How Much Mulch for 500 Square Feet?

Q: How Much Mulch for 500 Square Feet?

To cover 500 sq ft with mulch 3 inches deep you need 4.63 cubic yards (125 cu ft). In bags, that's 63 bags of 2 cu ft or 42 bags of 3 cu ft.

To cover 500 sq ft with mulch 3 inches deep you need 4.63 cubic yards (125 cu ft). In bags, that's 63 bags of 2 cu ft or 42 bags of 3 cu ft.

Change any number below to match your project. The mulch calculator works for any size.

How it's worked out

Volume: 500 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 125 cu ft
Cubic yards: 125 ÷ 27 = 4.63 yd³
2 cu ft bags: 125 ÷ 2 = 63 bags

500 sq ft at other depths

Depth	Cubic yards	2 cu ft bags	3 cu ft bags
2 in	3.09	42	28
3 in	4.63	63	42
4 in	6.17	84	56

Use 2 inches to top up existing mulch, 3 inches for new beds, and up to 4 inches where weeds are a problem. At 4.63 yards, bulk delivery usually costs less than bags.

Other common sizes

100 sq ft
200 sq ft
300 sq ft
500 sq ft
1,000 sq ft

More detail: Bulk vs Bagged Mulch: How Much You Need and Which Is Cheaper