Bags of mulch per yard
13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, 9 bags of 3 cu ft or 54 bags of 0.5 cu ft.
bags per cubic yard = 27 ÷ bag size in cubic feet
A cubic yard holds 27 cubic feet, so it takes 27 ÷ 2 = 13.5 two-cubic-foot bags. You cannot buy half a bag, so plan on 14.
| Bag size | Liters | Bags per yd³ | Bags per m³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu ft | 14.2 | 54 | 70.6 |
| 0.75 cu ft | 21.2 | 36 | 47.1 |
| 1 cu ft | 28.3 | 27 | 35.3 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 42.5 | 18 | 23.5 |
| 2 cu ft | 56.6 | 13.5 | 17.7 |
| 2.5 cu ft | 70.8 | 10.8 | 14.1 |
| 3 cu ft | 85 | 9 | 11.8 |
The liter column uses the exact definition 1 cu ft = 28.3168 L.[1]
Common bag sizes
- Mulch: commonly sold in 2 or 3 cubic foot bags.[2] One national brand labels its 2 cu ft bag to cover 12 sq ft at 2 in, 8 sq ft at 3 in and 6 sq ft at 4 in, which matches the volume math exactly.[3]
- Garden soil: one widely sold garden soil comes in 0.75, 1, 1.5 and 2 cu ft bags.[4]
- Bagged stone and sand: A major US manufacturer packs its river pebbles, pea pebbles, crushed rock, paver base, paver sand and play sand in 0.5 cu ft bags.[5] A 50 lb bag of mason sand or play sand is about 0.5 cu ft (14 L).[6][7]
- UK bark and compost: a major UK brand packs landscape bark in 90 and 100 L bags[8] and multi-purpose compost in 10, 25, 50 and 60 L bags.[9]
- UK bulk bags: one topsoil producer sells bulk bags of about 0.5 m³ and 0.75 m³,[10] and the RHS describes gravel bulk bags of about 1 cubic meter.[11]
Always use the volume printed on your own bag: sizes vary by brand and product line.
Liter bags (UK, Europe, Australia)
Divide 1,000 by the liters on the bag: 20 bags of 50 L make a cubic meter.
| Bag size | Cubic feet | Bags per m³ | Bags per yd³ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 L | 0.71 | 50 | 38.2 |
| 25 L | 0.88 | 40 | 30.6 |
| 40 L | 1.41 | 25 | 19.1 |
| 50 L | 1.77 | 20 | 15.3 |
| 56 L | 1.98 | 17.9 | 13.7 |
| 60 L | 2.12 | 16.7 | 12.7 |
| 70 L | 2.47 | 14.3 | 10.9 |
| 80 L | 2.83 | 12.5 | 9.6 |
| 100 L | 3.53 | 10 | 7.6 |
Bags or bulk?
For small jobs bags are easier to carry and store, which is why the mulch, pea gravel and sand calculators all show a bag count. Past a cubic yard or so the bag count climbs fast: a cubic yard of mulch is 14 two-cubic-foot bags and a cubic yard of gravel in half-cubic-foot bags is 54. Work out the volume first with the cubic yard calculator, which also shows a bag count for any size you choose.
Weight-labeled bagsSand and gravel bags are often labeled by weight, such as 50 lb, rather than by volume. Check the bag for a stated volume or coverage before using these tables.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch do I need?
Find the cubic feet first: square feet × depth in inches ÷ 12, then divide by the bag size. A 10 × 10 ft bed at 3 inches is 25 cu ft: 13 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
How many 2 cubic foot bags of mulch are in a yard?
13.5, so buy 14.
How many 3 cubic foot bags make a yard?
Exactly 9.
How many 0.5 cubic foot bags of gravel are in a yard?
54 bags.
How many 40 liter bags are in a cubic meter?
25 bags. A cubic meter is 1,000 liters.
How many bags of soil do I need for a 4 × 8 raised bed?
Volume first: a 4 × 8 ft bed filled 10 inches deep holds 4 × 8 × (10 ÷ 12) = 26.7 cu ft. In 1.5 cu ft bags that is 17.8, so 18 bags. The raised bed soil calculator does this for several beds at once.
Sources
- NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C: General Tables of Units of Measurement
- How to Determine the Amount of Mulch Needed for a Garden Bed
- Scotts Nature Scapes Colour Enhanced Mulch (product label coverage)
- Miracle-Gro Garden Soil All Purpose (product label)
- Hardscapes product line
- QUIKRETE Mason Sand No. 1961-56 data sheet
- QUIKRETE Play Sand calculator (No. 1113)
- Westland Landscape Bark (product specification)
- Westland Multi-Purpose Compost with added John Innes (product specification)
- Beds & Borders Topsoil, bulk bag (product specification)
- Gravel gardens