marin and parts of Sonoma), take multiple width/length readings and use an average.

How to Measure Basic Shapes

Most landscape areas—whether it’s a front lawn in Concord or a vegetable bed in San Rafael—can be broken down into basic geometric shapes. Knowing how to measure each shape helps you calculate surface area in square feet, which then converts to cubic yards or tons when ordering materials like mulch, gravel, or topsoil.

• Rectangles & squares

Length × Width = Area (sq ft)

Example: 10 ft × 4 ft = 40 sq ft

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• Circles

π × r² = Area (sq ft) (use 3.14 for π)

Example: r = 6 ft → 3.14 × 36 = 113.04 sq ft

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Pro Tip: Always Round Up

When ordering bulk materials in areas like Santa Rosa or San Anselmo, it’s better to round up your measurements slightly. Material loss due to compaction, spillage, or grading is common.

How to Measure Irregular or Sloped Areas

Not every yard in the North Bay is a perfect square. From hillside properties in Sausalito to creekside lots in Bodega Bay, many landscapes have curves, slopes, and irregular edges. Here’s how to handle those more complex measurements.

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Measuring Irregular Areas (Organic or Curved Shapes)

1. Break it down into sections

Divide the space into smaller shapes like rectangles, triangles, and circles. Measure each one individually.

2. Calculate each section’s area

Use the basic formulas from the previous section to calculate the area of each smaller shape.

3. Add them together

Total all the areas to get your approximate square footage.

Example:

You’re landscaping a kidney-shaped lawn in Novato. Break it into a rectangle (10 × 6) and a half-circle (radius 3).

• Rectangle: 60 sq ft

• Half-circle: 3.14 × 3 × 3 ÷ 2 = 14.13 sq ft

• Total: ~74.13 sq ft

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Measuring Sloped Areas

1. Use the horizontal (flat) measurements

Always measure “as the crow flies”—from point A to B in a straight line, not along the slope.

2. Adjust for slope only if ordering exact amounts

If your property has steep grade changes (like hillsides in Angwin or San Rafael), you may want to account for increased surface area. Use an online slope-adjusted area calculator or consult a pro if precision is key.

3. Consider material loss on slopes

Gravity affects loose materials like mulch and gravel. You may need extra material to ensure full coverage.

Converting Square Feet into Cubic Yards or Tons

Once you’ve measured the square footage of your landscape area, the next step is converting that into a volume—either cubic yards (for mulch, soil, bark) or tons (for rock, gravel, sand). This helps you order the right amount from local delivery providers like North Bay Materials serving the North Bay and the Greater Bay Areas.

Formula for Cubic Yards

To calculate cubic yards, you need:

• Area in square feet

• Desired depth in inches

  
  

Formula:

(Square Feet × Depth in inches) ÷ 324 = Cubic Yards

Example:

You’re covering a 300 sq ft garden bed in Walnut Creek with 3 inches of mulch:

(300 × 3) ÷ 324 = 2.78 cubic yards → round up to 3 cubic yards

Converting to Tons (for gravel, rock, sand)

Different materials have different weights per cubic yard. Here’s a rough guide:

• Gravel/Sand: ~1.3 to 1.4 tons per cubic yard

• River Rock or Cobble: ~1.3 to 1.5 tons per cubic yard

• Soil/Compost: ~0.5 to 1 tons per cubic yard

• Mulch/Bark: ~0.5 to 0.7 tons per cubic yard

• Dirt/Filler: ~0.75 to 1.2 tons per cubic yar

Example:

You need 2 cubic yards of drain rock in Benicia:

2 × 1.5 = 3 tons (approximate)

Always ask your supplier for the specific conversion for their materials.

Pro Tip for North Bay Deliveries

Some areas—like Petaluma, San Anselmo or Tiburon—may have limited truck access. Ordering the correct volume ahead of time helps avoid costly redeliveries or delays.

Tips Before You Place Your Order

By now, you’ve measured your space, calculated your area, and converted your square footage into cubic yards or tons. But before placing that order with a landscape supply yard—whether you’re in Concord, Santa Rosa, or Danville — consider these final tips to ensure your project goes smoothly.

Round Up Slightly

Always order a little extra—typically 5–10% more than your calculated volume. This covers:

• Material loss during transport

• Spillage while unloading

• Uneven terrain or dips in your yard

• Compaction (especially for soil or DG)

Know Your Delivery Limits

At North Bay Materials, our small dump trucks can deliver:

• Up to 5-7 cubic yards of gravel or rock

• 7-9 cubic yards of soil blend

• 10-12 cubic yards of mulch or bark

  
  

  We serve Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and San Francisco counties with local, same-day or next-day delivery in many areas.

  
  

Take a Photo of the Area

If you’re unsure how to measure or estimate slope, take a clear photo of your project with measurements and text or email it to us for advice—especially useful for projects in hillside areas like Sausalito or Tiburon.

Double Check Access

Make sure there’s enough space for the delivery truck to enter your driveway, unload safely, and turn around—particularly important for tighter residential streets in Benicia or Ross.

Order Smart, Save Time, and Get the Job Done Right!

Taking a few extra minutes to measure your landscape area correctly can save you hundreds of dollars in materials, avoid project delays, and keep your yard looking exactly how you envisioned it. Whether you’re laying bark mulch in Sebastopol, graveling a side yard in Martinez, or prepping soil for raised beds in Concord, knowing how much material you need is the first step to a successful landscape project.

At North Bay Materials, we make it easy. Use our online-calculators to figure how much material you need—no guesswork, no waste. We deliver directly to your home or job site in Bay Area counties, using small dump trucks that fit in residential areas.

And finally utilize our Material Density Calculator to estimate bulk materials into ton or cubic yards

📞 Need help calculating or placing an order?

Visit the Request a Quote link on our website or call us directly. Our team is happy to walk you through it.