Mulch Calculator (Cubic Yards)
How much mulch do you need? Enter your bed size and depth to get cubic yards, bags, and how far it will spread.
Cubic yards are how bulk mulch is priced and delivered, so this page works in that unit end to end: order size in, bags and coverage out. The calculator above defaults to cubic yards as the headline number — switch shapes or depth and it recalculates instantly.
Bulk delivery usually beats bagged mulch once an order passes 2–3 cubic yards, since most suppliers have a flat delivery fee that a large bag order can't match on price.
Enter a bulk price to estimate cost.
You need
0.93cu yd
- Cubic feet
- 25 cu ft
- Cubic yards
- 0.93 cu yd
- Bags (2 cu ft)
- 13 bags
- Weight
- ≈ 0.42 tons
Bulk is sold by the yard — order 1 cu yd to have enough.
Shop what you need
Some links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Disclosure.
Cubic yards to bags
If you'd rather carry bags than take a bulk delivery, here's how many standard 2- and 3-cubic-foot bags equal a given cubic-yard order.
| Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|
| 1 yd | 14 bags | 9 bags |
| 2 yd | 27 bags | 18 bags |
| 3 yd | 41 bags | 27 bags |
| 5 yd | 68 bags | 45 bags |
| 10 yd | 135 bags | 90 bags |
Cubic yards to coverage
Coverage drops as depth increases — the same cubic yardage spreads over less ground the deeper you lay it. This table covers the three standard mulch depths for common order sizes.
| Cubic yards | at 2 in | at 3 in | at 4 in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yd | 162 sq ft | 108 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
| 2 yd | 324 sq ft | 216 sq ft | 162 sq ft |
| 3 yd | 486 sq ft | 324 sq ft | 243 sq ft |
| 5 yd | 810 sq ft | 540 sq ft | 405 sq ft |
| 10 yd | 1620 sq ft | 1080 sq ft | 810 sq ft |
Bottom line: 3 inches is the standard weed-suppressing depth — read that column for your order size.
Cubic yards to cubic feet
Bag labels use cubic feet; bulk orders use cubic yards. The conversion is fixed at 27 cubic feet per yard.
| Cubic yards | Cubic feet |
|---|---|
| 1 yd | 27 cu ft |
| 2 yd | 54 cu ft |
| 3 yd | 81 cu ft |
| 5 yd | 135 cu ft |
| 10 yd | 270 cu ft |
How it's calculated
- 1
Measure your beds
Enter length and width in feet. Use a circle for round beds, or type the total area.
- 2
Pick a depth
3 inches suppresses weeds in new beds; 2 inches is a maintenance top-up. Presets are 2, 3, and 4 inches.
- 3
Get yards and bags
We show cubic yards and the number of standard 2-cubic-foot bags. One cubic yard covers about 108 sq ft at 3 inches.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it equals about 13.5 standard 2-cubic-foot bags — round up to 14 bags per yard.
How deep should mulch be?
2–3 inches for most beds. Deeper than 4 inches can suffocate roots and cause 'mulch volcano' damage around trunks.
How much does a yard of mulch cover?
About 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep, or 162 sq ft at 2 inches. The calculator shows coverage for your chosen depth.