How Many Bags of Mulch in a Yard?
A cubic yard of mulch is 27 cubic feet — about 13–14 standard 2-cubic-foot bags. Use the calculator to size your whole project.
Area: 100 sq ft
1.0cubic yards
Bulk is usually sold in ½-yard increments with a ~1-yard delivery minimum — round up when you order.
Show the math
- Area100 sq ft
- Volume100 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 1225.0 cu ft
- Cubic yards25.0 cu ft ÷ 270.9 cu yd
- + 10% waste0.9 × 1.101.0 cu ydthe amount to buy in bulk, before rounding to bags
- 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?
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?
Want it installed?
Let a local pro know you're interested · no obligation
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
- Measure the length and width of your area in feet.
- Multiply them for square feet (or just enter length and width above).
- Choose a depth — we default to 3 inches for mulch.
- Read your total in cubic yards, or the number of bags.
How Many Bags of Mulch in a Yard? coverage at a glance (3" deep)
| Area (sq ft) | Cubic yards | Bags |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 1.0 | 14 |
| 200 | 2.0 | 28 |
| 300 | 3.1 | 42 |
| 500 | 5.1 | 69 |
| 1,000 | 10.2 | 138 |
Includes a 10% overage allowance. Estimates are low-fi — confirm with your supplier.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
With 2-cubic-foot bags, about 13–14 (27 ÷ 2 = 13.5). With 3-cubic-foot bags, 9.
When is bulk cheaper than bags?
Usually past about 8–10 bags. Beyond that, a bulk cubic yard typically costs less per cubic foot and saves trips.