Bed size
Typical depth
Waste
Waste covers irregular edges, settling, and the extra you dump around shrubs. 10% is a common pad. Paths with tight borders can run 5%. Use 0% for a textbook volume.
Order
- Cubic yards bulk
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- 2 cu ft bags
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- 3 cu ft bags optional
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Enter length, width, and depth.
This is an estimate, not a weigh-ticket, and not landscaping advice. It does not choose bark vs hardwood, dyed vs natural, or how thick a bed should be. Bags compact; bulk loads settle. Confirm volume with your landscape yard. Nothing on this page leaves the browser.
How the volume is counted
Bed volume is length × width × depth. Depth in inches is divided by 12 to get feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 for cubic yards. Waste is extra material for edges and settling.
Garden-center bags are usually 2 cubic feet — the standard landscape bag. Some yards also stack 3 cubic foot bags. Bag counts round up; you cannot buy a fraction of a bag.
volume_ft3 = length_ft × width_ft × (depth_in / 12) yards = volume_ft3 / 27 × (1 + waste) bags_2cf = ceil(volume_ft3 × (1 + waste) / 2) bags_3cf = ceil(volume_ft3 × (1 + waste) / 3)
Example: 10 ft × 10 ft × 3 in with 0% waste is 25 ft³ → 0.926 yd³, 13 of the 2 cu ft bags (or 9 of the 3 cu ft bags). The same bed at 2 inches is about 0.617 yd³ / 9 bags.
FAQ
How much mulch do I need?
Length × width × depth, add waste, convert to yards or bags. Enter the bed above. A 10×10 bed at 3 inches with no waste is 0.926 cubic yards, or 13 of the 2 cu ft bags.
2 inch or 3 inch mulch?
2 inches refreshes an existing bed and sits well on a path. 3 inches is the usual new-bed layer. This tool does not tell you which depth your plants need.
How many bags of mulch for 100 square feet?
At 3 inches: 13 of the 2 cu ft bags (or 9 of the 3 cu ft bags), before waste. At 2 inches: 9 of the 2 cu ft bags. Irregular edges bump the count.
Bags or a bulk load?
Under about a cubic yard, bags from a garden center are usually simpler. Over a yard, call the landscape yard for bulk. That is a rule of thumb, not a quote.
Is this landscaping advice?
No. Quantity only. Not a plant spec, not a weigh-ticket, not drainage. Confirm with the yard. Dyed, hardwood, and bark chips settle differently.