Measurement & Materials
Mulch soil and gravel volume
Calculate bulk cubic yards or whole bags from measured landscape area and depth, with optional material cost comparisons.
Your inputs
Complete the fields for your selected method. Zero means intentionally zero, not unknown. Currency selection labels amounts; it does not convert exchange rates.
How this calculation works
cubic feet = net square feet × depth in feet; order volume = cubic feet × (1 + allowance); cubic yards = cubic feet / 27; bags = ceil(order volume / bag volume)
A quantity estimate from your measurements, not a drawing takeoff, layout optimization, engineering design or code approval. Keep overlapping sections out of the total. Material allowances are your assumptions; supplier package sizes, product coverage and prices must come from the actual product or quote. Optional prices entered as zero are omitted; cost subtotals include only entered prices. Use measured depth and the bag volume on the product label. Gravel compaction, soil settling and moisture can change delivered needs; this tool does not prescribe compaction factors, soil blends, mulch depth or plant treatment.
What information do I need?
Use records for the same job, equipment or accounting period. Only the fields for your selected entry method are required. An unknown amount is not zero.
Input definitions and where to find them
- Which area information do you have?: Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for which area information do you have?. Unknown is not the same as zero.
- Rectangular sections — add each nonoverlapping section once: Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for rectangular sections — add each nonoverlapping section once. Unknown is not the same as zero. Used with: Measure rectangular sections.
- Section name: Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for section name. Unknown is not the same as zero.
- Section length (ft): Measure this distance. Choose feet, inches or meters beside the field; decimal feet and decimal inches are accepted. Use the feet-and-inches tool to convert fractions if needed.
- Section width (ft): Measure this distance. Choose feet, inches or meters beside the field; decimal feet and decimal inches are accepted. Use the feet-and-inches tool to convert fractions if needed.
- Already measured area (ft²): Enter the measured surface area in the selected unit, not a length. Use net area after deductions only if those deductions will not be entered again. Used with: I already know the area.
- Openings or uncovered area to subtract (ft²): Enter the measured surface area in the selected unit, not a length. Use net area after deductions only if those deductions will not be entered again.
- Desired material depth (in): Measure this distance. Choose feet, inches or meters beside the field; decimal feet and decimal inches are accepted. Use the feet-and-inches tool to convert fractions if needed.
- Extra loose-volume allowance (%): Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for extra loose-volume allowance. Unknown is not the same as zero.
- Volume printed on one bag (ft³/bag): Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for volume printed on one bag. Unknown is not the same as zero.
- Optional price per bag (0 to omit) (selected currency): Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for optional price per bag (0 to omit). Unknown is not the same as zero.
- Optional bulk price per cubic yard (0 to omit) (selected currency): Use matching records or an explicitly identified assumption for optional bulk price per cubic yard (0 to omit). Unknown is not the same as zero.
Use the Where to find this value controls beside the inputs for available work-it-out helpers. Estimates remain your assumptions; a helper does not verify the source figures.
Worked example
Example amounts use US dollars (USD).
Example answer: Bulk order volume including allowance is 1.1111 yd³ for the illustrative inputs below.
Example inputs
- Which area information do you have?: Measure rectangular sections
- Rectangular sections — add each nonoverlapping section once
- Section name: Section 1
- Section length: 12.00 ft
- Section width: 10.00 ft
- Openings or uncovered area to subtract: 0.00 ft²
- Desired material depth: 3.000000000000 in
- Extra loose-volume allowance: 0.00 %
- Volume printed on one bag: 2.00 ft³/bag
- Optional price per bag (0 to omit): $0.00
- Optional bulk price per cubic yard (0 to omit): $0.00
- Bulk order volume including allowance
- 1.1111 yd³
- Net volume before allowance
- 30.0000 ft³
- Whole bags at supplied bag size
- 15 bags
- Purchased bagged volume
- 30.00 ft³
- Bagged material cost
- No price entered
- Bulk material volume cost
- No price entered
- Bagged and bulk costs are alternative comparisons. Delivery, minimum orders, labor and tax are excluded. No conversion to tons is made without a material-specific density.
These illustrative values are not recommended rates or industry averages. Replace every example input with your own figures.
Use the result well
Use the net measured quantity to check a material order or quote. Keep installed area, extra material and purchased quantities separate.
Keep inputs on the same scope and time basis. Calculations retain precision internally; displayed values generally round to two decimal places, with extra precision for very small values and whole-unit rounding where required. Economic comparisons describe your supplied assumptions and do not guarantee future results.
This tool provides business arithmetic. It does not approve engineering designs, establish legal or tax treatment, select equipment or certify safe operating conditions.