Mulch & Soil Calculator
Mulch calculator: cubic yards (or bags) of mulch, topsoil or compost for a garden bed from its area and depth.
V = A · d
How to use this calculator
- Choose the quantity you want under “Solve for”.
- Type the known values and pick their units: any combination works.
- The result updates as you type. Open “Show the steps” to see the substitution.
Volume = area × depth. A 2–3 inch layer of mulch suppresses weeds; topsoil for new beds is usually 4–6 inches.
Formula
V = A · d
| Symbol | Quantity | Units |
|---|---|---|
| A | Bed area | m², km², cm², mm², ha, ft², in², yd², ac, mi² |
| d | Depth | m, km, cm, mm, µm, nm, pm, Å, in, ft, yd, mi, nmi, au, ly |
| V | Volume needed | L, mL, µL, m³, dm³, cm³, gal, gal (UK), qt, pt, cup, fl oz, ft³, yd³, in³ |
Worked example
Given: A = 107.639 ft² · d = 1.9685 in
V = A d
Result: V = 0.653975 yd³
Volume needed for different values of Bed area
| A · Bed area | V · Volume needed |
|---|---|
| 53.82 ft² | 0.32699 yd³ |
| 80.73 ft² | 0.49048 yd³ |
| 96.88 ft² | 0.58858 yd³ |
| 107.6 ft² | 0.65398 yd³ |
| 118.4 ft² | 0.71937 yd³ |
| 134.5 ft² | 0.81747 yd³ |
| 161.5 ft² | 0.98096 yd³ |
| 215.3 ft² | 1.308 yd³ |
Other values as in the worked example.
Frequently asked questions
200 ft² bed, 3 inches deep?
About 1.85 yd³, or 25 bags of 2 ft³.
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