Mulch Calculator Chart

You can use the calculation chart below to determine how much landscape wood mulch in cubic yards it will take to cover a given area based on how thick you intend on applying the mulch. (There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard.)

Before you can calculate how mulch will be required for a given area, you will first need to determine the total square feet of the area to be covered.

Determining Total Square Footage of a Square or Rectangular Area

Simply multiply the length of the area by the width of the area. For example, if the length of an area is 100', and the width of the area is 50', the equation would look like this:

100' x 50' = 5,000 Total Square Feet

To determine the square footage of a circular area.

Start by multiplying the length of the radius of the circle by itself. The radius of a circle is the distance from the center of the circle to the outside edge of the circle. For example, if the diameter of a circle is 20' across, the radius of a circle is 10'.

After multiplying the radius of a circle by itself, multiply that total figure by 3.14. For example, if you determine that the radius of a circle is 10' the equation would look like this:

10' x 10' = 100'.... then 100' x 3.14 = 314 total square feet

Mulch Calculation Chart

Use the mulch calculation chart below to determine the quantity of mulch in cubic yards needed to cover the area of your project. There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard.

NOTE: To avoid development of fungus and to allow plants to receive water from rainfall, we highly recommend spreading shredded wood mulches no thicker than a 2-inch depth.

Approximate coverage rates for various types of mulch

Wood Mulch - Bulk - 200-220 square feet per cubic yard at 1 1/2" depth
Wood Mulch - Bags - Approx. 7 square feet per cubic foot at 1 1/2" depth
Pine Straw - 50-70 square feet per bale
Pea Gravel or Marble Chips - Approx. 7 square feet per 50 LB bag
Lava Rock - Approx. 7 square feet per 1 cubic feet
Wheat Straw - 200-300 square feet per bale