Mulch bed — 12×8 ft, 3"
Flower bed mulch at 3 inches deep.
- Volume
- 0.89 cu yd
- Area
- 96 sq ft
- Bags (2 cu ft)
- ~12
For exact bag counts and waste, use the Mulch Calculator.
How Many Cubic Yards Do You Need?
Enter length, width, and depth to get cubic yards — plus coverage and rough bag/ton estimates. For an exact material order, jump to mulch, gravel, topsoil, or concrete next.
Last updated: July 11, 2026
Cubic Yards Summary
1.48
cubic yards
Cubic feet40 cu ft
Area120 sq ft
1 cu yd covers~81 sq ft
Rough gravel/sand~2.07 tons
Rough mulch/topsoil~20 bags (2 cu ft)
10 × 12 ft · 4 in deep. Tons and bags here are rough — use a material calculator when you are ready to buy.
Worked Examples
Gravel base — 20×10 ft, 4"
Patio or walkway gravel base at 4 inches.
- Volume
- 2.47 cu yd
- Area
- 200 sq ft
- Rough tons
- ~3.46
Confirm density with your supplier, then use the Gravel Calculator for tons and bags.
Concrete pad — 10×12 ft, 4"
Shed or patio slab at 4 inches thick.
- Volume
- 1.48 cu yd
- Area
- 120 sq ft
- Order tip
- Round up
Ready-mix is usually ordered in full yards — use the Concrete Calculator for bags vs truck.
Depth Guide by Material
| Material | Typical Depth | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mulch | 2–4 in | 2–3 in for refresh; 3–4 in for new beds. |
| Topsoil | 4–6 in | 4 in for lawns; 6 in for garden beds. |
| Gravel / stone | 2–6 in | 2–3 in paths; 4–6 in driveways and bases. |
| Concrete slab | 4–6 in | 4 in for sheds/patios; 5–6 in for driveways. |
How Much Does 1 Cubic Yard Cover?
| Depth | Coverage per Cubic Yard |
|---|---|
| 1 in | 324 sq ft |
| 2 in | 162 sq ft |
| 3 in | 108 sq ft |
| 4 in | 81 sq ft |
| 6 in | 54 sq ft |
Formula: coverage (sq ft) = 324 ÷ depth in inches.
Frequently Asked Questions
For a rectangle, multiply length × width × depth in feet, then divide by 27. Example: a 10 × 12 ft area at 4 inches deep is (10 × 12 × 0.333) ÷ 27 = 1.48 cubic yards.
Multiply the area in square feet by the depth in feet, then divide by 27. Shortcut with inches: (sq ft × depth in inches) ÷ 324 = cubic yards. Example: 200 sq ft at 4 inches = (200 × 4) ÷ 324 = 2.47 cubic yards.
1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet. Divide cubic feet by 27 to get yards, or multiply yards by 27 to get cubic feet.
This page only gives rough estimates (~1.4 tons/cu yd for gravel/sand; about 13.5 bags of 2 cu ft per cu yd for mulch/topsoil). For an exact order, switch to the Gravel, Mulch, Topsoil, or Sand calculator.