Mulch calculator
Measurements
What you need
Quantity · Amount- 01Area to cover20 × 10 ft200 sq ft
- 02Mulch needed at 3 in deep52.5 cu ft including 5 % extra1.94 cu yd
- 03Weight0.4 tons per cu yd0.78 tons
- 04Bulk mulch$40 per cu yd1.94 cu yd$78
- 052 cu ft bags2 cu ft per bag at $527 bags$122
- Fits in one level full-size pickup load (about 2 cu yd) — check your truck's payload for heavy material.
The material
Prices — put in what you were quoted
Where these figures come from
- Density 0.4 tons per cu yd: bark and hardwood mulch typically weigh 700–1,000 lb per cu yd depending on moisture.
- Bag sizes 2 cu ft and 3 cu ft: the standard US bags.
- Prices are typical US retail and bulk figures at the date on this sheet.
Measure each bed, type its length and width, and set the depth (three inches is the usual refresh; two inches over existing mulch). The sheet shows cubic yards, the number of 2 or 3 cu ft bags, and what that costs in bulk or bagged. A cubic yard covers about 100 sq ft at 3 inches.
Worked examples
- Two beds 4 × 25 ft, 3 in deep
- 1.94 cu yd — mulch needed at 3 in deep, about $78 in bulk.
- A 10 × 12 ft bed topped up 2 in
- 0.78 cu yd — mulch needed at 2 in deep, about $31 in bulk.
- Play area 20 × 20 ft at 6 in
- 7.78 cu yd — mulch needed at 6 in deep, about $311 in bulk.
How it is worked out
Area (length × width × number of areas) × depth in feet = cubic feet; add the settling allowance; divide by 27 for cubic yards. Weight = cubic yards × the density you see in the material fields. Bags = cubic feet ÷ the bag's cubic feet, rounded up. Cost = the bulk quantity × your bulk price, or bags × your bag price, whichever you marked.
The figures behind it
- Density 0.4 tons per cu yd: bark and hardwood mulch typically weigh 700–1,000 lb per cu yd depending on moisture.
- Bag sizes 2 cu ft and 3 cu ft: the standard US bags.
- Prices are typical US retail and bulk figures at the date on this sheet.
Every figure here is an estimate. Materials vary with moisture, compaction and product; order a little extra and confirm quantities with your supplier.
Questions people ask
- How many bags of mulch make a cubic yard?
- 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, or 9 bags of 3 cu ft. The sheet rounds up to whole bags.
- How much area does a cubic yard of mulch cover?
- About 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 324 sq ft at 1 inch.
- Bulk or bags?
- Bagged mulch costs roughly twice as much per cubic yard as bulk, but a small order in bulk can carry a delivery fee larger than the saving. The sheet shows both amounts; mark the one you will buy.
- How deep should mulch be?
- Two to three inches keeps weeds down and holds moisture; deeper than four inches can starve roots of air. Keep it an inch or two away from stems and trunks.
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