Mulch Calculator
Cubic yards, bags, and weight from area, depth, and mulch type. Three solve modes, multi-zone totals, and a dry-versus-wet weight note.
Area, depth, and mulch type in one place. Three solve modes, and a path from the takeoff to an Invoice Mama estimate.
A 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs 25 cubic feet of mulch. That is 0.93 cubic yards, or 13 bags of 2 cubic feet, before waste. Cubic feet equals area in square feet times depth in feet (inches divided by 12). Cubic yards equals cubic feet divided by 27. Pounds equals cubic yards times density in pounds per cubic yard. Bags round up.
Use it for a refresh, a new bed, or the ring around a tree. Add more than one zone when the job has several beds. Wood mulch gets heavier when it is wet, so treat every density as a starting range and confirm density and price with your supplier. When the numbers are set, Invoice Mama turns the yards and bags into a landscaping estimate.
How to calculate how much mulch you need
Three steps, the same order as the calculator above
- 1
Select shape and mulch type
Pick rectangle, square, circle, triangle, or a known area. Choose shredded hardwood, pine bark, cedar, cypress, wood chips, rubber, or type a custom density in pounds per cubic yard.
- 2
Enter area and depth
Type measurements in feet, inches, yards, or meters. Depth starts at 3 inches. Add zones if you have more than one bed. Waste starts at 10%, and bag size starts at 2 cubic feet.
- 3
Read yards, bags, and weight
Review cubic feet, cubic yards, bags rounded up, pounds, short tons, and metric tonnes. Add your supplier's price per yard, bag, ton, or cubic foot if you want a cost line. Confirm density and price with your supplier.
Mulch calculator formulas
Every result on this page uses these equations
Step | Formula |
|---|---|
| Volume (ft³) | A (ft²) × d (ft), and d (ft) = inches ÷ 12 |
| Volume (yd³) | V (ft³) ÷ 27 |
| Pounds | V (yd³) × density (lbs/yd³) |
| Short tons | pounds ÷ 2,000 |
| Metric tonnes | pounds ÷ 2,204.62 |
| Bags | Round up order ft³ ÷ bag size (default 2 ft³) |
| Order quantity | base × (1 + waste factor) |
| Cost | (order quantity × unit price) + delivery fee |
| Circle area | π × (diameter ÷ 2)² |
| Triangle area | ½ × base × height |
Coverage mode starts from a known quantity and a depth, then reports the area that quantity covers. Depth mode starts from a known quantity and an area, then reports the depth. Neither mode adds waste to the solved area or the solved depth. Order lines still include the waste factor when it is above 0.
Mulch density by type
Starting dry densities in pounds per cubic yard
Mulch type | Starting density (lbs/yd³ dry) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shredded hardwood | 600 | Common bulk mulch. Dry range often 500–700 lbs/yd³. |
| Pine bark nuggets | 450 | Lighter bark. A starting point, not a lab test. |
| Cedar | 700 | Heavier aromatic bark. |
| Cypress | 500 | Starting point. Confirm with your supplier. |
| Wood chips | 500–700 | Variable moisture. The calculator preset uses 600 lbs/yd³. |
| Rubber mulch | 1,150 | Moisture-stable. Weight barely changes when wet. |
Wood mulch typically weighs 400–800 lbs per cubic yard when dry and can exceed 1,000 lbs per cubic yard when wet. These are starting ranges from the Pro Mulch Calculator weight guide. Confirm density and price with your supplier before you order. The type presets above are the same starting points: hardwood 600, pine bark 450, cedar 700, cypress 500, wood chips 600 (inside a 500–700 range), and rubber 1,150. Edit any preset or choose Custom density.
Coverage by depth
How far 1 cubic yard and one 2 cubic foot bag spread
Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | One 2 cu ft bag covers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 24 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 12 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 8 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 6 sq ft |
At 3 inches, 1 cubic yard covers 108 square feet and one 2 cubic foot bag covers 8 square feet. The 2, 3, and 4 inch rows match the coverage chart in the LawnStarter mulch calculator guide. The 1 inch row uses the same formula, cubic feet divided by depth in feet. Coverage does not depend on density. Weight does.
