Mulch, Topsoil & Gravel Yardage Calculator
Estimate yardage and bags
Mulch, topsoil and gravel yardage: quick guide
This mulch, topsoil and gravel yardage calculator turns bed dimensions into cubic yards or cubic meters and converts that to bag counts, pallets, and truckloads so you can order confidently. Enter each landscape area in feet or meters, set a realistic coverage depth, and choose your bag volume. The tool sums rectangles across front beds, tree rings, play spaces and side yards, then applies your rounding preference for a clean quote. Results include cubic feet or liters for detail, plus bulk totals in yd³ or m³ for delivery planning and budget. Use it for bark mulch, composted mulch, screened topsoil, garden soil blends, pea gravel, crushed stone and drainage rock.
How deep should you go? For fresh color, mulch is commonly spread 2–3 inches across beds; for weed suppression around new plantings, 3–4 inches gives stronger coverage. Topsoil depth depends on purpose: lawn leveling may only need an inch, while new garden beds often need 4–8 inches on top of subgrade. Gravel walkways usually work at about 2 inches of compacted stone over a stable base and fabric. Choose a depth that matches your goals and the site: slope, drainage and plant type all matter. If you maintain beds yearly, you can calculate only the top-up layer rather than the full profile.
Bagged vs bulk: Bags are easy to haul in a small car and store neatly on a pallet, but bulk delivery is faster and cheaper for larger projects. The calculator estimates bags per pallet and truckloads so you can compare. Many suppliers sell 2 cu ft or 3 cu ft mulch bags and deliver in 10–14 yd³ dump loads or in cubic meter tipper trucks. Some yards also offer 1 yd³ or 1 m³ tote sacks with forklift drop-off. Enter your local bag size and truck capacity to mirror what your supplier offers. If you are close to the next pallet or truck, rounding up reduces the risk of running short and saves a second trip.
How the mulch, topsoil and gravel are calculated
The calculator multiplies length by width to get area for each rectangle, then multiplies by the coverage depth to compute volume. Imperial inputs use feet and inches to produce cubic feet, which are converted to cubic yards (divide by 27). Metric inputs use meters and centimeters to produce cubic meters and liters. If you set a rounding increment, the bulk volume is rounded to the nearest step so quotes align with common yardage minimums. Bag counts are simply total volume divided by your bag size and then rounded up. When you provide bags per pallet, the tool rounds the bags up to full pallets; the same idea applies to truck capacity for load counts.
For more accuracy, measure inside edges of edging or timbers and subtract any large obstacles. Break complex shapes into simple rectangles and add them as separate lines. A quick field check: one cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at one inch deep, or 108 square feet at three inches. Metric users can remember that one cubic meter covers about 100 square meters at one centimeter deep. These rules of thumb help you sanity-check results before you place an order.
Mulch and yardage calculator FAQs
Can I mix areas with different depths?
Use separate lines for each depth, or run the calculator twice. Depth drives volume more than size in many projects.
Which bag size should I enter?
Enter the volume printed on the bag, such as 2 cu ft or 50 L. The tool converts automatically and rounds up to whole bags.
Does the calculator include compaction?
Mulch has little compaction. Topsoil and gravel settle with traffic and water; consider rounding up one step for paths and driveways.
Is this suitable for stone base layers?
Yes. For base rock, account for compaction and use the finished compacted depth as your target.
Is this a construction spec tool?
No. It is an educational estimator. Follow local specs, geotextile guidance, and supplier recommendations.