Mulch bags vs cubic yards
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet. That is 14 of the 2 cu ft bags, or 9 of the 3 cu ft bags. Past a yard or two, get a bulk delivery quote before you start hauling bags.
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| Bed area at 3 in deep | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.46 cu yd | 7 | 5 |
| 100 sq ft | 0.93 cu yd | 13 | 9 |
| 200 sq ft | 1.85 cu yd | 25 | 17 |
| 500 sq ft | 4.63 cu yd | 63 | 42 |
| 1,000 sq ft | 9.26 cu yd | 125 | 84 |
Bags round up to the next whole bag. A 2 inch layer takes two thirds of these numbers, a 4 inch layer a third more.
How much a yard of mulch covers
Flip the math when you already know what the truck holds.
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| Depth | One cubic yard covers |
|---|---|
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
How deep to mulch
Two to four inches. Not a volcano.
Penn State Extension says a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch and no more. Use less where the soil drains poorly. Topping up an old bed? Measure what is already there and only add the difference.
- Pull mulch 3 to 5 inches back from young trees and 8 to 10 inches back from mature trees, per Penn State Extension. Bark piled against the trunk is the mulch volcano.
- University of Illinois Extension gives the same 2 to 4 inches for well-drained sites and says keep mulch at least 4 inches from the trunk.
- Measuring a bed: length times width for rectangles. Split an L-shaped bed into two rectangles and add them with the Add another bed button.