Mulch Calculator

Work out how much mulch you need for a garden bed, tree ring or landscaping area. Enter the area you're covering and how deep a layer you want, and get the volume in cubic yards and the number of standard bags.

ft
ft
in

2-3 inches is the standard recommended depth for most garden beds.

Cubic yards
1.12 yd³
Standard bags
15 bags
Cubic feet
30 ft³

How it works

Multiply length by width to get the area, then multiply by depth (converted from inches to feet) to get volume. Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard; bagged mulch typically comes in 2 cubic foot bags, so the bag count divides total volume by that bag size.

Formula
Cubic yards = (length x width x (depth/12)) / 27 | Bags = cubic feet / 2

Example. A 15 ft by 8 ft garden bed at 3 inches deep needs about 1.11 cubic yards, or 15 standard 2 cubic ft bags.

Frequently asked questions

How deep should mulch be?

2-3 inches is the standard recommendation for most garden beds - enough to suppress weeds and retain moisture without smothering plant roots or trunks. Avoid piling mulch directly against tree trunks or stems.

Is bulk or bagged mulch cheaper?

Bulk mulch (delivered by the cubic yard) is almost always cheaper per unit for anything beyond a small bed - bagged mulch carries a convenience markup, similar to bagged gravel or soil.

Related calculators

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Embed this calculator

Free to use on any site. Please keep the credit link.

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