Landscaping Materials

Mulch Calculator

Enter the shape and depth of the bed you are mulching. The calculator returns cubic yards for a bulk delivery, 2 cubic foot bag count for a home center run, and area and weight so you can plan a wheelbarrow schedule.

Area
ft
ft
in
%

Order mulch

1 cu yd

net 0.74 cu yd

Approximate weight

0.3 tons

600 lb

40 lb bags

11

without waste 10

Area

80 sq ft

Cubic feet

20 cu ft

Cubic meters

0.57 m³

Assumptions

  • Bark mulch density: about 30 lb per cubic foot.
  • Bag size: 2 cubic feet, about 40 lb.
  • Order quantity rounded up to the nearest half cubic yard.

How much mulch does a garden bed actually need?

Mulch is priced by cubic yard in bulk and by 2 cubic foot bag at home centers. This calculator returns both so you can compare a bulk delivery against a truckload of bags. The default depth of 3 inches works for most annual and perennial beds; drop to 2 inches over shallow-rooted plants and go up to 4 inches around trees.

Bags-per-yard math

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. A standard bag holds 2 cubic feet, so 13.5 bags equal one yard. If your project needs 2 cubic yards, that is roughly 27 bags. Above about 1.5 cubic yards, bulk usually wins on both cost and effort even after accounting for delivery.

Depth matters more than area

Going from 2 to 3 inches of mulch adds 50 percent to the order. Measure existing mulch before topping off so you are not double-ordering.

Frequently asked questions

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Educational estimates only. Not financial, tax, or legal advice.

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