Cedar Mulch Calculator

Cedar mulch lasts longer and smells great. Enter your bed area and depth for cubic yards and bags.

Common sizes
Shape
Units

Area: 100 sq ft

1.0cubic yards

14 bags2 cu ft each

Bulk is usually sold in ½-yard increments with a ~1-yard delivery minimum — round up when you order.

Show the math
  1. Area100 sq ft
  2. Volume100 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 1225.0 cu ft
  3. Cubic yards25.0 cu ft ÷ 270.9 cu yd
  4. + 10% waste0.9 × 1.101.0 cu ydthe amount to buy in bulk, before rounding to bags
  5. Bags27.5 cu ft ÷ 2 cu ft/bag14 bagsrounded up to whole bags

Est. cost $31–$51typical bulk price · adjust for your supplier

Bags or bulk for this job?

Bulk delivered$150–$1902.0 cu yd (2-yd min) + ~$90 delivery
Bags$42–$8414 × 2 cu ft · haul ~1 pickup load

For this size, bags usually wins.

9 wheelbarrow loads to spread · delivery fee varies by distance — confirm at checkout.

  • Low-fi estimate. Confirm coverage and bag sizes with your supplier.
  • Includes a 10% overage allowance.
  • Bag count assumes 2 cu ft bags. Bulk delivery is sold by the cubic yard.

Doing more than one bed or material?

What are you planning?
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Planning more than one thing? Open the Yard Planner → to trace your whole yard over an aerial photo and total every material at once.

How to measure for mulch

  1. Measure the length and width of your area in feet.
  2. Multiply them for square feet (or just enter length and width above).
  3. Choose a depth — we default to 3 inches for mulch.
  4. Read your total in cubic yards, or the number of bags.

Cedar Mulch coverage at a glance (3" deep)

Area (sq ft)Cubic yardsBags
1001.014
2002.028
3003.142
5005.169
1,00010.2138

Includes a 10% overage allowance. Estimates are low-fi — confirm with your supplier.

Frequently asked questions

How long does cedar mulch last?

Cedar breaks down slowly — often 2–3 years versus about a year for many hardwood mulches — so you top up less often.

Does cedar mulch coverage differ from regular mulch?

No — coverage is by volume, so a cubic yard fills the same 27 cubic feet. Cedar just lasts longer per application.

Other calculators

Cedar Mulch Calculator — Coverage & Bags | GoGarden