Mulch Calculator
Enter your measurements
Results
- Material needed1.85 cubic yards
- Volume50 cubic feet
- Weight0.93 tons
- Bags (2 cu ft)25
Estimated cost
per cubic yard, delivered
Per cubic yard of bulk mulch, delivered. Basic shredded hardwood and recycled wood chip blends sit at the low end; premium dyed, cedar, or cypress mulch runs toward the high end. Add a delivery fee, commonly $50–$100 per load, on top. Bagged mulch averages $4–$7 per 2 cu ft bag at retail, which works out to roughly $54–$95 per cubic yard — meaningfully more than bulk for large projects.
Estimate only — prices vary by region, supplier, and season. Get a local quote before buying.
This mulch calculator tells you exactly how many cubic yards or bags you need to cover a garden bed, border, or landscape area at any depth you choose. Enter your length, width, and target depth, and it returns the volume in cubic feet, the cubic yards, an estimated weight, and the number of 2 cubic foot bags — the standard bag size sold at home improvement stores and garden centers across the US. Mulch is sold two ways: bagged, typically 2 cubic feet per bag, or in bulk by the cubic yard, picked up or delivered by the scoop. Bulk delivery usually carries a 2 to 3 cubic yard minimum and starts to pay off once a job passes roughly 4 to 5 cubic yards, since one yard replaces 13.5 bags. A standard application depth is 2 to 3 inches for established beds; bare soil and weed suppression often call for 3 to 4 inches. Running the math before you order prevents the two classic mistakes — three extra bags going stale in the garage, or coming up short halfway through spreading.
How it’s calculated
Volume = Area × Depth. Cubic yards = volume ÷ 27. Tons = cubic yards × material density. Bags = volume ÷ bag size.
Worked example
For a rectangular bed measuring 30 feet long by 15 feet wide at a 3-inch depth, the calculator shows 112.5 cubic feet of total volume, which converts to 4.17 cubic yards and an estimated weight of 2.08 tons. If you prefer to buy bagged, that same project takes 57 standard 2 cubic foot bags (56.25 rounded up) — a count that makes a bulk scoop the easier and cheaper choice at this scale.
Inputs
- Length
- 30 ft
- Width
- 15 ft
- Depth
- 3 in
Result
- Material needed
- 4.17 cubic yards
- Volume
- 112.5 cubic feet
- Weight
- 2.08 tons
- Bags (2 cu ft)
- 57
- Estimated material cost
- $104 – $229
Materials & pricing near you
Bulk mulch pricing swings with material, season, and how far it has to travel. Shredded hardwood and dyed black or brown mulch are the everyday picks in the Northeast and Midwest; pine bark and pine straw dominate the Southeast; cedar and fir wood chips are common in the West. Yards near tree services or sawmills price lower than dense metro suppliers who fold in delivery logistics. Spring is peak demand and prices firm up, while fall often brings clearance pricing as suppliers move inventory before winter. Expect a delivery fee on bulk orders — commonly $50 to $100 per load — plus a 2 to 3 cubic yard minimum. Bagged mulch at big-box stores typically runs $4 to $7 per 2 cubic foot bag, with early-spring buy-more-save-more sales the best time to stock up for a small bed.
Frequently asked questions
How deep should I apply mulch?
Two to three inches is the standard depth for established landscape beds — enough to suppress weeds and hold soil moisture without smothering roots. For bare soil or stubborn weed areas, go 3 to 4 inches. Keep mulch pulled back a few inches from tree trunks and plant stems; piling it against the bark traps moisture and invites rot and pests.
How many bags of mulch equal one cubic yard?
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, so with standard 2 cubic foot bags that works out to 13.5 bags per cubic yard. If you are buying the 1.5 cubic foot bags some stores carry, you would need 18 bags per cubic yard. Always check the bag label, since size drives the count.
Is bulk mulch or bagged mulch the better buy?
Bulk is almost always cheaper per cubic yard once you need more than 3 to 4 yards. At that point the higher per-unit price of bagged mulch, plus the labor of hauling and emptying dozens of bags, outweighs a bulk delivery even after the delivery fee. For small beds under 1 to 2 cubic yards, bagged mulch is more convenient and dodges delivery minimums.
How do I measure an irregular or curved bed?
Break the bed into rough rectangles or triangles, find each section's area, then add them up before entering the combined square footage. For a quick estimate on an oval or kidney shape, multiply the longest length by the widest width, then multiply by about 0.8 to approximate the real area. Set your depth in inches based on the deepest spot you plan to cover.