HOW MUCH MULCH DO I NEED?
Let's use an example, let's say a planting bed is 20' x 25' and we want to use 3" of mulch for the planting bed. Now let’s go through the steps to getting your cubic yards.
First, find out the total sqft of the area. Then multiply the depth of the material. since we want 3 inches, we have to convert that into feet. So, we divide 3 by 12 to get .25'. Now we can multiply L x W x H to get total cubic feet. Then just dived by 27 to get the total Cubic Yards (CY).
Formula: Sqft (area) x Depth of material / 27 = Cubic Yard (CY) Total
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·Convert all dimensions into feet (3” ÷ 12” = 0.25’) Since we need 3” of mulch, we need to convert inches into feet.
·Multiply length x width x height (20’ x 25’ x 0.25’ = 125 cubic feet) If you know how many sqft, just multiply by the depth. If the area is 500 sqft, multiply that by 0.25, which equals 125 cubic feet.
·Divide total cubic feet by 27 (125 ÷ 27 = 4.63 cubic yards) Every time you don’t get an even number, either round up by half or down. In this case between 4.5 and 5 CY of mulch. We will always round up, no need to return if we are short, plus its hard to get .63 of a yard.
DON'T WANT TO DO THE MATH?
If you do not want to do the math but know the total square feet. Click on the Calculator, it will direct you to the site to Calculate how many Cubic Yards (CY) you will need!
CALCULATE HOW MUCH YOU NEED
Want to know how much natural mulch you need for your yard? We have two images to help you get started! The Image on the left shows how you can get a rough total square foot of your planting beds. As you can see the beds are divided into rectangles. If you want to be a little more precise with estimating the total sq ft of your planting beds, I would use the image at the bottom. It has formulas for rectangle, triangles, circles, and ovals. Also included is a formula to get the sq ft for an irregular shape.
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Once you get the total sq ft from all your beds, click on the calculator icon. Enter in the total sq ft and the depth of mulch to know how many CY of Mulch you'll need. We place around 2-3" of mulch.
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If you have have any questions give us a call and we’re happy to help! 847-970-9368
