Reference
Measurement worksheet
Print this page, take it outside with a tape measure, and fill in one row for each area. Then bring the numbers back to the calculators.
How to fill it in
- Name each area. "Front bed", "side path", "back lawn". One row per area. If an area is an odd shape, split it into simple pieces and give each piece its own row.
- Note the shape. Rectangle, circle, triangle, or "offsets" for a curved border measured in strips.
- Measure in straight lines. Length and width for a rectangle. The distance across for a circle. Base and height for a triangle, with the height taken square to the base.
- Write the units every time. Feet and inches, or meters. "12 6" on its own could mean three different things by the time you are indoors.
- Record the depth you want for mulch, soil or gravel. For a top-up, write down the depth already there as well.
- Work out the area indoors. Leave the last two columns blank outside and fill them in at the table, or let a calculator do it.
Measurements
| Area name | Shape | Length or diameter | Width or height | Depth wanted | Area | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | ||||||
| 2. | ||||||
| 3. | ||||||
| 4. | ||||||
| 5. | ||||||
| 6. | ||||||
| 7. | ||||||
| 8. | ||||||
| Totals | ||||||
Offsets for a curved border
Measure the width of the border at equal steps along a straight baseline. Add the widths, counting the first and last at half, then multiply by the step.
| Step between measurements | W1 | W2 | W3 | W4 | W5 | W6 | W7 | W8 | W9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sketch
Formulas
- Rectangle: length × width
- Circle: 3.14 × radius × radius
- Triangle: base × height ÷ 2
- Oval: length × width × 0.8
- Cubic yards: sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 324
- Cubic meters: m² × depth in cm ÷ 100
thewovengarden.com · Estimates only. Check package labels and round up when in doubt.
What to measure for each project
| Project | Measure | Then use |
|---|---|---|
| Mulching beds | Area of each bed, depth of old mulch still there | Mulch calculator |
| Filling raised beds | Inside length, inside width, inside height | Raised bed soil calculator |
| Top-dressing or new soil | Area, depth of the new layer | Topsoil and compost calculator |
| Planting | Area of the bed, spacing from the plant tag | Plant spacing calculator |
| New lawn | Lawn area, with beds and paving subtracted | Sod and grass seed calculator |
| Feeding a lawn | Lawn area, N-P-K numbers from the bag | Lawn fertilizer calculator |
| Gravel path or drive | Length, width, depth | Gravel calculator |
| Paver patio | Length, width, paver size | Paver patio calculator |
| Retaining wall | Length, height above ground, block size | Retaining wall calculator |
| Slab or post holes | Length, width, thickness, or hole size and number | Concrete calculator |
| Fence | Length of each straight run, height, gate widths | Fence calculator |
| Deck | Length, width, actual board width | Deck calculator |
For curved and irregular shapes, the guide to measuring an irregular garden bed explains each method with diagrams. For reading a tape and converting inches to decimal feet, see reading a tape measure.