Mulch Calculator
Enter the bed size and the depth you want. You get bulk cubic yards and the number of 2 or 3 cu ft bags.
Mulch needed 1.85 cu yd 50.0 cu ft over 200 sq ft
- 2 cu ft bags
- 25
- 3 cu ft bags
- 17
The formula
Cubic yards = area (sq ft) × depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27
One cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 in, 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in or 81 sq ft at 4 in. One yard is 27 cu ft, which is 13½ bags of 2 cu ft.
Quick reference: cubic yards
| Area | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.31 | 0.46 | 0.62 |
| 100 sq ft | 0.62 | 0.93 | 1.23 |
| 200 sq ft | 1.23 | 1.85 | 2.47 |
| 500 sq ft | 3.09 | 4.63 | 6.17 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 6.17 | 9.26 | 12.35 |
How deep should mulch be?
About 2–3 in suppresses weeds and holds moisture in most beds. Go to 3–4 in for coarse bark or paths. Keep it a few inches away from tree trunks and stems: mulch piled against bark ("volcano mulching") traps moisture and invites rot and pests. If old mulch is still there, measure what is left and top up only the difference.
Irregular bed? Split it into rectangles and add them up, or use the square footage calculator for circles and triangles.