How Many Bags of Mulch Are in a Cubic Yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft to make one. In metric, a cubic yard is 765 litres: about 15.3 bags of 50 litres. A cubic metre is 1,000 litres, or 20 bags of 50 litres.
How much one bag covers
Coverage depends on depth. Divide the bag's volume by the depth in feet (or metres) to get the area it covers.
| Amount | 1 in deep | 2 in deep | 3 in deep | 4 in deep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 cu ft bag | 24 sq ft | 12 sq ft | 8 sq ft | 6 sq ft |
| 3 cu ft bag | 36 sq ft | 18 sq ft | 12 sq ft | 9 sq ft |
| 1 cu yd (27 cu ft) | 324 sq ft | 162 sq ft | 108 sq ft | 81 sq ft |
| Amount | 25 mm | 50 mm | 75 mm | 100 mm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 L bag | 1 m² | 0.5 m² | 0.33 m² | 0.25 m² |
| 50 L bag | 2 m² | 1 m² | 0.67 m² | 0.5 m² |
| 70 L bag | 2.8 m² | 1.4 m² | 0.93 m² | 0.7 m² |
| 1 m³ (1,000 L) | 40 m² | 20 m² | 13.3 m² | 10 m² |
Worked example
A 20 × 10 ft bed at 3 in deep:
- Area: 20 × 10 = 200 sq ft.
- Depth in feet: 3 ÷ 12 = 0.25 ft.
- Volume: 200 × 0.25 = 50 cu ft, or 50 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cu yd.
- Add 10% for settling: 55 cu ft.
- Bags: 55 ÷ 2 = 27.5, so 28 bags of 2 cu ft. Loose, order 2.5 cu yd.
Common mistakes
- Mixing cubic feet and cubic yards. Bags are labelled in cubic feet; landscape yards sell by the cubic yard. One yard is 27 bags' worth of 1 cu ft, not 3.
- Measuring the depth you want after settling, then buying exactly that. Fresh mulch settles. Add about 10%.
- Counting old mulch twice. If a bed already has 1 in of mulch and you want 3 in, buy for 2 in.
- Assuming every bag is the same size. Check the label: US bags are usually 2 or 3 cu ft, and UK, Canadian and Australian bags are sold in litres.
When bulk is cheaper
Above a cubic yard or so, loose delivery is usually cheaper per yard than bags, but most suppliers charge a delivery fee. Compare both with the prices option in the calculator.
