Coverage per Cubic Yard of Mulch
One cubic yard of mulch is 27 cubic feet. Spread thinner, it covers more ground; the table below shows exact coverage at each depth.
| Application Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard | Yards per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 3.1 yd³ |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 6.2 yd³ |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 9.3 yd³ |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 12.3 yd³ |
Coverage per Bag of Mulch
| Application Depth | 2 cu ft Bag Covers | 3 cu ft Bag Covers |
|---|
| 1 inch | 24 sq ft | 36 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 12 sq ft | 18 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 8 sq ft | 12 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 6 sq ft | 9 sq ft |
Bags per Cubic Yard
| Bag Size | Bags in 1 Cubic Yard | Bags in 2 Yards | Bags in 3 Yards |
|---|
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 (buy 14) | 27 | 40.5 (buy 41) |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | 18 | 27 |
Recommended Mulch Depths
| Use Case | Recommended Depth |
|---|
| Flower beds & perennials | 1–2 inches |
| General landscape beds | 2–3 inches |
| Weed suppression | 3 inches |
| Around trees (keep off trunk) | 2–4 inches, 3–6" gap at trunk |
| Playground areas (rubber/wood) | 4–6 inches |
The one formula behind every row: cubic yards = (square feet × depth in inches) ÷ 324. For a custom size and instant bag counts, use the free
mulch calculator.
Citing This Chart
Writers, garden bloggers, and landscapers are welcome to reference or reproduce these tables. Please attribute with a link: "Source: MulchCalculators.org Mulch Coverage Chart". You can also embed the live calculator directly in your article. For gravel and stone coverage, see the companion gravel coverage chart at GravelCalc.com.