Know your numbers
before you buy.
Free calculators for pavers, gravel, lighting and raised beds, so you buy the right amount the first time. Build guides and printable plans follow the numbers.
What is in the Vault
Three things, in the order you need them: the number, the method, then the drawing.
Free calculators
Work out pavers, gravel, soil, spans and light spacing in your browser. Every result shows the assumptions behind it.
Build guides
Step-by-step guides for the projects people actually take on, written around the numbers the calculators give you.
Printable plans
Dimensioned drawings, cut lists and materials lists you can print, take outside and work from.
Plan it before you buy it
Six sets of tools, grouped by what you are building. Each one returns a quantity, a rough cost, and what it assumed.
Patio & Paver Tools
Pavers, gravel, base depth and stepping stones.
cu ydLandscape Material Tools
Mulch, soil, fabric and bulk gravel by volume.
ftOutdoor Lighting Tools
String-light spans, pole spacing and layout.
cu ftGarden Tools
Raised-bed volume, soil mixes and plant spacing.
lin ftDeck, Pergola & Shade Tools
Deck materials, pergola sizing and shade sails.
$Budget & Planning Tools
Budgets, rent-versus-buy and weekend planning.
What people actually build out there
Six project areas, each with its own guides, calculators and plans.
Patios, Pavers & Paths
The biggest project most people start with, and the one where a bad base costs you everything.
Decks, Pergolas & Shade
Structures, shade, and keeping a deck alive through the winter.
Raised Beds & Gardening
Beds, soil volume and what will actually grow where you are putting it.
Fire Pits & Comfort
A safe, comfortable place to sit outside after dark.
Also: Outdoor Lighting and Furniture, Decor & Privacy.
Photography by Field Outdoor Spaces, normanack and okchomeseller, CC BY 2.0.
Get the free Backyard Project Planner
A printable worksheet for scoping any backyard project: measurements, materials, budget, and a realistic order to do the work in.
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Ready to build it?
Printable plans with dimensioned drawings, a cut list, a materials list with quantities, and the order to do the work in.