Mulch is sold two ways — by the bag (2 or 3 cubic feet) or in bulk by the cubic yard. Knowing how they relate makes ordering easy.
Bags in a cubic yard
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so:
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard |
|---|---|
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 (round up to 14) |
| 3 cu ft | 9 |
How much mulch you need
Mulch coverage uses one handy identity: one cubic yard covers 324 ft² at 1 inch deep. So:
cubic yards = area (ft²) × depth (in) ÷ 324For 200 ft² at 3 inches: 200 × 3 ÷ 324 = 1.85 cubic yards. That’s 50 cubic
feet, or 25 bags of 2 cu ft mulch.
Tip: compute by dividing by 324 (or cubic-feet ÷ 27). The rounded ”× 0.0031” shortcut you’ll see online drifts a few percent — enough to leave you a bag short.
How deep should mulch be?
- 2–3 inches for flower beds and around plants.
- 3–4 inches for trees, shrubs, and weed suppression.
- 4–6 inches for paths and play areas.
Three inches is a good all-purpose default. Mulch is loose fill with no cut waste, so the number you calculate is what you need — no extra waste factor required.
Bags or bulk?
Above about half a cubic yard (roughly 7 bags), bulk delivery is usually cheaper per cubic foot — though delivery fees and a shovel-and-wheelbarrow session are part of the deal. Below that, bags are simpler.
Worked examples (3-inch depth)
| Area | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ft² | 0.93 yd³ | 13 |
| 200 ft² | 1.85 yd³ | 25 |
| 500 ft² | 4.63 yd³ | 63 |
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch is a yard? 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet (round up to 14), or 9 bags of 3 cubic feet.
How much does a yard of mulch cover? At 3 inches deep, one cubic yard covers about 108 ft² (324 ÷ 3). At 2 inches it covers 162 ft².
How many bags for 1 cubic yard of soil or compost? Same math — 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft. Topsoil and compost are often sold in 1 or 1.5 cu ft bags too, so check the bag size.
Get the exact bag and yard count for your bed with the Mulch Calculator.