Mulch Calculator
How many yards or bags of mulch, soil or stone you need. Square feet x depth (in) / 324 = cubic yards.
Turn these numbers into a build plan.
- 200 sq ft bed
- 3" depth
- 1.85 cu yd mulch
Cut list: Mulch Calculator
- Area200 sq ft (1 bed)
- Cubic yards1.85 cu yd (50 cu ft)
- Cubic metres1.42 m3
- Bags (1.5 / 2 / 3 cu ft)34 / 25 / 17
- Weightabout 1,111 lb
- Bulk with delivery$120
- Bagged (2 cu ft)$100
- Cheaper hereBags; bulk wins above 2.6 cu yd
- [ ] Shredded hardwood, 2 cu ft bags25
- [ ] Landscape edging
- [ ] Pre-emergent weed preventer
- [ ] Landscape staples
- [ ] Landscape fabric
Save your beds and Blueprint reminds you to top them up next spring, with the measurements ready. Stone for paths is in the gravel calculator; fence the yard with the fence calculator.
Get a reminder every spring
Mulch breaks down over a season. Set a yearly reminder to top it up in mid-April.
The calendar file repeats every year and works in Apple, Google and Outlook calendars. In Blueprint your first project starts as spring mulch, with the bed sizes saved.
Next you will need
Show your build
Finished the mulch? Snap a before and after. The photo maker lines them up into one image you can post, and a free Blueprint account keeps the photos with your measurements and materials.
Mulch a 200 sq ft bed, 3" deep
1.85 cubic yards (25 two-cubic-foot bags) of shredded hardwood covers your bed at 3". Bags are easiest at this size.
- Materials
- $250
- Time
- 1 afternoon
- Level
- Beginner
- 1
Order or buy mulch
Pick up 26 bags. That covers 200 sq ft at 3" with one spare.
- Confirm volume and color
- Bags staged near the bed
- Check the forecast for a dry day
- 2
Weed and clear the bed
Pull weeds by the root and rake out old leaves. If old mulch is more than 2" deep, rake some out so the total stays near your target depth.
- Weeds pulled with roots
- Debris raked out
- Old mulch thinned
- 3
Cut the edge
Cut a 3" deep V-trench along about 60 ft of bed edge with a flat spade, or set edging. A clean edge holds mulch in and keeps grass out.
- Edge line marked with a hose or string
- Trench cut 3" deep
- Edging installed if using
- Bed
- 200 sq ft
- Depth
- 3"
- Mulch
- 1.85 cu yd
- Est. cost
- $250
6 steps · 7 tools · 5 materials
3 more steps, the full tool list and a shopping list you can check off as you go.
Your plan is 60% built. Save it.
3/5Mulch a 200 sq ft bed, 3" deep
Finished in 1 afternoon · $250 DIY
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How to calculate how much mulch you need
Square feet x depth (in) / 324 = cubic yards. Multiply cubic yards by 13.5 for 2 cu ft bags.
- Measure each bed. Length x width for rectangles, 3.14 x radius squared for circles, and the outer circle minus the trunk for tree rings. Break odd shapes into rectangles and circles.
- Pick a depth. 2 to 3 in for beds, 1 in to refresh last year's mulch, 9 to 12 in under a play set.
- Convert to cubic yards. Total square feet x depth in inches / 324 = cubic yards.
- Convert to bags. Cubic yards x 13.5 = 2 cu ft bags (or x 9 for 3 cu ft bags). Round up.
- Compare bulk and bags. Bulk is usually cheaper above 2 to 3 yards once delivery is counted.
Worked example: a 20 x 4 ft foundation bed, a 12 x 3 ft bed by the walk, an 8 ft round bed and a 6 ft ring around a tree add up to 194 sq ft. At 3 in that is 1.79 cu yd, 25 bags of 2 cu ft, or about 1076 lb of hardwood mulch.
Mulch coverage chart by depth
| Depth | Sq ft per cubic yard | Sq ft per 2 cu ft bag | Sq ft per 3 cu ft bag |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 | 24 | 36 |
| 2 in | 162 | 12 | 18 |
| 3 in | 108 | 8 | 12 |
| 4 in | 81 | 6 | 9 |
| 6 in | 54 | 4 | 6 |
How deep to lay mulch
| Where | Depth |
|---|---|
| Flower and shrub beds | 2 to 3 in |
| Paths | 3 in |
| Refreshing last year's mulch | 1 in |
| Around trees (keep 3 in off the trunk) | 2 to 4 in |
| Vegetable gardens (straw, compost) | 1 to 2 in |
| Playground fall zones (CPSC) | 9 to 12 in of wood chips, 6 in rubber |
How to measure an irregular bed
Split a curving bed into the rectangles and circles it is closest to, measure each, and add them up as separate beds above. For a kidney or free-form bed, measure the longest length and the average of three widths across it and multiply. Lay a garden hose along the edge and measure the hose if you need the edging length too.
Mulch, soil and stone compared
| Material | Bulk per yard | Weight per yard | Lasts | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shredded hardwood | $35 | 600 lb | 1 to 2 years | Beds, mats down and stays put |
| Dyed mulch (black, brown, red) | $38 | 600 lb | 1 year of color | Color around foundations |
| Cedar | $45 | 450 lb | 2 to 3 years | Beds and paths, resists rot |
| Pine bark nuggets | $40 | 450 lb | 2 to 3 years | Acid-loving shrubs, floats in heavy rain |
| Playground wood chips | $35 | 500 lb | 2 to 3 years, compacts | Fall zones under play sets |
| Rubber mulch | $200 | 800 lb | 10+ years | Playgrounds, not near edibles |
| Topsoil | $35 | 2,200 lb | Permanent | Leveling, new beds and lawns |
| Compost | $45 | 1,200 lb | Feeds the soil in a season | Top-dressing beds and lawns |
| River rock | $90 | 2,700 lb | Permanent | Drainage and low-maintenance beds |
| Pea gravel | $55 | 2,700 lb | Permanent | Paths and play areas |
Grading around the house before mulching? The basement waterproofing guide covers slope away from the foundation, and the sprinkler guide covers drip lines under mulch.
Mulch calculator FAQ
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
How much does a yard of mulch weigh?
How much does 1 yard of mulch cover?
How deep should playground mulch be?
Should I mulch over old mulch?
How much mulch around a tree?
How much is a bag of mulch at Home Depot or Lowe's?
What is the difference between mulch and topsoil?
What size are metric bags of mulch?
When should I mulch?
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