Mulch Calculator
Cubic yards or bags of mulch for a bed, from its area and depth.
- Volume (cubic feet)25.0
- Volume (cubic yards)0.93
- 2 cu ft bags13
Inputs used
- Bed length10 ft
- Bed width10 ft
- Mulch depth3 in
About this calculator
Mulch volume is bed area times depth: a 10 × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs 25 cubic feet, just under one cubic yard. Bulk mulch sells by the cubic yard (27 cubic feet); bagged mulch most commonly comes in 2-cubic-foot bags.
Three inches is the sweet spot for most beds — enough to suppress weeds and hold moisture, not so deep that it suffocates roots. Keep mulch a few inches back from trunks and stems; the "mulch volcano" against a tree trunk invites rot.
For irregular beds, estimate the area as rectangles and circles and add them up. Bulk delivery beats bags on price above roughly a yard and a half — one cubic yard equals about 13.5 bags.
Results are informational only — not financial, medical or legal advice.