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How many cubic yards or bags of mulch a bed needs, and what it costs to spread it yourself or have it installed. Nothing you type is sent anywhere.
Removing old mulch, edging and weed fabric cost extra.
National ranges from HomeGuide's mulch cost guide: $25 to $100 per cubic yard for mulch alone, $50 to $150 for delivery, $2 to $8 per bag (the guide does not give the bag size), and $50 to $150 per cubic yard delivered and installed. Ask local suppliers for prices where you live.
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| Depth | One cubic yard covers | Cubic yards per 1,000 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft | 3.09 |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft | 6.17 |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft | 9.26 |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft | 12.35 |
| Bag size | Bags in a cubic yard | One bag covers at 3 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 cu ft | 18.0 | 6 sq ft |
| 2.0 cu ft | 13.5 | 8 sq ft |
| 3.0 cu ft | 9.0 | 12 sq ft |
Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard and bagged mulch by the cubic foot. A cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet, so it takes 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags to make one yard.
It finds the area of the bed, multiplies by the depth in feet to get cubic feet, then divides by 27 for cubic yards. Bags are the cubic feet divided by the bag size, rounded up so you never come out a bag short.
cubic yards = area in sq ft × depth in inches ÷ 324
bags = cubic feet ÷ bag size in cubic feet, rounded up
The 324 is 12 inches × 27 cubic feet, so one cubic yard covers 324 sq ft at 1 inch, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, 108 sq ft at 3 inches and 81 sq ft at 4 inches.
Penn State Extension recommends a 2 to 4 inch layer of organic mulch and no more, with 1 to 2 inches for finely shredded mulch. Illinois Extension suggests 2 to 3 inches for composted materials and 3 to 4 inches for coarse mulch. Where last year's mulch is still there, Michigan State University Extension says a 1 inch top-dressing is more than enough.
Keep mulch a few inches away from tree trunks and stems. Piling it against the bark, sometimes called a mulch volcano, keeps the trunk wet and invites decay.
Bags are easier for a small bed or a car trunk. Bulk mulch is sold by the cubic yard and often comes with a delivery fee, which matters less the more you order. HomeGuide's national ranges for bags and bulk overlap, so compare prices from your own suppliers: the Cost tab shows what the published ranges come to for your bed.
All checked November 3, 2026.
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it takes 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet, 9 bags of 3 cubic feet or 18 bags of 1.5 cubic feet.
324 square feet at 1 inch deep, 162 at 2 inches, 108 at 3 inches and 81 at 4 inches.
Two to four inches for most beds, closer to 2 inches for fine or shredded mulch, and about 1 inch to top up mulch that is already there. Extension services warn against going deeper than 4 inches.
Check how deep the old layer is first. If it is already 2 to 4 inches, rake it to break up matted spots instead of adding more. Penn State Extension notes that some old mulch may need to come out before a new layer goes on, because mulch added every year builds up just like one deep layer.
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