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BuildRight.DIY Calculators

Landscape Material Calculator: Mulch, Gravel, Topsoil & Concrete

Enter your area and depth to get cubic yards, bags, tons and a bulk-vs-bag price comparison — instantly, in feet & inches or metric.

1Measure your area

ft
in
ft
in
in

2Prices (optional)

$

+ $75 typical delivery

$

Your Cedar Mulch estimate

Total volume

2.04 cu. yd

55 cu. ft · incl. 10% waste

Bags needed

28

2 cu. ft bag · 56 cu. ft total

Estimated weight

0.61 tons

1,222 lbs

Bulk order

2.5 cu. yd

Rounded up to 0.5 yd increments
Plan and section view of 200 sq. ft of Cedar Mulch at 3" deep200 sq. ft20'10'SECTION (DEPTH)compacted subgrade3"
Plan drawn to scale. Section depth drawn to its own scale.
Bulk delivery vs. bagged
  • Bulk (2.5 yd + delivery)$180

    $105 material + $75 delivery

  • Bagged (28 × 2 cu. ft bag)Best value$139

    $4.98 per bag

Buying bags saves about $41. Prices are US averages — enter your local quotes above.

Can my truck haul it?

  • Mid-size pickup (~1,000 lbs)2 trips
  • Half-ton pickup (F-150 / Silverado 1500) (~1,500 lbs)1 trip
  • 3/4-ton pickup (2500 series) (~2,500 lbs)1 trip
  • 1-ton pickup (3500 series) (~4,000 lbs)1 trip

Material shopping list

Cedar Mulch — bulk≈ 0.61 tons · $180 delivered2.5 cu. yd
Cedar Mulch — or bagged (2 cu. ft bag)$139 at $4.98/bag28 bags
Coverage3" deep · 10% overage included200 sq. ft

Prices are estimates. Confirm bag yield (cu. ft) on the package before buying.

The cubic yard formula

Bulk landscape materials in the US and Canada are sold by the cubic yard. To convert any area and depth:Cubic Yards = (Area in sq. ft × (Depth in inches ÷ 12)) ÷ 27. A handy shortcut: one cubic yard covers324 ÷ depth in inches square feet — 162 sq. ft at 2", 108 sq. ft at 3" and 81 sq. ft at 4".

  1. Measure square footage: Multiply length × width (ft). Add up multiple rectangles for irregular beds.
  2. Pick a depth: Mulch 2–4", gravel 2–4", topsoil 4–6", concrete slabs 4–6".
  3. Convert to cubic yards: Square feet × (depth in inches ÷ 12) ÷ 27 = cubic yards.
  4. Add waste: Multiply by 1.05–1.15 for settling and spillage.
  5. Convert to bags or tons: Cubic feet ÷ bag size = bags; cubic yards × density = weight.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate cubic yards?

Multiply length × width in feet to get square feet, multiply by the depth in inches divided by 12, then divide by 27. For example, 20 × 10 ft at 3 inches deep is 200 × 0.25 ÷ 27 = 1.85 cubic yards.

How many bags are in a cubic yard?

A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet: 13.5 bags of 2 cu. ft mulch, 27 bags of 1 cu. ft soil, 54 bags of 0.5 cu. ft gravel, or 45 bags of 80 lb concrete mix (0.6 cu. ft each).

How much does a cubic yard of gravel or soil weigh?

Mulch weighs roughly 400–800 lbs per yard, topsoil about 2,100 lbs, gravel and stone 2,600–2,900 lbs and concrete about 4,000 lbs. Check the weight before hauling it in a pickup.

Should I add extra material for waste?

Yes. Add 5–10% for spillage and uneven ground, and 10–15% for materials that settle or compact like mulch, topsoil, crushed stone and decomposed granite.

Material-specific calculators

Each page is pre-loaded with that material's typical depth, density, bag size and 2026 US pricing, plus a quick-reference table.