Yards of mulch calculator
Calculate this loadOne cubic yard of mulch covers 162 ft² at 2 inches or 108 ft² at 3 inches. Add your beds to see the total.
Project calculator
Area 1
Cubic yards
0.93 yd³
Tons
0.37 t
2 cu ft bags
13
Estimated cost
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Mulch planning density 0.4 t/yd³ (Penn State & UGA Extension hardwood/bark mulch 500–1,000 lb/yd³). Order 1 yd³ with 5% waste. 3 cu ft bags: 9.
Yards-of-mulch is the phrase bulk buyers use. They already know they do not want bags. This page keeps the 108 / 162 coverage chart next to the live calculator so you can sanity-check the result. If the calculator says 3.7 and the chart in your head said ‘about 4’, you are aligned.
Bulk mulch is blown or dumped. Blown mulch can be placed in beds with less wheelbarrow time and a slightly fluffier install; dumped mulch needs a tarp target and a path that will forgive tire ruts. Neither changes the yardage, but blown jobs sometimes want a little extra because the crew feathers edges.
Dyed mulch stains wet concrete and sneakers. Plan the pour or the walk accordingly. Volume is still volume.
Save multi-bed projects and reopen them next spring. A 25% top-up is a common year-two order if the first install was 3 inches.
Formula
Yards = ft² ÷ 162 at 2 inches, or ft² ÷ 108 at 3 inches.
Worked example
400 ft² of beds at 3 inches is 400 ÷ 108 ≈ 3.7 yd³. Round to 4 if the edges are messy.
Mulch on the ground
Typical cover is 3 inches. Range 0.25–0.55 t/yd³. Dyed hardwood sits near 800 lb. Fresh bark and rubber mulch differ — confirm.
Density table
| Material | t / yd³ | lb / yd³ | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mulch | 0.4 | 800 | Penn State & UGA Extension hardwood/bark mulch 500–1,000 lb/yd³ |
Related calculators
Mulch calculator
Most beds want 2–3 inches of hardwood or bark mulch. Measure in feet, keep depth in inches, and we will give yards and bags.
How much mulch do I need?
Measure each bed, use 2–3 inches of depth, and convert to cubic yards or bags. That is the whole decision.
Bags of mulch calculator
A cubic yard is 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft mulch or 9 bags of 3 cu ft. We show both so you can price the switch to bulk.