This soil calculator and mulch calculator works out how much soil and mulch your yard needs, in cubic metres and tonnes, from the area and the depth. It also covers turf and pavers, and shows what a landscaper charges for the job in your city.
Pick a job and enter the area, or tap a common job to start.
Your measurements
Estimated cost, Australia
$600 to $1,600 typical $1,120
Your numbers
- Area
- 40 m²
- Turf to order (with 5% extra)
- 42 m²
- Underlay soil, 100 mm deep
- 4 m³, about 5.6 tonnes
| Price row | Quantity | Rate | Low to high |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural turf — supply & lay | 40 m² | $15 to $40 per m² | $600 to $1,600 |
Rates are the low, typical and high figures in our landscaping price guide, prices verified October 2026. An estimate only: get quotes to price your job.
Type the total on your quote to see how it compares with this estimate.
This job in 15 cities: typical $1,000 in Hobart to $1,280 in Sydney
| City | Low to high | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Hobart | $560 to $1,440 | $1,000 |
| Adelaide | $560 to $1,480 | $1,040 |
| Geelong | $560 to $1,480 | $1,040 |
| Gold Coast | $600 to $1,560 | $1,080 |
| Newcastle | $560 to $1,520 | $1,080 |
| Sunshine Coast | $600 to $1,560 | $1,080 |
| Brisbane | $600 to $1,600 | $1,120 |
| Darwin | $600 to $1,600 | $1,120 |
| Byron Bay | $640 to $1,680 | $1,160 |
| Melbourne | $640 to $1,680 | $1,160 |
| Perth | $640 to $1,680 | $1,160 |
| Townsville | $640 to $1,720 | $1,200 |
| Wollongong | $640 to $1,720 | $1,200 |
| Canberra | $640 to $1,760 | $1,240 |
| Sydney | $680 to $1,840 | $1,280 |
Each city is priced from the rows in its own guide, cheapest typical figure first.
Soil calculator and mulch calculator: the formulas
Soil. Cubic metres = area × depth in metres. Lilydale Instant Lawn recommends a base of 100 mm of soil under new turf, so 10 m² of lawn needs 1 m³. Australian Native Landscapes lists turf underlay at about 1.4 tonnes per cubic metre, which is how the calculator gives tonnes.
Mulch. Cubic metres = area × mulch depth. The YourHome guide says to spread mulch 7 to 10 cm deep; the calculator starts at 70 mm. Woodchip mulch is much lighter, at about 0.4 tonnes per cubic metre.
| Job | What you need | Landscaper cost |
|---|---|---|
| New lawn, 8 m × 5 m (40 m²) | 42 m²; 4 m³, about 5.6 tonnes | $600 to $1,600 |
| Garden bed, 6 m × 1.5 m (9 m²) | 0.63 m³ (about 0.25 tonnes of woodchip) | $450 to $1,620 |
How the calculation works
Turf. Lilydale Instant Lawn recommends adding 5% to your total to allow for offcuts, and a base of 100 mm of well-worked soil; Lawn Solutions Australia says 100 to 150 mm. The example the calculator opens with is 8 m × 5 m: 42 m² of turf and 4 m³, about 5.6 tonnes of underlay soil. Tonnes use Australian Native Landscapes' figure of 1.4 tonnes per cubic metre of turf underlay.
Mulch. The Australian Government's YourHome guide says to spread mulch evenly to a depth of 7 to 10cm, or around 2.5cm for a fine mulch such as sawdust; Water Corporation says 5 to 10cm. The calculator starts at 70 mm. The volume is the area multiplied by the depth, and the tonnes of woodchip use Australian Native Landscapes' 0.4 tonnes per cubic metre.
Pavers. The area plus 5% for cuts, divided by the area of one paver.
Cost is the area multiplied by the per-square-metre row for the job: natural turf supplied and laid, synthetic turf, a garden bed with plants and mulch, or paving. Soil or mulch delivered on its own is not priced in our guide.
Source for the figures that are not prices: Lilydale Instant Lawn (soil under new turf and extra turf to order); Lawn Solutions Australia (soil under new turf); YourHome (Australian Government) (mulch depth); Water Corporation (mulch depth); Australian Native Landscapes (tonnes per loose cubic metre), checked October 2026.
Turf, soil and mulch for common areas
Turf with 5% extra, underlay soil 100 mm deep and mulch 70 mm deep.
| Area | Turf to order | Underlay soil | Mulch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 m² | 10.5 m² | 1 m³, about 1.4 tonnes | 0.7 m³ |
| 20 m² | 21 m² | 2 m³, about 2.8 tonnes | 1.4 m³ |
| 40 m² | 42 m² | 4 m³, about 5.6 tonnes | 2.8 m³ |
| 60 m² | 63 m² | 6 m³, about 8.4 tonnes | 4.2 m³ |
| 100 m² | 105 m² | 10 m³, about 14 tonnes | 7 m³ |
Landscaping rates the calculator uses
These are the national figures from our landscaping price guide. Pick a city in the calculator and it switches to the same rows from that city's guide.
| Price row | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural turf — supply & lay | $15 | $28 | $40 per m² |
| Synthetic turf — supply & install | $50 | $75 | $120 per m² |
| Garden bed (plants + mulch) | $50 | $100 | $180 per m² |
| Paving / pavers | $60 | $100 | $160 per m² |
Landscaping prices by city
SydneyMelbourneBrisbanePerthAdelaideGold CoastCanberraHobartDarwinNewcastleGeelongSunshine CoastTownsvilleWollongongByron Bay
Frequently asked questions
How much soil do I need under new turf?
Lilydale Instant Lawn recommends a base of 100 mm of well-worked soil, and Lawn Solutions Australia 100 to 150 mm. At 100 mm, 10 m² of lawn needs 1 m³, about 1.4 tonnes.
How much turf should I order?
Lilydale Instant Lawn recommends adding 5% to your total to allow for offcuts and wastage, so a 8 m × 5 m lawn needs 42 m².
How much mulch do I need?
Multiply the area by the depth. YourHome says to spread mulch 7 to 10cm deep (around 2.5cm for fine mulch), and Water Corporation says 5 to 10cm. At 70 mm, 10 m² needs 0.7 m³ of mulch.
How heavy is a cubic metre of gravel?
Australian Native Landscapes lists loose river gravel at 1.55 tonnes per cubic metre, blue metal at 1.45 and road base at 1.75, and notes the figures are indicative. Work out the cubic metres as area multiplied by depth, then multiply by the weight.
How much does turf cost per square metre?
Our national landscaping guide puts natural turf, supplied and laid, at $15 to $40 per square metre, with $28 typical. Synthetic turf is $50 to $120 per square metre installed.
How much does paving cost per square metre?
Our national guide lists paving at $60 to $160 per square metre, with $100 typical. Pick your city in the calculator to use that city's figures.
How do I calculate how much soil I need?
Multiply the area by the depth in metres. For new turf on 100 mm of underlay, 40 m² of lawn needs 4 m³ of soil, about 5.6 tonnes at the weight Australian Native Landscapes lists.
An estimate is a starting point. Get quotes from local landscaping businesses to price your job.
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