How much mulch do you need?
Enter your bed length, width and depth to get cubic yards, the number of bags to buy, and how that compares to bulk delivery — instantly, with no sign-up.
Bed Size
How the math works
Step 1 — volume
cubic_feet = length_ft × width_ft × (depth_in ÷ 12) Step 2 — cubic yards
cubic_yards = cubic_feet ÷ 27 There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard (3 × 3 × 3).
Step 3 — bags
bags = ⌈ cubic_feet ÷ bag_size ⌉ Rounded up to whole bags — a 2 cu ft bag covers about 8 sq ft at 3″ deep, 12 sq ft at 2″. A cubic yard ≈ 13.5 of those bags.
The kit to spread mulch
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True Temper 6 cu-ft Steel Wheelbarrow (Never-Flat)
Bulk mulch lands in a pile on the driveway — a 6 cu-ft barrow is how you get yards of it to the beds without forty trips. The never-flat tire means it is ready every spring.
Bully Tools 16" Steel Bow Rake (USA)
The flat back of a bow rake levels mulch to the even depth this calculator priced, so you do not run short in one spot or pile it too deep over the roots.
VEVOR 4×100 ft Woven Weed Barrier (5.8 oz)
A woven fabric under the mulch blocks weeds without blocking water. One roll covers a typical bed run before you spread.
Worth Garden No-Dig Steel Edging (6-pack)
Steel edging keeps mulch in the bed and off the lawn, so the depth you calculated stays put instead of washing onto the grass.
HANDLANDY Thorn-Proof Leather Gauntlet Gloves
Handling bark mulch and pulling weeds shreds bare hands; pigskin gauntlets take the splinters and thorns.
Truper 10-Tine Bedding / Mulch Fork
A 10-tine bedding fork moves loose mulch far faster than a shovel — it lifts a big bite and lets the fines fall through.
Dry Top 10×12 ft Poly Tarp
Have bulk mulch dumped on a tarp instead of bare concrete — it keeps the driveway clean and makes dragging the last of it to the bed easy.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft mulch — the most common bag size. That is 9 bags if you buy 3 cu ft bags, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
A standard 2 cu ft bag covers about 8 square feet at 3 inches deep, or 12 square feet at 2 inches deep. Coverage is simply the bag volume divided by the depth, so a thinner layer stretches further.
Aim for 2–3 inches in flower and shrub beds and 3–4 inches in tree rings, keeping mulch a few inches off trunks and stems. More than 4 inches ("volcano mulching") can hold moisture against roots and suffocate them.
Dry shredded hardwood mulch weighs roughly 600 lb per cubic yard. Wet, fresh, or composted mulch is heavier — often 800–1,000 lb per yard — which matters when you are loading a truck or trailer.
For small beds under about one cubic yard, bags are convenient and easy to handle. Once you pass a cubic yard — roughly 13–14 bags — bulk delivery is usually cheaper per yard, though you give up the convenience of sealed bags.
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in inches, then divide by 324. (One cubic yard spread 1 inch deep covers 324 sq ft.) For example, 200 sq ft at 3 inches deep is 200 × 3 ÷ 324 ≈ 1.85 cubic yards.