Free project tools / Cordell Digital
Buy the mulch you need.
Skip the guesswork.
Add your garden beds, choose a depth, and see cubic yards and whole bags. Have supplier prices? Compare bagged mulch with a bulk delivery.
Your project estimate
Here’s what to plan for.
Your price comparison
Excludes sales tax, installation and charges you have not entered. Bulk cost uses the calculated volume; supplier minimum orders or selling increments can change the quote. Bagged cost uses whole bags.
This is a volume estimate. Measure carefully and confirm the final order with your supplier. No weight or truck capacity is assumed.
How much mulch do I need?
For a rectangular bed, multiply length by width in feet, then multiply by the depth of new mulch in inches and divide by 324. The result is cubic yards. One cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet.
For example, a 12 × 10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs 30 cubic feet, or about 1.111 cubic yards. That is 15 bags if each bag holds 2 cubic feet, with no extra allowance. If 1 inch of usable mulch remains, adding 2 inches takes 20 cubic feet, or 10 of those bags.
Bagged mulch or bulk?
Compare the complete order, including delivery. A lower price per cubic yard does not automatically make bulk cheaper once a delivery charge or minimum order is added. Enter actual quotes above; this calculator does not supply local prices.
How deep should I spread mulch?
The right depth depends on the material and planting conditions. Oklahoma State University Extension advises 2 to 3 inches near plants and warns against piling mulch against trees. Check the existing layer before adding more, and follow guidance for your plants and site.
How many bags equal one cubic yard?
Divide 27 by the bag volume in cubic feet. One cubic yard equals 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags, so buying whole bags requires 14. For 3-cubic-foot bags it is exactly 9; for 1.5-cubic-foot bags it is 18.
Can I calculate circular or irregular beds?
Choose Circle and enter its diameter, measured edge to edge through the center. For an irregular bed, divide it into non-overlapping rectangles and circles or enter a measured area directly. Exclude paths and other surfaces you will not cover.
Why does the bag count round up?
Suppliers sell whole bags. The calculator totals the volume across all beds, applies your chosen allowance once, then rounds the combined bag requirement up. The cubic-yard figure is displayed to three decimal places; pricing uses the unrounded volume.
Your measurements and prices stay in this calculator in your browser. They are not submitted by the tool or saved as a project history.
Planning a new lawn? Use the Sod Calculator for square feet, rolls, pallets and installation costs.
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