Calculate how many bags or cubic yards of mulch you need for any garden bed, landscaping area, or full yard project. Add multiple beds and get a single grand total.
Select mulch type Affects depth recommendation
Garden beds / areas
Recommended for wood chips: 2–4 inches
$
Avg bulk delivery: $30–$65/yd³
$
Avg 2cu ft bag: $4–$7 | 3cu ft: $6–$10
—
cubic yards needed
At 3 inch depth
—
Cubic feet
—
Total area
—
Bulk cost
Bags vs. bulk — choose what's right for your project
3 cu ft
—
bags needed
Bag cost
—
buying bags
You save
—
buying bulk vs. bags
Grand total—
Frequently asked questions
How much mulch do I need for a 100 square foot bed? ›
At 3 inches deep (recommended for new beds): 100 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 25 cu ft ÷ 27 = 0.93 cubic yards. That's about 9 bags of 3 cu ft mulch or 13 bags of 2 cu ft mulch. For an annual top-up at 1–2 inches: 0.31–0.62 cubic yards, or 3–6 bags of 3 cu ft mulch.
How deep should mulch be? ›
For new garden beds: 3–4 inches of wood chip or bark mulch. For annual refresh over existing mulch: 1–2 inches is usually enough to restore appearance and function. For weed suppression: 3–4 inches. For rubber mulch in play areas: 6 inches for fall safety compliance. Avoid piling mulch against tree trunks and plant stems — leave a 2–3 inch gap to prevent rot and pest problems.
Is it cheaper to buy mulch in bags or bulk? ›
Bulk mulch (delivered by the cubic yard) is almost always significantly cheaper for large projects. A 3 cu ft bag at $6 costs $54 per cubic yard. Bulk delivery averages $30–$65 per cubic yard including delivery — often 30–50% cheaper per cubic yard for large orders. However, bags are better for small jobs (under 2 yards), hard-to-reach areas, or when you don't have space for a bulk delivery pile.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard? ›
One cubic yard = 27 cubic feet. So: thirteen and a half 2 cu ft bags = 1 cubic yard, and nine 3 cu ft bags = 1 cubic yard. Most home improvement stores sell mulch in 2 or 3 cubic foot bags. Always round up to the nearest whole bag.
When is the best time to mulch? ›
Spring is the prime mulching season — apply after the soil has warmed (late April in most of the US) to lock in moisture, suppress summer weeds, and moderate soil temperature. Fall mulching (October–November) protects roots from freeze-thaw cycles over winter. Avoid mulching in early spring before soil warms, as it can delay warming and slow plant growth.
About this mulch calculator
This calculator lets you add multiple garden beds at once — each with its own dimensions and shape (rectangle, circle, or triangle) — and calculates a single grand total. It compares the cost of buying bags vs. bulk delivery so you can immediately see which makes sense for your project size.
Mulch depth recommendations by type
Wood chips and shredded bark: 2–4 inches. Pine straw: 3–4 inches. Rubber mulch (play areas): 6 inches. Compost as mulch: 1–2 inches (works into soil). Decorative stone or gravel: 2–3 inches (over landscape fabric). Never apply more than 4 inches of organic mulch — deeper layers can become compacted and prevent water from reaching roots.