Mulch Calculator
Work out how much mulch a garden bed needs, in cubic yards or cubic meters, and how many bags to buy.
A bed 10 ft by 20 ft covered 3 in deep takes 50 cubic feet of mulch, which is 1.85 cubic yards or 25 bags of 2 cubic feet. Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches and divide by 324 to get cubic yards, or divide by 12 for cubic feet and then by the bag size for bags.
This calculator gives an estimate for buying mulch and does not allow for settling, uneven ground or waste. Bag sizes and bulk measures vary by supplier, so check the label or ask the supplier before ordering.
Mulch needed
1.85 cubic yards
- Bags
- 25 bags of 2 cu ft
- Cubic feet
- 50.00
- Cubic yards
- 1.85
- Cubic meters
- 1.42
- Area covered
- 200.00 sq ft
Bags are rounded up to a whole bag. Bulk mulch is usually sold by the cubic yard.
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About the Mulch Calculator
Mulch is sold two ways: bagged, usually by the cubic foot, and in bulk by the cubic yard, so the calculator gives both. The volume is the area of the bed times the depth of the layer. With the area in square feet and the depth in inches, divide by 12 to get cubic feet, and by 324 to get cubic yards, since a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet and a foot is 12 inches. A 500 sq ft bed at 3 in needs 4.63 cubic yards. For a round bed, such as a circle around a tree, the area is pi times the radius squared, so a 6 ft circle at 3 in is 7.07 cubic feet, or 4 bags of 2 cubic feet. The University of Florida's Florida-Friendly Landscaping program suggests a layer 2 to 3 in deep on plant beds, and leaving at least 2 in of space around tree trunks. Bags are rounded up, because a store sells whole ones; bag sizes vary, so check the label.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?+
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet or 9 bags of 3 cubic feet. Compare the price per cubic foot of bagged and bulk mulch at your supplier.
How deep should mulch be?+
The University of Florida's Florida-Friendly Landscaping program suggests 2 to 3 in on plant beds. Each extra inch on a 3 in layer adds a third more mulch, so 4 in needs a third more than 3 in.
How much area does a cubic yard of mulch cover?+
324 square feet at 1 in deep, so 162 square feet at 2 in and 108 square feet at 3 in. Divide 324 by the depth in inches.
Can I use this for soil, compost or stone?+
The volume math is the same for soil, compost or mulch, but soil and compost settle, so allow extra. For stone sold by the ton, use the gravel calculator, which also works out the tons.
Depth guidance of a 2 to 3 inch layer on plant beds and at least 2 inches of space around tree trunks: University of Florida IFAS, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program, Principle 4: Mulch. Volumes use exact unit definitions: 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, 12 inches in a foot and 0.3048 m in a foot.
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