Mulch & Soil Calculator
Enter your bed dimensions and depth to get cubic yards — and how many bags — of mulch, topsoil, compost, or gravel.
Bed area
Typical depths: 2–3" for mulch top-up, 3–4" for a new bed, 1–2" for gravel leveling.
You'll need
Bulk material
0 yd³
0 cubic feet
Or bags (2 cu ft each)0
Works for mulch, topsoil, compost, and gravel. Order bulk by the yard for big beds — it's far cheaper than bags.
How to calculate mulch
Volume in cubic feet is length × width × (depth ÷ 12). Divide by 27 for cubic yards (how bulk material is sold) or by the bag size (usually 2 cu ft) for bag count. Round up.
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Mulch calculator FAQ
- How much mulch do I need?
- Multiply the bed's length × width × depth (in feet) to get cubic feet, then divide by 27 for cubic yards. A 10×10 ft bed at 3 inches deep needs about 25 cubic feet, or just under one cubic yard.
- How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
- Bagged mulch is usually 2 cubic feet per bag, and a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet — so it takes about 13–14 bags to equal one cubic yard.
- How deep should mulch be?
- Apply 2–3 inches to refresh existing beds and 3–4 inches for a new bed or good weed suppression. Deeper than 4 inches can smother roots.
- Does this work for topsoil and gravel?
- Yes — the volume math is the same for mulch, topsoil, compost, and gravel. Just pick the matching bag size, or order in bulk by the cubic yard.
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See also: estimating guides · ProBuildCalc by trade