Landscape material estimate
Mulch Calculator
A 200 sq ft bed at 3 in deep needs 1.85 cu yd, or 25 bags if each bag holds 2 cu ft. Enter your bed size, layer depth and the volume printed on your bag.
Sources checked
Your estimate
1.85 cu yd
50 cu ft over 200 sq ft at 3 in deep.
- Whole bags to buy50 cu ft ÷ 2 cu ft per bag, rounded up25 bags
- One cubic yard coversat 3 in depth108 sq ft
- One bag coversat 3 in depth8 sq ft
The bag count uses volume, not bag weight. Check the label and buy enough whole bags for your measured beds.
How to calculate how much mulch you need
- Measure the planting bed. Multiply its length by its width, or enter its area directly. For irregular beds, split them into simple shapes and add their areas.
- Multiply area by depth in inches and divide by 12. The example is 200 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 50 cu ft.
- Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards: 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cu yd. Divide by the bag volume on its label and round up to whole bags: 50 ÷ 2 = 25 bags. The same two conversions turn a slab's size into cubic yards on the concrete calculator.
This is a volume estimate. The depth recommendation is for pine or hardwood bark in landscape beds; your material or site may call for another depth. The coverage conversion follows the University of Georgia table for peat mulches and similar materials. Mississippi State University Extension, P2301, Table 1; University of Georgia Extension, B931, Table 36
- Landscape bark mulch depth
- 2–3 inMississippi State University Extension, P2301, Table 1
- One cubic yard at 3 in depth
- 108 sq ft of coverageUniversity of Georgia Extension, B931, Table 36
- Example bag volume
- 2 cu ft; change it to match your bagOur default; change it above
Mulch coverage by layer depth
| Depth | 1 cu yd covers | 1 bag of 2 cu ft covers | 100 sq ft needs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 24 sq ft | 8.33 cu ft (0.31 cu yd) |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 12 sq ft | 16.67 cu ft (0.62 cu yd) |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 8 sq ft | 25 cu ft (0.93 cu yd) |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 6 sq ft | 33.33 cu ft (1.23 cu yd) |
The 1–4 in cubic yard coverage values appear in the University of Georgia conversion table for peat mulches, topsoil and similar materials. The bag column applies the same volume arithmetic to an illustrative 2 cu ft bag. University of Georgia Extension, B931, Table 36
Before you buy
Check the volume printed on the product bag. A weight such as pounds cannot be converted to cubic feet without a product-specific density. Keep mulch clear of tree trunks; Maryland Extension recommends about 3 in of clearance. University of Maryland Extension, Mulching Trees and Shrubs
A bed edged in lumber holds a layer as deep as the board is wide; the real width of a 2x6 edging board is on the 2x6 actual size page, and the board foot calculator prices a list of boards. A bed along a fence takes its length from the fence calculator; paving beside it is counted by the paver patio calculator.
Mulch quantity questions
How much mulch do I need for 200 square feet?
At a 3 in layer, 200 sq ft needs 50 cu ft, or 1.85 cu yd. That is 25 bags if each contains 2 cu ft. Choose a different depth for your material and site.
How do I measure for mulch?
A rectangle is length times width. A round bed or a tree ring is π × (diameter ÷ 2)²: 10 ft across is 78.54 sq ft. A curved or L-shaped bed is cut into rectangles and circles whose areas are added; enter the total as the area.
Add the areas, multiply by the depth in inches and divide by 12 for cubic feet.
How many square feet does one cubic yard of mulch cover?
By volume, one cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 in, 162 sq ft at 2 in, 108 sq ft at 3 in, 81 sq ft at 4 in. The University of Georgia prints the 108 sq ft figure for peat mulches, topsoil and similar material.
How much does 10 cubic yards of mulch cover?
1,080 sq ft at 3 in deep, or 1,620 sq ft at 2 in. Divide your bed's area by those figures to see how many yards to order.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
One cubic yard is 27 cu ft. It equals 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft by volume, so you would buy 14 whole bags. Check the actual volume on the bag; this is not a weight conversion.
How much mulch do I need per square foot?
0.25 cu ft per sq ft at 3 in deep. For a round bed 10 ft across (78.54 sq ft) that is 19.63 cu ft, 10 bags of 2 cu ft.
Does the same math work for wood chips, bark or stone?
Yes, for the volume: area times depth gives cubic feet whatever the material. Bags are counted from the cubic feet printed on the label. Anything sold by weight needs the supplier's weight per cubic yard, which this page does not guess.
How deep should bark mulch be?
Mississippi State University Extension recommends 2–3 in for pine or hardwood bark in landscape beds. The right depth varies with material and location; keep mulch 3 in from tree trunks.
A planning aid, not an engineering calculation: your local code and building inspector have the final word. Terms