How many bags of mulch for 1,000 sq ft, 3 inches deep?

Data checked October 2026

Short answer

1,000 sq ft of mulch 3 in deep takes 250 cu ft (9.26 cu yd) — 125 bags of 2 cu ft, 167 bags of 1.5 cu ft or 84 bags of 3 cu ft.

Label check: a 2 cu ft bag covers 8 sq ft at 3 in, and 1,000 ÷ 8 = 125 → 125 bags.
With 10% extra for settling and uneven beds: 138 × 2 cu ft or 184 × 1.5 cu ft.
Cost at Mulch Pros' Oct 2026 prices: about $456 in 2 cu ft bags vs $389 for 9.26 cu yd of bulk dyed mulch delivered — bulk is cheaper here.
Weight: about 5,556 lb of wood mulch (2.8 tons) — more after rain.
Depth: MSU Extension recommends 2–4 in for dyed mulch; 3 in is also the depth bag labels quote coverage at.
1,000 sq ft is whole-yard territory — over a hundred bags at 3 in, so bulk delivery saves both money and trips.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you mulching?

Job

New beds or bare soil.

Size

Shape

Total area

sq ft

Add up the beds: length × width for each rectangle.

Mulch & depth

Mulch

Shredded wood with colorant. MSU Extension: wood chips and shredded wood 2–4 in.

Depth

MSU Extension: 2–4 in for dyed mulch.

Exact depth

Bag size

Check the label: the same brand comes in 1.5 and 2 cu ft bags.

How you'll buy it

You need

125× 2 cu ft bags

9.26 cu yd (250 cu ft) · 1,000 sq ft at 3 in · or 9.26 cu yd bulk

Cubic yards: 9.26cu yd250 cu ft
Area: 1,000 sq ft
One 2 cu ft bag covers: 8sq ftat 3 in
Weight, roughly: 5,556 lbwood mulch 400–800 lb/yd³, more when wet

Every bag size

Bags needed by bag size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
1.5 cu ft	167	$832
2 cu ft	125	$456
3 cu ft	84	≈ $460

Bags or bulk?

125 × 2 cu ft bags

$456

materials, before tax

9.26 cu yd delivered

$389

Cheaper ✓ · incl. $75 delivery

Bulk becomes cheaper from about 4.9 cu yd (67 bags) — roughly 529 sq ft at 3 in. Bags work out to $49.28 per cubic yard. Your plan (bulk delivered): $389.

Shopping list

9.3 cu yd Dyed mulch (black, brown, red), bulkround up to your yard's smallest scoop$314
1 load Delivery$75.00

Estimated total$389

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

dyed mulch, bulk
9.3 cu yd × $
$316
Delivery
1 load × $
$75.00

Materials total$391

Bag and bulk prices from the Mulch Pros (GA) list of Oct 22, 2026 and retail snapshots. Tap any price to use your store's.

Did this answer your question?

Compare

1,000 sq ft at other depths

Depth	Cu yd	2 cu ft bags	1.5 cu ft bags	Bag cost	Bulk delivered
2 in	6.17	84	112	$307	$285
3 in	9.26	125	167	$456	$389
4 in	12.35	167	223	$610	$494

How this was worked out

1,000 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 250 cu ft. Divide by the bag size — 250 ÷ 2 = 125, rounded up to 125 bags — or by 27 for 9.26 cubic yards.

With bags at $3.65 and bulk at $33.95 a yard plus $75 delivery, bulk pays off from about 4.9 cu yd — about 529 sq ft at 3 in. At 9.3 cu yd you are past that point, so order bulk unless the pile can't go near the beds.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main mulch calculator page.

