Mulch for a bed
Enter the bed area and depth. Result rounds up with a 5 percent allowance.
sq ft
in
m²
cm
Cubic yards
-cu yd
2 cu ft bags
-
cubic yards = area × (depth / 12) ÷ 27, plus 5% allowance
Cubic metres
-m³
50 L bags
-
cubic metres = area × (depth / 100), plus 5% allowance
Estimate only. Rounded up with a 5 percent waste allowance. Confirm the final quantity with your supplier before ordering.
How the mulch estimate works
One cubic yard of mulch covers 324 square feet at one inch deep. Most beds do well at 2 to 3 inches. Bagged mulch is usually sold in 2 cubic foot bags, so it takes about 13.5 bags to equal a cubic yard. For large beds, bulk delivery by the yard is far cheaper than bags.
Spreading mulch? A wide landscape rake levels a bed in a fraction of the time.
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Common questions
How much mulch do I need for 400 square feet?
At 3 inches deep, 400 square feet needs about 3.7 cubic yards, or roughly 50 of the 2 cubic foot bags, before the small allowance.
How deep should mulch be?
Two to three inches is typical. Deeper than three inches can hold too much moisture against stems and waste material.
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