How much mulch for 100 square feet?
Quick Answer
For 100 square feet at the recommended 3-inch depth, you need 0.93 cubic yards of mulch — about 25 cubic feet. That's roughly 7 bags of 2-cubic-foot bagged mulch, or 13 bags of the smaller 1.5-cubic-foot bags. For larger areas, bulk mulch by the yard is significantly cheaper.
Quick Reference Table
| Area | Mulch Needed (3" depth) |
|---|---|
| 50 sq ft | 0.46 yd³ / 4 bags (2 cu ft) |
| 100 sq ft | 0.93 yd³ / 7 bags |
| 200 sq ft | 1.85 yd³ / 14 bags |
| 500 sq ft | 4.63 yd³ / 35 bags |
| 1,000 sq ft | 9.26 yd³ / 70 bags |
| 2,000 sq ft | 18.5 yd³ — order bulk |
How to Calculate It Yourself
- 1
Measure your bed area in square feet (length × width for rectangles).
- 2
Choose depth: 2 inches for topdressing existing beds, 3 inches for new beds, 4 inches for weed suppression.
- 3
Calculate cubic feet: area × depth (in) ÷ 12. For 100 sq ft at 3": 100 × 3 ÷ 12 = 25 cubic feet.
- 4
Convert to cubic yards: 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 yd³. Or to bags: 25 ÷ 2 = 12.5 → buy 13 bags of 2 cu ft.
Pro Tip
Bulk mulch (delivered by the yard) costs $25–45/yd³. Bagged mulch at $4–6 per 2-cu-ft bag works out to $54–81/yd³ — 2–3× more expensive. The break-even point is around 3 cubic yards (about 300 sq ft at 3" deep). Order bulk for anything larger.
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