Area calculations

i’m Not sure where I should post this so please move it if it’s in the wrong place.

I’m planning to plant a tree in a pot and stand it in my front yard. To finish it off and to aid stability I intend to make a ring of block pavers around it and fill in the void with blue slate chippings.

I have measured that I can use 14 x 20cm pavers to create a ring that’s 280cm around and 90cm across. On the ground that looked about right. I used an online calculator that told me that the area would be 6240 sq cm.

The slate I am looking at is reduced in Homebase and supposedly covers an area of 0.3 sq m. Does that mean I need 20 of these bags to fill the space. That seems a lot. I am aware that the pot will take up some of the space but I want to build up the middle so that would probably account for the extra.

Please advise or suggest something or somewhere cheaper.

Thanks

G.

 

Won't the pot take up some of the space?

If there was no pot, then 3 bags would do. With a pot, 1 or 2 bags'll do.

 

I think there's something wrong with your calculations:

100 cm = 1m

100 x 100cm = 10,000 sq cm = 1 sq m

6,240 sq cm ÷ 10,000 = 0.624 sq m

0.624 sq m ÷ 0.30 sq m = 2.08 bags


I suggest you post a sketch showing the precise layout to check the area on plan, plus what depth of chippings that coverage is based upon.

 

Well I'm confused.

can we have it in English please.

 

Thanks. I thought I was missing something. Next time I fire up my pc I'll have a go at drawing it out.



G.

 

You need to calculate the area of the pot base and deduct that from your overall area. Looking at it again, 1 bag will do and you can donate the other 19 bags to me.

 

Here is the plan I have spent the evening drawing up. I could have just done the calculations, which would only have taken a few minutes, but where's the fun in that.

If possible (depending on whats under the gravel) I will try to bury the pot a little bit as in the diagram. The pot is a bell shape which makes measuring a bit awkward. It is (roughly) 38cm across 10cm up from the base. This is what I have marked on the plan and it is the measurement I have used in my calculations.

The bags of stone are calculated at a depth of 30mm. I have taken my average depth to be 60mm hence the doubling up. If I have done my sums correctly I will need 4 bags to complete the job. B&Q and Hombase sell it for roughly the same price but Homebase should be 20% off. I will have to get it soon I think as things are now running out pretty fast.

Thanks again to @kindredspirit and @Scrungee for helping me with the maths.



G.

 

Just a thought Jack. Why not abandon the pot and build a raised bed for the tree instead?

 

Hi @Sheal What did you have in mind?

G.

 

Jack , this is a raised platform I made from 8 x 2 sleepers . This was to cover an ugly tree stump in the corner of the drive. A raised bed would be hollow in the middle and could be filled with earth and then topped with slate. Have a look on Google images or Pinterest for a few ideas
I buy my decorative stone , sharp sand etc from a local Aggregate supplier . They are cheaper than the big sheds , if they supply in 20kg bags. Some only sell in the cubic metre bags.

 

As nice it might look, I don't think it's the right place to put a raised bed. I would need to get around it to trim the hedge and repair the wooden fence. Plus the bigger the obstruction the more likely it is to be hit by a car turning in the yard.



I happen to passing a neighbouring Homebase today. Bags of slate were £3 each. That will do nicely I thought to myself. They also had 3 x 100l of bark for £15 but I had already bought enough stuff to fill the boot of my car.


G.

 

Take a look at the link below @Jack Sparrow it may give you an idea or two.

square raised bed images - Bing images

But surely you would have the same issues with a large pot?

 

I saw my first standard flamingo today locally for £19.99. It isn't a garden centre for which I have a loyalty discount card. I'm sure the other garden centres will soon follow suit.

G.