Mulch How Many Bags of Mulch Are in a Yard?
Short answer: one cubic yard of mulch is 27 cubic feet, which equals 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, 9 bags of 3 cu ft, 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft or 27 bags of 1 cu ft. Because you can't buy half a bag, round up: 14 bags of the common 2 cu ft size.
Key takeaways
- 1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet = 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft (buy 14), 9 bags of 3 cu ft or 18 bags of 1.5 cu ft.
- Bags per yard = 27 ÷ bag size in cubic feet. To go back, bags × bag size ÷ 27 = yards.
- Round up once, on the total. 3 yards is 41 bags of 2 cu ft, not 3 × 14 = 42.
- A 2 cu ft bag covers 12 sq ft at 2 inches or 8 sq ft at 3 inches.
- Beyond about 2 yards (27 bags), compare the bagged price with bulk delivery.
Bags per cubic yard by bag size
| Bag size | Bags in 1 yd³ | Bags to buy (rounded up) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cu ft | 27 | 27 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | 18 |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 | 14 |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | 9 |
The math is always the same: 27 ÷ bag size in cubic feet. Check the volume printed on the bag — some brands sell 0.75, 1.5 or 2.5 cu ft bags.
Yards to bags conversion chart
Ordering by the yard from a landscape yard but buying bags at the store? Use this chart. All bag counts are rounded up to whole bags.
| Yards | 1 cu ft bags | 1.5 cu ft bags | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 yd³ (13.5 cu ft) | 14 | 9 | 7 | 5 |
| 1 yd³ (27 cu ft) | 27 | 18 | 14 | 9 |
| 2 yd³ (54 cu ft) | 54 | 36 | 27 | 18 |
| 3 yd³ (81 cu ft) | 81 | 54 | 41 | 27 |
| 4 yd³ (108 cu ft) | 108 | 72 | 54 | 36 |
| 5 yd³ (135 cu ft) | 135 | 90 | 68 | 45 |
| 10 yd³ (270 cu ft) | 270 | 180 | 135 | 90 |
Example: how many bags of mulch is 4 yards? 4 × 27 = 108 cu ft. That is 108 ÷ 2 = 54 bags of 2 cu ft or 108 ÷ 3 = 36 bags of 3 cu ft.
How much area will my bags cover?
Going the other way — you already have bags and want to know how far they go. Each 2 cu ft bag covers 12 sq ft at 2 inches or 8 sq ft at 3 inches; a 3 cu ft bag covers 18 or 12 sq ft.
| Number of bags | 2 cu ft @ 2 in | 2 cu ft @ 3 in | 3 cu ft @ 2 in | 3 cu ft @ 3 in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 bags | 60 sq ft | 40 sq ft | 90 sq ft | 60 sq ft |
| 10 bags | 120 sq ft | 80 sq ft | 180 sq ft | 120 sq ft |
| 20 bags | 240 sq ft | 160 sq ft | 360 sq ft | 240 sq ft |
| 25 bags | 300 sq ft | 200 sq ft | 450 sq ft | 300 sq ft |
| 50 bags | 600 sq ft | 400 sq ft | 900 sq ft | 600 sq ft |
| 100 bags | 1,200 sq ft | 800 sq ft | 1,800 sq ft | 1,200 sq ft |
So 20 bags of 2 cu ft cover 240 sq ft at 2 inches or 160 sq ft at 3 inches, and 25 bags cover 300 or 200 sq ft.
Bags to yards: converting the other way
If you already have a pile of bags or a store quote, multiply the number of bags by the bag size, then divide by 27.
| Number of bags | 2 cu ft bags = yards | 3 cu ft bags = yards |
|---|---|---|
| 10 bags | 20 cu ft = 0.74 yd³ | 30 cu ft = 1.11 yd³ |
| 20 bags | 40 cu ft = 1.48 yd³ | 60 cu ft = 2.22 yd³ |
| 27 bags | 54 cu ft = 2.00 yd³ | 81 cu ft = 3.00 yd³ |
| 40 bags | 80 cu ft = 2.96 yd³ | 120 cu ft = 4.44 yd³ |
| 50 bags | 100 cu ft = 3.70 yd³ | 150 cu ft = 5.56 yd³ |
Worked examples and common conversion mistakes
Example 1: one bed, exactly one yard. An 18 × 6 ft bed is 108 sq ft. At 3 inches: 108 × 3 ÷ 12 = 27 cu ft = exactly 1 cubic yard. That is 13.5 → 14 bags of 2 cu ft or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
Example 2: two beds at 2 inches. A 12 × 5 ft bed (60 sq ft) plus a 20 × 4 ft bed (80 sq ft) is 140 sq ft. 140 × 2 ÷ 12 = 23.33 cu ft = 0.86 yd³. That is 11.67 → 12 bags of 2 cu ft or 7.78 → 8 bags of 3 cu ft.
- Rounding each yard separately. Convert the whole job to cubic feet first and round up once at the end. 3 yards = 81 cu ft = 40.5 → 41 bags of 2 cu ft.
- Mixing up square and cubic yards. A square yard is an area of 9 sq ft. Mulch is sold by the cubic yard, a volume of 27 cu ft.
- Assuming every bag is 2 cu ft. Read the volume printed on the bag. Swapping 2 cu ft bags for 3 cu ft bags cuts the count by a third.
- Buying for full depth on a top-up. If old mulch remains, convert only the inches you are adding. See how to calculate mulch for a worked top-up example.
When it stops making sense to buy bags
Above roughly 2 yards (27+ bags of 2 cu ft) you are carrying a lot of plastic and loading the car several times. Compare your local prices with the break-even formula in bagged vs bulk mulch.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2 cubic foot bags of mulch make a yard?
13.5 bags, because 27 ÷ 2 = 13.5. Buy 14 bags to get at least a full cubic yard.
How many 3 cubic foot bags of mulch are in a yard?
Exactly 9 bags, because 27 ÷ 3 = 9.
How many bags of mulch is 2 yards?
Two cubic yards is 54 cu ft, which is 27 bags of 2 cu ft or 18 bags of 3 cu ft.
Is a yard of mulch the same as a square yard?
No. Mulch is sold by the cubic yard, a volume of 27 cubic feet. A square yard is only an area of 9 square feet.
How many square feet do 14 bags of mulch cover?
Fourteen 2 cu ft bags hold 28 cu ft, which covers 168 sq ft at 2 inches or 112 sq ft at 3 inches.