Mulch calculator
How much mulch or bark to buy for one or several beds, by the bag or loose.
How it works
Each area's size × the depth gives the volume of mulch. We add 10% because bark and wood chips settle after a few weeks, then divide by the bag size you choose and round up.
Worked example
Two beds, 10 × 4 ft and 6 × 5 ft, at 3 in deep: 70 sq ft × 0.25 ft = 17.5 cu ft, or 19.3 cu ft with 10% extra. That is 10 bags of 2 cu ft, or about 0.71 cu yd if you buy loose.
In metric: a 2 m circular bed and a 5 × 1.2 m border at 75 mm come to 754 litres with 10% extra, so 16 bags of 50 litres.
How deep should mulch be?
- 2–3 in (50–75 mm) suppresses weeds and holds moisture in most beds.
- Go thinner around small plants, and keep mulch a few inches clear of stems and tree trunks.
- Topping up an existing layer? Enter only the depth you're adding.
Bags or bulk?
US bags are usually 2 or 3 cu ft. A cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so it equals 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 of 3 cu ft. UK and Australian bags are sold in litres: a cubic metre is 1,000 litres, or 20 bags of 50 litres. Above a cubic yard or so, loose delivery is usually cheaper.
Common questions
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cu ft, so it takes 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
How many 50 litre bags are in a cubic metre?
Twenty. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres.
Reviewed by Alex Rowan, Editor. Last reviewed . How we calculate · Report a problem