Mulch calculator for Louisiana
Work out yard or bag amounts for each landscape bed, with mulch-depth tips for plant care.
Enter your project dimensions
One cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet, equal to exactly 13.5 bags sized at 2-cubic-foot from the garden center. That conversion is the main reason for this page. Add the dimensions and depth of your beds below to see the cubic yards needed for a bulk purchase and the matching bag count for comparing a store trip. Shredded hardwood is relatively light, about 600 lb per yard, so mulch is purchased by volume, and bulk delivery is based on volume rather than weight.
Figure mulch for your beds
- Record the dimensions of every bed in feet, then total them. For round beds, measure straight across and use circle mode to calculate the area.
- Use 2 inches to refresh existing mulch and 3 inches for bare or newly made beds. More than 4 inches can deprive roots of air.
- The answer is shown as cubic yards for bulk material and as bags, using 13.5 bags per yard, for a store comparison.
Bags (2 cu ft) = cubic yards × 13.5
Mulch coverage chart
| Depth | 1 cubic yard covers | 10 bags (2 cu ft) cover |
|---|---|---|
| 1 inch | 324 sq ft | 240 sq ft |
| 2 inches | 162 sq ft | 120 sq ft |
| 3 inches | 108 sq ft | 80 sq ft |
| 4 inches | 81 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
Common order sizes
| Project | Typical size | Depth | Cubic yards | ≈ Bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foundation beds along the house | 40 x 3 ft | 3" | 1.1 yd³ | 15 bags |
| Four tree rings | 4 ft across each | 3" | 0.5 yd³ | 6 bags |
| All beds, average yard | ≈ 500 sq ft | 3" | 4.6 yd³ | 63 bags |
| Annual refresh of the same beds | ≈ 500 sq ft | 1.5" | 2.3 yd³ | 31 bags |
| Playground surface | 15 x 15 ft | 6" | 4.2 yd³ | 56 bags |
Bulk versus bags: cost comparison
Ten bags is where bulk starts to make more sense. For smaller amounts, bags are easy to handle. Past that point, bulk is usually cheaper, and free delivery means there is no need to rent a truck. If you brought 15 bags home and still need more, one yard can be delivered, with a tarp covering any extra material.
Mulch depths for plant health
- Apply 2 inches over last year's mulch after raking the old layer loose.
- Use 3 inches over bare soil. That depth helps stop weed seeds from sprouting and retains moisture through July.
- Keep mulch 3 to 6 inches back from the tree trunk. Bark may rot and rodents can move in when mulch is against it. Make a low, flat donut rather than a volcano.
- Do not exceed 4 inches in any spot. A deep layer that stays wet cuts off air to roots.
- For playground surfacing, install at least 6 inches and choose playground-certified chip instead of landscape shred.
Pick a mulch type
This calculator starts with shredded hardwood. Its fibers bind together, helping it stay put on light slopes. Chips and nuggets can last a season or two longer, though a downpour can float and scatter them. Dyed mulch keeps color while breaking down more slowly. All types use identical volume math, so type changes the appearance and refresh schedule, not the amount ordered.
When mulch arrives
A delivery of three yards makes a pile roughly as large as a small car. Make room for a parking space on the driveway and put down a tarp before unloading, since shredded mulch can stain new concrete. Move the pile within a week or two. After a month, a large pile can heat up and turn sour. Plan on 30 to 45 minutes of wheelbarrow work for each yard, and save the final half-yard for the garden areas that get missed.
Common mulch calculation answers
How many mulch bags equal a cubic yard?
How many cubic feet are in one yard of mulch?
How much mulch is needed?
What area will a yard of mulch cover?
What is the weight of one yard of mulch?
What does a yard of mulch cost?
Will mulch attract termites?
Can new mulch go over old mulch?
Other calculators
Leave the 27-bag cart behind.
Get bulk shredded hardwood by the yard, dropped in the driveway with free delivery.
