Free mulch calculator estimates garden bed mulch volume, bags and cost, and compares bagged vs bulk prices. Enter bed size and depth for bark or wood chips.
Mulch is a layer of bark, wood chips or shredded wood spread over the soil surface of garden beds and around trees - it keeps moisture in, suppresses weeds and moderates soil temperature. Mulch is sold two ways: in bags at the garden center or in bulk by the cubic meter from a landscape supplier, and the cheaper option depends on how much you need.
This calculator turns your bed size and target depth into the volume, bag count and both cost options so you can compare before buying. Enter the bed length, width and depth, pick a bag size and enter prices.
A 5-8 cm (2-3 in) layer is ideal for most beds: deep enough to suppress weeds and hold moisture, shallow enough to let water reach the soil. Go to 10 cm (4 in) only for heavy weed suppression, and avoid piling mulch against plant stems.
Bags are easier to carry and are sold in fixed sizes (commonly 2 cu ft), but bulk delivery is usually cheaper per cubic yard for larger projects. One cubic yard equals 27 cu ft, or about 13.5 standard 2 cu ft bags.
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 0.7646 m³. The calculator works in cubic meters and bags, and the conversion above is handy when your supplier quotes in cubic yards.