Mulch Calculator

Choose rectangular beds, a total square-footage estimate, or a tree ring. In bed mode, enter up to five length-and-width pairs; zero-valued extra beds are ignored. Select the depth and mulch type, then enter the bulk-yard and two-cu-ft bag prices from your supplier or store.

The raw volume is useful for checking math, while the order quantity rounds up to the nearest half cubic yard. Bag count uses the raw volume and rounds to whole bags, so the two purchase options can differ slightly.

Three inches is a common bed depth that suppresses weeds without burying plant crowns. Two inches works for a maintenance top-up when old mulch remains, while four inches is more typical for a new bed that needs a fuller layer. Keep mulch away from trunks, siding, and foundation vents.

Playground mulch can require 6–12 inches depending on fall height and the surfacing system. This tool estimates volume only; it is not a safety certification or an impact-attenuation design.

Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard. Stores sell it in two-cu-ft bags, so 13.5 bags is the planning conversion for one cubic yard. Bulk delivery may be cheaper once the project reaches a few yards, but local delivery fees and bag promotions change the crossover.

The savings line subtracts the bulk total from the bagged total using your own prices. A negative number means the entered bulk price is higher than the entered bag price for that project.

Shredded bark tends to mat and stay in place in beds. Wood chips can be a practical long-lasting top layer. Rubber mulch does not decompose like wood, while pine straw is light and easy to spread but may need more frequent top-ups. The type selector is a planning label; it does not invent a price preset.

Choose for the bed’s slope, appearance, plant palette, and maintenance plan rather than assuming one type is best everywhere.

A tree ring is the area between an outer radius and the clear inner radius around the trunk: π(R² − r²). Leave the trunk flare visible, then use the selected depth over the ring area. For an annual top-up, measure the same bed and enter the new one-inch layer rather than ordering a full-depth refresh.

A full refresh every few years depends on decomposition, settling, rain, and how much old mulch remains.

The calculator sums rectangular beds or computes a ring area, multiplies square feet by depth in feet, and divides by 27. It rounds bulk yards to the nearest half for ordering and bag equivalents up to whole two-cu-ft bags. Price fields are intentionally TBD until you enter local bulk and bag prices.