Mulch calculator
Mulch is sold in bags by the cubic foot and in bulk by the cubic yard, and there are 27 cubic feet in a yard — which is where most over-ordering starts.
Depth matters more than area
Two to three inches is the useful range for most beds. Below two inches, weeds push straight through and the mulch stops doing its main job. Above four, you risk holding moisture against stems and suffocating shallow roots. Depth is also the number that swings the total hardest: going from two inches to four doubles your order.
The bag-versus-bulk crossover is worth checking before you buy. Bagged mulch is convenient and clean, but a cubic yard equals roughly thirteen or fourteen two-cubic-foot bags, and bulk delivery is almost always cheaper per unit once you pass two yards. Enter a bulk price above to see both numbers side by side.
Keep mulch a few inches clear of trunks and stems. Piling it against bark traps moisture and invites rot — the volcano-shaped mound around a tree is the most common landscaping mistake there is.
Questions
How deep should mulch be?
Two to three inches for most beds. Thinner lets weeds through, thicker can hold moisture against plant stems and starve roots of air.
Bags or bulk?
A cubic yard is about 13 to 14 of the standard two-cubic-foot bags. Past roughly two yards, bulk delivery usually wins on price even after the delivery fee.
Will this work for compost or wood chips?
Yes, the volume maths is identical for any loose material sold by the cubic yard. Only the price per yard changes.