Free Tool

Mulch & Wood Chip Volume Calculator

Calculate exactly how many cubic yards of mulch or wood chips you need for a project.

20 ft
10 ft
Standard depth is 2-3 inches for regular garden beds. Use 4-5 inches for playgrounds or severe weed control.
3 in
Standard Wood Chips
Premium Dyed Mulch
Cedar / Cypress
You Will Need
0.0 cubic yards
Estimated Material Cost: $0
(Equivalent to 0 standard 2-cu-ft bags)

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How much mulch do I need?

Calculating the correct amount of mulch or wood chips is essential to avoid paying for excess delivery fees or running out of material mid-project. Our calculator uses the standard landscaping formula to convert square footage and depth into cubic yards, which is how bulk mulch is sold.

The Formula for Cubic Yards

To calculate cubic yards yourself, you need to convert all measurements into feet, multiply them together to get cubic feet, and then divide by 27 (since there are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard).

  • Step 1: Measure the Length and Width of the bed in feet. (e.g. 20ft x 10ft = 200 sq ft)
  • Step 2: Convert your desired depth from inches to feet by dividing by 12. (e.g. 3 inches / 12 = 0.25 ft)
  • Step 3: Multiply the area by the depth. (200 sq ft x 0.25 ft = 50 cubic feet)
  • Step 4: Divide by 27 to get cubic yards. (50 / 27 = 1.85 cubic yards)

Bags vs. Bulk Delivery

A standard bag of mulch from a big-box hardware store contains 2 cubic feet of material. It takes exactly 13.5 bags of mulch to equal one single cubic yard. If your project requires more than 2 or 3 cubic yards, it is almost always cheaper and easier to have it delivered in bulk by a local tree service or landscape supply yard.