Mulch for a 12×40 area
4.44 cubic yards (60 bags)
of mulch for 480 sq ft at 3 inches deep: 120 cu ft, or 60 bags of 2 cu ft.
A 12×40 foot area is 480 square feet. Most garden beds need 2 to 3 inches of mulch; a fresh bed or a weedy one benefits from 3 to 4 inches.
Mulch for 12×40 by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | Cubic feet | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 in | 1.48 | 40 | 20 | 14 |
| 2 in | 2.96 | 80 | 40 | 27 |
| 3 in | 4.44 | 120 | 60 | 40 |
| 4 in | 5.93 | 160 | 80 | 54 |
| 6 in | 8.89 | 240 | 120 | 80 |
How it’s worked out
- 40 × 12 = 480 sq ft.
- 480 × 3 in ÷ 12 = 120 cu ft.
- 120 ÷ 27 = 4.444 cu yd, or 120 ÷ 2 = 60 bags of 2 cu ft (rounded up).
Change the numbers
Other bed sizes
- 10×40 area
- 12×30 area
- 12×50 area
- 15×40 area
- 8×40 area
- 12×25 area
- 6×40 area
- 12×20 area
- 5×40 area
- 12×15 area
- 4×40 area
- 20×40 area
Questions
- How much mulch do I need for a 12×40 area?
- 4.44 cubic yards at 3 inches deep, or 60 bags of 2 cu ft. At 2 inches it is 2.96 yards (40 bags).
- How many bags of mulch for 12×40?
- 60 bags of 2 cu ft or 40 bags of 3 cu ft at 3 inches deep.
- Is bulk or bagged mulch cheaper for 12×40?
- Bagged: about $240 for 60 bags. Bulk: about $178 for 4.44 yards, plus delivery. Bulk usually wins above 2 or 3 yards.