How Much Mulch for 400 Square Feet?
Mulching 400 square feet of beds at 3 inches takes 3.70 cubic yards. How much mulch for 400 square feet at 2 inches is 2.47 yards.
Volume and tonnage calculator →Mulch by depth
| Depth | Cubic yards | 2 cu ft bags | 3 cu ft bags |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 in | 2.47 | 34 | 23 |
| 3 in | 3.70 | 50 | 34 |
| 4 in | 4.94 | 67 | 45 |
One cubic yard of mulch covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep, or 162 square feet at 2 inches.
Related: How Much Mulch for 100 Square Feet?
How deep to mulch
Aim for 2 to 3 inches. Refreshing existing beds often needs only an inch on top. Do not pile mulch against trunks; the ’volcano’ mound traps moisture against the bark.
Bulk vs bags
Bulk mulch by the yard usually costs much less than bags past 2 or 3 yards. At 3.70 yards, bulk delivery is the better value.
Related: How Much Mulch for 500 Square Feet?
Weight and hauling
A cubic yard of soil can weigh a ton or more, and mulch roughly a quarter to half of that depending on moisture. Check your vehicle’s payload before hauling, and keep trailer loads within the rated capacity.
Delivery and spreading
Bulk soil and mulch are usually dumped in one pile, so choose a spot on a tarp or driveway close to the work. A wheelbarrow holds about 1/10 to 1/6 of a yard, so a few yards means many trips; a helper and two wheelbarrows speed things up.
Measuring accurately
Walk the area with a tape and sketch it. Break odd shapes into rectangles and circles. If you are topping up an existing bed or lawn, measure only the new depth, since adding a full depth on top of existing soil overbuys.
Common mistakes
Buying by the bag for a large area is the classic error: dozens of bags cost far more than a bulk yard. Another is skipping compost or using unscreened soil full of clods and roots. Spreading soil when it is soaking wet compacts it and makes it hard for roots and water to move.
Questions people ask
How many yards of mulch for 400 sq ft?
About 3.70 cubic yards at 3 inches.
How many bags of mulch for 400 sq ft?
About 50 bags of 2 cubic feet at 3 inches.
How much does a yard of mulch cover?
About 108 square feet at 3 inches deep.
How deep should mulch be?
About 2 to 3 inches.
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
About 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet.
Related guides
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- How Many Bags of Topsoil in a Yard? Size Chart
- Fill Dirt vs Topsoil: Differences, Uses and Tons to Order
- How Much Does a Yard of Dirt Weigh? Topsoil, Fill, Clay
- How Much Mulch for 200 Square Feet?
- How Much Mulch for 300 Square Feet?
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