Enter the length, width and depth of a bed. You get the cubic yards to order, the same amount in 2 cu ft bags, and whether bulk delivery or bags is the better way to buy it.
At 3 in deep, including 5% extra for settling and edges.
| Bed | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags | Best way to buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 × 4 ft | 0.8 | 11 | Bags |
| 40 × 4 ft | 1.6 | 21 | Bags |
| 10 × 10 ft | 1.0 | 14 | Bags |
| 20 × 10 ft | 1.9 | 27 | Bags |
| 20 × 20 ft | 3.9 | 53 | Bulk |
| 40 × 30 ft | 11.7 | 158 | Bulk |
One cubic yard of mulch covers 324 square feet one inch deep, so cubic yards are area × depth in inches ÷ 324. The tool adds 5% for settling and the edges of the bed.
Bags are that volume in cubic feet divided by 2, the common retail bag, so a cubic yard is 13.5 bags. Counts round up to whole bags.
Under 2 cubic yards, bags are usually cheaper; above that, bulk from a landscape yard. Trucks carry up to 8 cubic yards, and many yards add a small-order fee under 5. These are the mulch cost calculator’s own factors.
Sources:
Quantities are for planning and ordering. Check the plan, the supplier’s product data and local code before you buy; for structural concrete, follow the drawings.
A 10 × 10 ft bed at 3 in deep takes 0.93 cubic yards. With 5% extra for settling, order about 1.0 cubic yard, or 14 bags of 2 cu ft.
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
Two to three inches is the usual depth for beds. Deeper than about four inches can keep soil too wet and starve roots of air, and mulch piled against stems and trunks invites rot, so keep it a few inches back.
Usually above about 2 cubic yards. Bags carry a premium for packaging and handling but need no delivery, so they win on small jobs. Bulk is cheaper per yard, but delivery is charged per load and many yards add a fee under 5 cubic yards.
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