About Material Guides
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Material Guides helps you work out how much concrete, tile, paint and other material a home project needs before you buy it. Each calculator shows the formula it uses, the assumptions behind it and a worked example, so you can check the result yourself.
Why this site exists
Most material calculators give you a number and nothing else. When the number looks off, there is no way to tell whether the tool assumed the wrong bag size, skipped the grout joint or forgot to subtract a door. Being short on material means a second trip; ordering too much means money spent on boxes that sit in the garage.
Material Guides is built on a simple rule: no number without its working. If a calculator rounds, adds waste or uses a product figure, the page says where and why.
Who runs it
The site is created, maintained, and edited by Eren Şimşir. Eren holds a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from Düzce University, is a Master of Science (M.Sc.) student in Computer Engineering at Kocaeli University, and completed a double major in Industrial Engineering. Material Guides is an independent publication dedicated to transparent engineering calculations, with no commercial bias or corporate affiliation to any specific material supplier.
How the calculators are built
- Every calculation is plain, published math. The methodology page lists each formula and constant.
- The calculation code is covered by automated tests with hand-checked examples.
- Tables on the site are generated from the same code that runs the calculators.
- Product figures, such as bag yields and paint coverage, come from labels and data sheets of common US products and are reviewed regularly.
How the site is funded
The calculators are free and need no account. The site may show advertising to cover hosting and development. Advertisers do not influence the calculators or guides. See the editorial policy.
Get in touch
Corrections and suggestions are welcome. Email hello@materialguides.com or use the contact page.