How to calculate the amount of boulder needed
Pebble is a type of stone that is highly appreciated precisely for its smooth edges. In fact, its uses are multiple in both construction and gardening. If you are not sure how to calculate how much you need for your project, stay with us and you will clear up your doubts. Today we offer you an infallible (and very simple) formula.
Uses of boulder
Before knowing how to calculate how much of this beautiful material you need, it is a good idea to know what exactly it is , what you are going to use it for and if it is the right stone. You can use it in any of these types of projects.
- In construction it is often used due to its great resistance, as it wears little. In addition, it can be treated to increase that resistance even more.
- As it adheres very well to cement, it is used to make spaces in which to stack other materials .
- In gardening it is very common, and not only because of its great decorative power, but because it protects the soil and plants from sudden changes in temperature .
- Interior designers also use it a lot.
- It is not strange to find it as part of a spa circuit , to walk on it, as doing so helps improve circulation .
And now that you know what types of projects you can use it on, let's see how to calculate the exact amount you need.
How to calculate the necessary amount of boulder
Regardless of the type of project you are going to carry out, to calculate the necessary amount of material you will need you must write down the following data, in meters.
- Height of the layer of pebbles you are going to place
- Width of the land
- length of it
Once you know these data, the steps to follow to perform the calculation are very simple.
Calculate the surface to cover , which is achieved by multiplying the width by the height. The result will be a number of square meters.
These square meters are then multiplied by the layer height . If your project is gardening, these layers are usually between 5 and 6 cm.
The result of this last operation will be a number of cubic meters. This is what you need to buy.
But all this is better understood with an example . Let's imagine that I have a piece of garden where I can't get the grass to grow and I have decided to fill it with pebbles. The measurements of that piece of land would be: 5 m wide by 5 m long and I want to put a 5 cm layer of pebbles.
The calculation would be the following:
5m x 5m = 25m²
25 m² x 0.05 m = 1.25 m³
I will need a total of 1.25 m³ of pebbles.
This is the first formula that we put at your disposal, but now we must translate this volume into kilos with a second formula to calculate the weight.
There is a standard generic measurement that says that 1 m³ is equivalent to 1,600 kg. of pebbles, the numbers may scare you a little, but in the case of the example you will need:
1.25 m³ x 1,600 kg. = 2,000 kg.
Although this final number may vary depending on the caliber of edge chosen.
That is, 80 kg of material is needed per square meter to fill with a thickness of 5 cm.
Do you want one last trick? This formula is also used to calculate the amount of gravel . But they vary when we want to use stones such as chamotte, slate or volcanic stone, in these cases 1 m³ is equivalent to 1,000 kg. That is, 50 kg per square meter. In the case of pine bark, 1 m³ is equivalent to 600 kg.
And if you need a little extra help doing this calculation because you are not going to work on a square surface, contact us . We will be happy to help you.