Mulch Calculator
Measure your garden beds and pick a depth. You'll get cubic yards for bulk delivery and the number of 2 or 3 cu ft bags if you're buying bagged mulch.
- Tested formulas
- Feet or metric
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2 What to buy
Updates as you type| Material | Wood / bark mulch |
|---|---|
| Volume | 50 cu ft · 1.85 yd³ · 1.42 m³ |
| Weight (estimate) | 0.74 US tons · 0.67 metric tonnes |
| 2 cu ft bags | 25 bags |
| 3 cu ft bags | 17 bags |
| Recommended depth | 2–4" |
Weights are for dry, loose material. Wet material can weigh 15–20% more, so check your truck or trailer payload before hauling it yourself.
Shopping list
Quick answer
Cubic yards of mulch = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 324. A 20 × 10 ft bed 3 inches deep needs 1.85 cubic yards: 25 bags of 2 cu ft or 17 bags of 3 cu ft. One cubic yard covers 108 sq ft at 3 inches.
Mulch for common bed sizes
| Area | 2" deep | 3" deep | 4" deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.31 yd³ (5 bags) | 0.46 yd³ (7 bags) | 0.62 yd³ (9 bags) |
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 yd³ (9 bags) | 0.93 yd³ (13 bags) | 1.23 yd³ (17 bags) |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 yd³ (17 bags) | 1.85 yd³ (25 bags) | 2.47 yd³ (34 bags) |
| 300 sq ft | 1.85 yd³ (25 bags) | 2.78 yd³ (38 bags) | 3.7 yd³ (50 bags) |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 yd³ (42 bags) | 4.63 yd³ (63 bags) | 6.17 yd³ (84 bags) |
| 1000 sq ft | 6.17 yd³ (84 bags) | 9.26 yd³ (125 bags) | 12.35 yd³ (167 bags) |
Cubic yards, with 2 cu ft bags in brackets. Use the calculator above for your exact size.
How much mulch do I need?
Multiply the bed's area (sq ft) by the depth in feet (inches ÷ 12) to get cubic feet. Divide by 27 for cubic yards, or by the bag size for bags. For a 20 × 10 ft bed at 3": 200 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft = 1.85 yd³, or 25 × 2 cu ft bags / 17 × 3 cu ft bags.
How deep should mulch be?
| Use | Depth |
|---|---|
| Flower and vegetable beds | 2–3" |
| Around trees and shrubs | 3–4", kept 3" away from trunks |
| Paths and play areas | 4–6" (12" under play equipment for fall safety) |
| Topping up existing mulch | 1–2" |
Deeper isn't better. Over 4" can starve roots of oxygen and hold too much moisture. Never pile mulch against tree trunks ("mulch volcanoes"); it invites rot and pests.
Bags vs. bulk
A cubic yard equals 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags or 9 three-cubic-foot bags. Bags are convenient for under a yard or two. Beyond that, bulk mulch from a landscape yard is usually far cheaper per yard, even with a delivery fee.
Measuring irregular beds
Break curved beds into rough rectangles and circles, measure each, and add them up. Our square footage calculator can combine up to four shapes. Enter the total as a rectangle (for example, length = total sq ft, width = 1).
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
How much area does a yard of mulch cover?
At 3" deep, one cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft. At 2" it covers 162 sq ft, and at 4" it covers 81 sq ft.
Should I remove old mulch before adding new?
Not usually. Rake it to loosen it and top up to a total depth of 2–4". Remove it only if it's matted, moldy or already deeper than 4".
How much mulch do I need for 100 square feet?
At 3 inches deep, about 0.93 cubic yards: 13 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
Last reviewed 2026-10-21. See how we calculate for our sources and assumptions.