{
  "slug": "mulch",
  "title": "Mulch Calculator",
  "heading": "Mulch Calculator",
  "category": "other",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/mulch",
  "summary": "Bags or yards of mulch for your beds.",
  "description": "Two to three inches of mulch suppresses weeds without smothering roots. Bulk mulch by the yard is far cheaper than bags once you need more than about ten bags.",
  "formula": "Cubic yards = Area (sq ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27. One 2 cu ft bag covers 12 sq ft at 2 inches.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=mulch",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "area",
      "label": "Bed area",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 400,
      "unit": "sq ft",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "depth",
      "label": "Mulch depth",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3,
      "unit": "in",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": 12
    },
    {
      "id": "bagSize",
      "label": "Bag size",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 2,
      "unit": "cu ft",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "bagPrice",
      "label": "Price per bag",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 4.5,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "bulkPrice",
      "label": "Bulk price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 40,
      "unit": "$/yd³",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "yards",
      "label": "Cubic yards needed",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "bags",
      "label": "Bags needed",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bagCost",
      "label": "Cost buying bags",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "bulkCost",
      "label": "Cost buying bulk",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "savings",
      "label": "Saved by going bulk",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Bed area: 400 sq ft",
      "Mulch depth: 3 in",
      "Bag size: 2 cu ft",
      "Price per bag: 4.5 $",
      "Bulk price: 40 $/yd³"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Cubic yards needed: 3.7",
      "Bags needed: 50",
      "Cost buying bags: $225.00",
      "Cost buying bulk: $148.15",
      "Saved by going bulk: $76.85"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter bed area (sq ft).",
      "Enter mulch depth (in).",
      "Enter bag size (cu ft).",
      "Enter price per bag ($).",
      "Enter bulk price ($/yd³).",
      "Read your cubic yards needed on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "area": 240,
        "depth": 1.7999999999999998,
        "bagSize": 1.2,
        "bagPrice": 2.6999999999999997,
        "bulkPrice": 24
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "area": 400,
        "depth": 3,
        "bagSize": 2,
        "bagPrice": 4.5,
        "bulkPrice": 40
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "area": 640,
        "depth": 4.800000000000001,
        "bagSize": 3.2,
        "bagPrice": 7.2,
        "bulkPrice": 64
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary.",
    "Results are rounded for readability; add a buffer before ordering, booking, or committing.",
    "Double-check anything with a real cost attached against a local quote."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "How does the mulch calculator work?",
      "a": "Two to three inches of mulch suppresses weeds without smothering roots. Bulk mulch by the yard is far cheaper than bags once you need more than about ten bags. The underlying maths is: Cubic yards = Area (sq ft) × Depth (ft) ÷ 27. One 2 cu ft bag covers 12 sq ft at 2 inches."
    },
    {
      "q": "What do I need to enter?",
      "a": "5 values: bed area, mulch depth, bag size, price per bag, and bulk price. Each field starts with a sensible default, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result move."
    },
    {
      "q": "What does the cubic yards needed result mean?",
      "a": "It is returned as a decimal number and updates live as you edit the inputs, so you can compare two or three versions of a scenario in a few seconds."
    },
    {
      "q": "Is this calculator free, and do I need an account?",
      "a": "Yes, it's free, and no account is required. Nothing you type is stored on our servers — the maths runs entirely in your browser."
    },
    {
      "q": "How accurate is the result?",
      "a": "It applies the standard formula exactly, so the arithmetic is precise. Estimates assume standard, average conditions — local rules, pricing, and materials vary."
    },
    {
      "q": "Who is this tool for?",
      "a": "It's built for anyone doing everyday planning maths — a quick estimate that would otherwise need four browser tabs and a calculator app."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/topsoil",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/gravel",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/sod"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Mulch Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/mulch)"
}