Measure the space
For a rectangle, multiply length × width × fill depth. For a round container, use π × radius² × fill depth. Break an irregular garden into simpler areas and add their volumes.
SOIL + MULCH · METRIC GARDEN PLANNING
A little planning.
A lot less guesswork.
Find the litres you need. Compare bags with a bulk delivery using your supplier’s actual prices.
Plan your fillFree to use · no account · calculations stay on your device
Your project, measured.
01 / YOUR PROJECT
What are you filling?
Measure the empty space you want to fill, rather than the outside of the container. All dimensions below are in centimetres.
Compare bagged and bulk prices Optional
Use quotes for the same material, with tax included on the same basis. These are your prices; we do not fetch retailer prices.
Bagged
Bulk
02 / FROM MEASUREMENTS TO MATERIAL
The numbers, without the mystery.
Convert to your supplier’s units
One cubic metre is 1,000 litres. Divide your litres by the volume printed on the bag, then round up to a whole bag. Fill depth means the layer you are adding, not necessarily the whole bed height.
Compare the whole order
A lower price per litre does not always mean a cheaper purchase. Delivery, whole bags, bulk minimum charges and order increments can change the total. Use quotes for equivalent materials.
A WORKED EXAMPLE
2 m × 1 m × 30 cm
That is 0.6 m³, or 600 litres. At 25 litres per bag, you need 24 bags. If your bulk supplier charges in 0.25 m³ increments, the charged order becomes 0.75 m³. No extra allowance is included in this example.
600 L=24 bags
Reference: Centenary Landscaping’s estimating guide explains cubic-metre measurements and bag equivalents. Supplier purchase conditions vary; enter yours in the comparison. Read our bag-versus-bulk comparison guide for a worked cost example.
Can I use this for mulch, soil or compost?
The volume maths is the same. Use the correct fill depth and bag size for your product. This calculator does not choose a material, prescribe a mix or estimate weight from volume.
Why can the bulk order be larger than the space?
Some suppliers have a minimum charge or sell in fixed increments. The calculator rounds up to a whole increment that covers both your calculated volume and the minimum charged volume. Ask your supplier how its charging rules work.
Do you store my project?
Measurements and prices are processed in this browser. Save project downloads a file to your device; Load project reads a file you choose. This pilot has no advertising or analytics scripts. The hosting service may process ordinary web-request information.