Mulch, Soil and Compost Volume Calculator (Bags and Cubic Metres)

How to use the Mulch, Soil and Compost Volume Calculator (Bags and Cubic Metres)

1. Choose metric or imperial units.
2. Enter the length and width of the area and the depth you want to cover.
3. Enter the size of the bags you plan to buy and an allowance for waste.
4. Read the volume in several units and the number of bags to buy.

Example

Worked example (5 m × 2 m at 7.5 cm, 10% extra, 50 litre bags)

• Volume: 5 × 2 × 0.075 = 0.75 m³, then × 1.10 = 0.825 m³
• In litres: 825 litres
• Bags of 50 L: 17
• Cubic yards: 1.08

Limitations

• The calculator assumes a rectangle with an even depth. Curved beds and uneven ground need an average depth.
• Bag sizes vary by supplier, and some are sold by weight, not volume.
• Mulch settles and breaks down over time, so top it up each year.
• The waste percentage is your own allowance.

Sources

About this tool

The Mulch, Soil and Compost Volume Calculator turns the size of a bed and the depth you want into the volume to order, in cubic metres, litres, cubic feet and cubic yards, plus the number of bags. You can add a waste allowance for settling and spillage. Typical depths are 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches) for mulch, 10 to 15 cm for topsoil on a new bed and 2.5 to 5 cm for a top dressing of compost.

Also searched for as: how much mulch do I need, topsoil calculator, compost calculator, bark chippings calculator, garden bed soil volume, cubic yards of mulch.

Mulch, Soil and Compost Volume Calculator (Bags and Cubic Metres) is part of ToolStack Hub's Calculators. It runs entirely in your browser, which keeps your data private and makes results instant. There is nothing to install and no account to create. There is no usage limit.

Frequently asked questions