Mulch Calculator
Calculate how much mulch you need for your garden bed, in bags or bulk cubic yards, with cost comparison and depth presets.
Mulch coverage
Updates as you typeBed shape
Shape ?
Area dimensions
Length
—
ft
Width
—
ft
Diameter ?
—
ft
Coverage area
—
Mulch depth
Depth ?
3 in
Pricing
Display volume as
Price per bag (2 cu ft) ?
—
$
Price per cu yd (bulk) ?
—
$
Depth sensitivity
How bags, volume, and cost scale with depth| Depth | Volume | Bags needed | Bag cost (bagged, 2 cu ft) | Bulk cost (per cu yd) | Cost |
|---|
Bag vs bulk — breakeven
Area —
Bag cost (bagged, 2 cu ft) —
Bulk cost (per cu yd) —
Bag pricing
Bulk pricing
Breakeven —
| Area | Volume | Bag cost (bagged, 2 cu ft) | Bulk cost (per cu yd) | Savings |
|---|
Formula
V
=
A
×
D
,
N
=
V
2
- V
- Volume of mulch needed (cubic feet)
- A
- Coverage area — L × W for rectangles, π × (d/2)² for circles, ½ × b × h for triangles
- D
- Depth, converted from inches to feet (inches ÷ 12)
- N
- Bag count — cubic feet ÷ 2 (standard bag is 2 cu ft), rounded up
Worked example — your numbers
- Coverage area (A) = —
- Depth (D) = —
- Volume = A × D = — cu ft
- Converted to cubic yards = —
- Bags (2 cu ft each, rounded up) = —
- Approx weight (~600 lb / cu yd) = —
- Cheaper option = —
2 cu ft is the industry-standard retail bag size. Bulk deliveries are priced per cubic yard (27 cu ft). Bulk tends to beat bags above ~2 cu yd of coverage — the breakdown above shows the actual crossover at your inputs. Order an extra 5–10% for settling and uneven ground.
Depth selection guide
- 2 inches
- Refresh on top of existing mulch — restores color, minimal weed suppression
- 3 inches
- Standard new application — good weed suppression, moisture retention, healthy plant beds
- 4 inches
- Heavy weed suppression — recommended for new beds on bare soil, or areas with persistent weeds
- 6 inches
- Winter insulation or soil building — use sparingly; too deep can smother plant roots year-round