Similar jobs

Other sizes people check

Sources

Data behind this answer

Mississippi State University Extension P2301 — Mulches for the Landscape — depths by mulch type (bark 2–3 in, shredded wood 2–4, pine straw 6–8, compost 2–3, rubber 2–4); rake off after 3 years · checked October 2026
MSU Extension — How to mulch — mulch 3–6 ft out from the trunk · checked October 2026
City of Rockville, MD — Say no to mulch volcanoes (May 2026) — 2–3 in deep in a flat ring; keep a 2–3 in gap at the trunk · checked October 2026
Mulch Pros — material weight & coverage (scale weights) — 2,600–2,900 lb per yd³ of stone; 1 yd³ covers 162 sq ft at 2 in and 108 at 3 in; pine straw bale ≈ 40 sq ft; single-axle ≈ 5 t, tandem up to 18 t · checked October 2026
Mulch Pros price list (October 22, 2026) — bag and bulk prices for mulch, soil, compost, #57, crush & run, pea gravel, sand; delivery $7/mi ($60 min) · checked October 2026
LawnStarter — mulch prices (updated Oct 5, 2026) — bulk $30–$135 per yd³; delivery $70–$140; 2 cu ft bags $3.25–$6.50 · checked October 2026
Roseville Rock Supply — calculator & reference table — DG ~3,000 lb/yd³, mulch 400–800 lb, topsoil 2,000–2,200 lb; order 5–10% extra; base materials up to 15% for compaction · checked October 2026
CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook (Pub. 325) — Table 2 depths and fall heights; loose fill compresses at least 25%; 12 in initial fill for 9 in · checked October 2026
CPSC Outdoor Home Playground Safety Handbook (Pub. 324) — surfacing at least 6 ft beyond equipment in all directions · checked October 2026

Short answer

1,000 sq ft of mulch 3 in deep takes 250 cu ft (9.26 cu yd) — 125 bags of 2 cu ft, 167 bags of 1.5 cu ft or 84 bags of 3 cu ft.

Label check: a 2 cu ft bag covers 8 sq ft at 3 in, and 1,000 ÷ 8 = 125 → 125 bags.

With 10% extra for settling and uneven beds: 138 × 2 cu ft or 184 × 1.5 cu ft.

Cost at Mulch Pros' Oct 2026 prices: about $456 in 2 cu ft bags vs $389 for 9.26 cu yd of bulk dyed mulch delivered — bulk is cheaper here.

Weight: about 5,556 lb of wood mulch (2.8 tons) — more after rain.

Depth: MSU Extension recommends 2–4 in for dyed mulch; 3 in is also the depth bag labels quote coverage at.

1,000 sq ft is whole-yard territory — over a hundred bags at 3 in, so bulk delivery saves both money and trips.

Adjust it to your exact job

What are you mulching?

Job

New beds or bare soil.

Size

Shape

Total area

sq ft

Add up the beds: length × width for each rectangle.

Mulch & depth

Mulch

Shredded wood with colorant. MSU Extension: wood chips and shredded wood 2–4 in.

Depth

MSU Extension: 2–4 in for dyed mulch.

Exact depth

Bag size

Check the label: the same brand comes in 1.5 and 2 cu ft bags.

How you'll buy it

You need

125× 2 cu ft bags

9.26 cu yd (250 cu ft) · 1,000 sq ft at 3 in · or 9.26 cu yd bulk

Cubic yards: 9.26cu yd250 cu ft
Area: 1,000 sq ft
One 2 cu ft bag covers: 8sq ftat 3 in
Weight, roughly: 5,556 lbwood mulch 400–800 lb/yd³, more when wet

Every bag size

Bags needed by bag size
Bag	Bags	Est. cost
1.5 cu ft	167	$832
2 cu ft	125	$456
3 cu ft	84	≈ $460

Bags or bulk?

125 × 2 cu ft bags

$456

materials, before tax

9.26 cu yd delivered

$389

Cheaper ✓ · incl. $75 delivery

Bulk becomes cheaper from about 4.9 cu yd (67 bags) — roughly 529 sq ft at 3 in. Bags work out to $49.28 per cubic yard. Your plan (bulk delivered): $389.

Shopping list

9.3 cu yd Dyed mulch (black, brown, red), bulkround up to your yard's smallest scoop$314
1 load Delivery$75.00

Estimated total$389

Cost estimate

Tap a price to use your store's

dyed mulch, bulk
9.3 cu yd × $
$316
Delivery
1 load × $
$75.00

Materials total$391

Bag and bulk prices from the Mulch Pros (GA) list of Oct 22, 2026 and retail snapshots. Tap any price to use your store's.

Depth

Cu yd

2 cu ft bags

1.5 cu ft bags

Bag cost

Bulk delivered

2 in

6.17

112

$307

$285

3 in

9.26

125

167

$456

$389

4 in

12.35

167

223

$610

$494

How this was worked out

1,000 sq ft × 3 in ÷ 12 = 250 cu ft. Divide by the bag size — 250 ÷ 2 = 125, rounded up to 125 bags — or by 27 for 9.26 cubic yards.

The full method, material data and tips are on the main mulch calculator page.