Recommended mulch depth
Starting depths from the LawnStarter mulch calculator guide
Project | Recommended depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refresh existing beds | 1–2 in | Existing beds and vegetable gardens. Measure what is already down before you add more. |
| Standard beds and shrubs | 2–3 in | Most landscape beds and around shrubs when you want weed cover. |
| New beds and trees | 3–4 in | New beds, paths, and around trees. Keep mulch off the trunk. |
The LawnStarter guide puts a refresh and vegetable beds at 1–2 inches, shrubs around 2–3 inches, and new beds plus the area around trees at about 3–4 inches (new beds are listed there as 2–4 inches). The calculator preset is 3 inches. The project menu is a hint. It does not lock the depth field.
Unit conversion reference
Linear dimensions convert to feet before the volume math runs
Unit | To convert to feet | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | ÷ 12 | 48 in = 4 ft |
| Feet | × 1 | 10 ft = 10 ft |
| Yards | × 3 | 5 yd = 15 ft |
| Centimeters | ÷ 30.48 | 304.8 cm ≈ 10 ft |
| Meters | × 3.28084 | 3 m ≈ 9.84 ft |
Short ton vs metric tonne
Why the calculator shows both weight units
A short ton (US ton) equals 2,000 pounds. A metric tonne equals 2,204.62 pounds. US yards often quote bulk mulch by the cubic yard. Some haulers and Canadian suppliers talk in short tons or metric tonnes. This calculator shows pounds, short tons, and tonnes from the same volume so you can match the unit on the quote. Confirm density and price with your supplier.
Bags vs bulk
13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet equal 1 cubic yard
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. Divide by the bag size to get a bag count. At 2 cubic feet per bag, 27 ÷ 2 = 13.5 bags per yard. The LawnStarter mulch calculator guide prints that same 13.5 figure, and it suggests bags when the job is under about 2 cubic yards and bulk when the bed is larger. This calculator always rounds a partial bag up, because stores do not sell half a bag. One full yard in 2 cubic foot bags therefore shows 14 bags.
Prices are not listed here. A yard of hardwood in one town is not the price in the next, and a sale price is not a fact this page can stand behind. Type the price your supplier quoted if you want a cost line, and confirm density and price with your supplier before you order.
Worked example: 10 by 10 feet at 3 inches
The same numbers as the answer at the top of this page
Area = 10 × 10 = 100 sq ft. Depth = 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft. Volume = 100 × 0.25 = 25 ft³. Cubic yards = 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 yd³. Bags at 2 ft³, before waste = round up 25 ÷ 2 = 13 bags. With the default 10% waste, order volume = 27.5 ft³ and bags round up to 14. At the hardwood starting density of 600 lbs/yd³, the base weight is about 556 pounds.
A 200 square foot bed at 3 inches
Base volume, then the 10% order quantity
Volume = 200 × (3 ÷ 12) = 50 ft³ = 1.85 yd³. Bags before waste = 50 ÷ 2 = 25 bags of 2 ft³. Add 10% waste and the order is 55 ft³. At 600 lbs/yd³ that order weighs about 1,222 pounds, and bags round up to 28. The LawnStarter guide uses this same 200 square foot, 3 inch example for the 50 cubic foot base.
Keep mulch off trunks
Depth around trees is not a license to bury the bark
A ring around a tree is often 3–4 inches deep, and it stops short of the trunk. Washington State University Extension publication C075, Guide to Mulches (revised 2023) says organic mulch should sit about 6 inches off the trunk and should not be piled against the bark like a volcano. The LawnStarter mulch calculator guide describes a mulch-free zone of about 3–6 inches around trunks, and a smaller gap around plant stems. Use the wider gap when you are unsure. Subtract that open ring from the area if you want the order to match what you will actually spread.
Dry mulch vs wet mulch
Same pile, higher weight after rain
Wood mulch typically weighs 400–800 lbs per cubic yard when dry and can exceed 1,000 lbs per cubic yard when wet. These are starting ranges from the Pro Mulch Calculator weight guide. Confirm density and price with your supplier before you order.
How to add a waste factor
Why the base quantity and the order quantity differ
Mulch settles, edges are rarely perfect, and a little material stays in the truck. The default waste factor is 10%, and 0% is allowed when you want the strict volume. Order quantity equals the base times (1 + waste ÷ 100). On a 50 cubic foot base, 10% waste is an order of 55 cubic feet. Coverage mode and depth mode solve the area or the depth from the quantity you typed. They do not inflate that answer with waste. The order lines underneath still apply the waste factor when it is above 0.
