TOOL_02 · Landscape mulch
Mulch calculator
Bags or bulk — depth-aware, bed-size presets, and the skid-steer scoop math nobody else shows you.
① Your beds
Bags (3 cu ft)
0bags
25 bags if buying 2 cu ft
Bulk delivery
0.0cu yd
4 skid-steer scoops (½ yd each)
Material Cost Estimator
Estimated Total for Mulch Bags
$76.50
17 units × $4.50 per 3 cu ft bag
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How the math works
Volume: area × depth. One inch of depth over 1 sq ft is 1/12 cu ft. Total cubic feet ÷ 27 = cubic yards. Bags: divide by 2 or 3 depending on bag size, always rounding up.
Scoops: bulk deliveries are often priced per "scoop" — a skid-steer bucket load, roughly ½ cubic yard. The result card converts your yards to scoops so you can order like the locals do.
Pro move: order 5–10% extra bulk mulch. It settles within weeks, and a thin top-up next season is much easier than a full re-mulch.
Common questions
How deep should mulch be?
3 inches is the sweet spot for most beds: enough to suppress weeds and hold moisture without smothering roots. Use 2 inches for beds with shallow-rooted plants like azaleas and rhododendrons. Never pile mulch against tree trunks or stems — that invites rot and pests ('volcano mulching' kills trees slowly).
How much area does a bag of mulch cover?
A 3 cu ft bag covers about 12 sq ft at 3 inches deep, or 18 sq ft at 2 inches. A 2 cu ft bag covers about 8 sq ft at 3 inches. Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard (27 cu ft) — one yard covers about 108 sq ft at 3 inches deep.
Is bulk mulch cheaper than bags?
Usually, yes — significantly. Bags run $3–5 per 3 cu ft bag, which works out to $27–45 per cubic yard equivalent. Bulk delivery typically costs $25–50 per yard plus delivery ($30–75). Past roughly 3–4 cubic yards (about 30+ bags), bulk wins on both money and your back.
How many bags of mulch do I need for 200 square feet?
At 3 inches deep, 200 sq ft needs about 50 cubic feet of mulch — that's 17 bags of 3 cu ft, 25 bags of 2 cu ft, or roughly 2 cubic yards bulk.
Estimates are for planning purposes. Actual coverage varies by mulch type, moisture, and how uneven your beds are.