Mulch calculator for Wyoming
Figure yards or bags for all your beds, with depth pointers to support healthy plants.
Enter your project dimensions
One cubic yard contains 27 cubic feet, equal to exactly 13.5 garden-center bags sized at 2-cubic-foot. That conversion is the reason for this calculator. Add the dimensions and depth for each bed below to see the bulk cubic-yard requirement alongside its bag comparison, giving you a clear comparison with a store run. Shredded hardwood weighs around 600 lb per yard, so mulch is sold by volume, with bulk delivery rather than weight.
Estimate mulch for your beds
- Record every bed's dimensions in feet, then combine the totals. For round beds, take the diameter and use circle mode to find the area.
- For an existing layer, select 2 inches; use 3 inches where beds are bare or newly mulched. At more than 4 inches, roots can be deprived of air.
- The total is shown as bulk cubic yards and as 13.5 bags per yard for comparing store bags.
Bags (2 cu ft) = cubic yards × 13.5
Coverage by depth
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 10 bags (2 cu ft) cover |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 240 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 120 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 80 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
Common order sizes
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Cubic yards | ≈ Bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation beds along the house | 40 x 3 ft | 3" | 1.1 yd³ | 15 bags |
| Four tree rings | 4 ft across each | 3" | 0.5 yd³ | 6 bags |
| All beds, average yard | ≈ 500 sq ft | 3" | 4.6 yd³ | 63 bags |
| Annual refresh of the same beds | ≈ 500 sq ft | 1.5" | 2.3 yd³ | 31 bags |
| Playground surface | 15 x 15 ft | 6" | 4.2 yd³ | 56 bags |
Bulk versus bags: cost comparison
Ten bags marks the usual break point. Under that amount, bags can be handy. Once you need more, bulk is less expensive in most places, and free delivery eliminates the need to rent a truck. Each spring, we bring out yards for customers who moved 15 bags the prior weekend, then compared the cost in the parking lot. Get one yard delivered, cover any remainder with a tarp, and the job is finished.
Mulch depths for plant health
- After raking last year's layer loose, add 2 inches over it.
- Use 3 inches where soil is bare. That layer limits weed sprouting and helps retain moisture through July.
- At tree trunks, leave an open ring 3 to 6 inches wide. Bark can rot and rodents may move in when mulch is heaped against it. Keep it shaped like a flat donut, not a volcano.
- Keep every area at 4 inches or less. Roots can lose air under mulch that is both wet and too deep.
- Install a minimum of 6 inches for playground surfacing, using playground-certified chip rather than landscape shred.
Pick your mulch type
This calculator starts with shredded hardwood, whose texture binds together and can stay put on gentle slopes. Chips and nuggets may remain intact for a season or two longer, though a hard downpour can float and spread them. Dyed mulch breaks down more slowly and retains its color. Quantity calculations remain the same for every type, so your selection affects appearance and replacement timing, not order volume.
On delivery day
A three-yard mulch load forms a pile roughly as large as a small car. Clear driveway space equivalent to a parking spot, and place a tarp under it because shredded mulch can stain fresh concrete. Get it spread in a week or two. If a large pile sits for a month, internal heat can make it sour. Allow 30 to 45 minutes of wheelbarrow work for each yard, saving the final half-yard for the beds missed behind the garage.
Common mulch calculation questions
How many mulch bags make a cubic yard?
What is the cubic-foot volume of a yard of mulch?
How much shredded mulch is needed?
What area can one yard of mulch cover?
What is the weight of a yard of mulch?
What does a yard of mulch cost?
Will mulch draw termites?
Can new mulch go over old mulch?
Other calculators
Leave the 27-bag cart behind.
Bulk shredded hardwood sold by the yard and delivered free to your driveway.