Frequently asked questions
Yards, bags, depth, and weight for a mulch order
How do I calculate how much mulch I need?
Multiply area in square feet by depth in feet. Depth in feet is inches divided by 12. A 10 ft by 10 ft bed at 3 inches is 100 × 0.25 = 25 cubic feet, or 0.93 cubic yards. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get cubic yards. Bags round up: 25 cubic feet at 2 cubic feet per bag is 13 bags, before the 10% waste factor.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
One cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. At the common 2 cubic foot bag, that is 13.5 bags. This calculator rounds partial bags up, so ordering one full yard in 2 cubic foot bags shows 14 bags. A 1.5 cubic foot bag is 18 per yard, and a 1 cubic foot bag is 27. Check the bag label, then set bag size in the calculator.
How deep should mulch be?
Refreshing an existing bed or a vegetable garden is usually 1–2 inches. Most landscape beds and the area around shrubs are 2–3 inches. New beds and the area around trees are often 3–4 inches. Those bands follow the LawnStarter mulch calculator guide. Keep mulch off trunks.
How much does a yard of mulch weigh?
Dry wood mulch often weighs 400–800 pounds per cubic yard. Shredded hardwood starts near 600, pine bark near 450, cedar near 700, cypress near 500, and wood chips often fall between 500 and 700. Rubber mulch starts near 1,150 pounds per cubic yard and barely changes when wet. These are starting ranges from the Pro Mulch Calculator weight guide. Confirm density with your supplier.
Why does wet mulch weigh more than dry mulch?
Wood mulch soaks up water. The same volume can exceed 1,000 pounds per cubic yard when wet, compared with about 400–800 pounds when dry. Rubber mulch is moisture-stable. If rain hit the pile, ask your supplier for a wet weight before you load a truck. Confirm density and price with your supplier before you order.
Should I order mulch by the bag or in bulk?
One cubic yard equals 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet. The LawnStarter mulch calculator guide suggests bags for smaller jobs, often under about 2 cubic yards, and a bulk delivery for larger beds. This page does not list prices, because bag and yard prices change by town and supplier. Confirm price with your supplier.
How much extra mulch should I order for waste?
The default waste factor is 10%. A 200 square foot bed at 3 inches is 50 cubic feet before waste and 55 cubic feet with 10% added. At 600 pounds per cubic yard that order is about 1,222 pounds, and bags round up to 28 bags of 2 cubic feet. You can set waste to 0. Coverage area and depth are solved without adding waste to the area or the depth. Order lines still include the waste factor when it is above 0.
How do I mulch around a tree?
Use about 3–4 inches of depth and keep a mulch-free ring around the trunk. Washington State University Extension publication C075, Guide to Mulches (revised 2023) says to keep organic mulch about 6 inches off the trunk and not piled against the bark. The LawnStarter guide describes a mulch-free zone of about 3–6 inches. A wider gap is the safer default. Do not build a mulch volcano.
How much area does 1 cubic yard of mulch cover?
At 3 inches deep, 1 cubic yard covers 108 square feet. At 2 inches it covers 162 square feet, and at 4 inches it covers 81 square feet. One 2 cubic foot bag at 3 inches covers 8 square feet. Use coverage mode when you already know the yards or bags you are buying.
Can I enter a custom mulch density?
Yes. Choose Custom density, or edit the density field on any preset. The value is dry pounds per cubic yard. A density of 0 or less returns no result. Confirm density and price with your supplier before you order.
Related calculators and tools
More free tools for landscaping takeoffs
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- Square Footage CalculatorMeasure the bed area before you set a mulch depth.
- Concrete CalculatorCubic yards and bags for pads, walks, and other pours on the same job.
- Slope CalculatorGrade percent and fall before you mulch a slope or a swale.
- Free Estimate MakerTurn mulch yards and bags into a sendable landscaping estimate.
- Invoice GeneratorBill the job with professional line items when the work is done.
Invoice Mama helps landscapers turn mulch yards, bags, and weight into a professional estimate or invoice. Measure the beds, then send the quote before you leave.