How much material will you need?
Add each area you’re working on and we’ll total the cubic yards you need — or the bags of polymeric sand for paver joints — so you know exactly how much to order.
Measure in feet. Length × width of each bed. For round beds, switch to Circle and enter the diameter. Filling paver joints? Switch to Poly Sand and we’ll count 50 lb bags of polymeric sand.
Round up a little. Mulch settles and beds are rarely perfectly square — ordering about 10% extra beats coming up short.
One yard covers about 100 sq ft at 3″ deep. We deliver as little as a single yard, right to the driveway.
Quick Conversion Guidelines
Rough rules of thumb for estimating bulk materials, flagstone, and cobblestone by the yard or ton. Once you know how much you need, check current material prices by the cubic yard.
One Cubic Yard
- 27 cubic feet (3′ × 3′ × 3′)
- Covers a 10 ft × 10 ft area (100 sq. ft.) at about 3” deep
One Cubic Yard Covers
| Depth | Area |
|---|---|
| 1” deep | 324 sq. ft. |
| 2” deep | 162 sq. ft. |
| 3” deep | 108 sq. ft. |
| 4” deep | 81 sq. ft. |
Recommended Mulch Depth
- 1–2 inches for re-mulching existing beds
- 3–4 inches for new beds
Polymeric Sand (50 lb Bag)
| Joint Width | Covers About |
|---|---|
| ⅛”–¼” joints | 75–100 sq. ft. |
| ⅜”–½” joints | 40–60 sq. ft. |
| ¾”–1” joints | 20–35 sq. ft. |
Flagstone Coverage
- 80–100 sq. ft. per ton
- 1 sq. ft. piece at 2” thick ≈ 26–30 lbs
Cut Drywall Coverage
- 3” thick piece, 12” × 8” ≈ 27 lbs
Cobblestone (Linear Foot)
| Size | Lbs / Linear Foot |
|---|---|
| 4–6” stones | 26 lbs |
| 8–12” stones | 46 lbs |
| 18”+ stones | 115 lbs |
Not sure which product or how much you need? Call (847) 358-4010 and we'll help you figure it out.
Coverage & Quantity Questions
How much is a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet — a block 3 ft long, 3 ft wide, and 3 ft deep. Spread out, one cubic yard covers about 100 sq ft at 3 inches deep, 162 sq ft at 2 inches, or 324 sq ft at 1 inch deep.
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
27. A yard is 3 feet, so a cubic yard is 3 × 3 × 3 = 27 cubic feet. Bagged mulch and soil usually come in 2 cubic-foot bags, so it takes roughly 13–14 bags to equal a single bulk yard — bulk is cheaper and faster to spread.
How much does a yard of mulch, stone, or topsoil cover?
About 100 sq ft at 3 inches deep, or 162 sq ft at 2 inches. Coverage is based on volume, so a yard of mulch, topsoil, stone, or sand all cover the same area at the same depth — only the weight differs. Use the calculator above to total multiple beds at once.
How many bags of mulch equal a cubic yard?
One cubic yard equals 27 cubic feet, which works out to about 13–14 bags at 2 cubic feet per bag. For most projects, buying bulk by the yard costs less and is faster to spread than hauling dozens of bags home.
Is the cubic-yard calculation the same for topsoil, stone, and sand as for mulch?
Yes. Cubic yards measure volume, so the math (length × width × depth) is identical regardless of material. Weight per yard varies a lot by material, but the yardage number is the same.
How much does a cubic yard weigh?
It depends on the material. Mulch runs about 800 lbs per yard, topsoil and compost about 1,800–2,200 lbs, and stone, sand, or gravel roughly 2,500–2,800 lbs. If you’re picking up in a truck, check your payload capacity first — a single yard of stone can exceed a half-ton pickup’s rating.
Do I need to order extra for settling or compaction?
We recommend rounding up by about 10% on any bulk order. Mulch compresses as it settles, topsoil and soil blends compact when you water or walk on them, and odd-shaped beds are hard to measure perfectly. A little extra is cheaper than a second delivery trip.
How deep should I spread mulch?
3–4 inches for a new bed or newly planted area, and 1–2 inches when re-mulching an existing bed on top of last year’s layer. Too thick can smother roots; too thin lets weeds punch through.
How much polymeric sand do I need for my pavers?
It depends on the paver size and the joints between them — bigger pavers and tighter joints use less sand. As a rule of thumb, one 50 lb bag covers about 75–100 sq ft with narrow ⅛”–¼” joints on standard pavers, and much less as joints get wider. Switch the calculator above to Poly Sand, enter your project area, paver size, and joint width, and it counts the bags for you. We stock polymeric sand in several colors at the yard.