Mulch for a 12×12 ft lawn
A 12 × 12 ft lawn at 1 in deep needs 0.44 cubic yards of mulch — about 6 × 40 lb bags, roughly 0.15 tons and $16.89 of material. Fine-tune below.
Full breakdown
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Volume before waste | 12.0 ft³ |
| Volume with 5% waste | 12.6 ft³ |
| Cubic yards | 0.47 |
| Cubic metres | 0.36 |
| Cubic feet | 12.6 |
| Weight | 0.16 tons (315 lb) |
| Full dump-truck loads | 1 × 10 yd³ truck |
| 40 lb bags | 7 bags · $27.65 |
| Sq ft covered at 1 in deep | 151 |
| Sq ft covered at 3 in deep | 50 |
- Formula: length × width × depth, with depth converted from inches to feet (÷ 12), then × (1 + waste%).
- Mulch: Mulch is sold by the cubic yard in bulk with delivery, or in 2 cubic foot bags from a garden centre; bulk is dramatically cheaper above about 2 yards.
- More than 3 inches of mulch smothers roots and holds too much moisture against trunks — pushing it into a cone around a tree is the single most common way people kill one.
- Prices are national averages for planning, not quotes. Confirm with a local supplier — delivery, short-load fees and tax are extra.
12 × 12 ft is 144 square feet. Spread 1 in deep, that is 12.0 cubic feet, or 0.44 cubic yards, of mulch. Expect to order around 0.15 tons.
The calculator above is pre-filled with these dimensions — change any field to see the numbers update. Mulch is sold by the cubic yard in bulk with delivery, or in 2 cubic foot bags from a garden centre; bulk is dramatically cheaper above about 2 yards.
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic yards of mulch for a 12×12 ft lawn?
About 0.44 cubic yards at 1 in deep, which is 12.0 cubic feet or 0.15 tons. Add 5% waste if the ground is uneven.
How many bags is that?
6 × 40 lb bags, or 6 × 40 lb bags. Bagged is only worth it at this size if you cannot take a truck delivery.
What depth should a lawn be?
1 in is the standard for mulch in this application. More than 3 inches of mulch smothers roots and holds too much moisture against trunks — pushing it into a cone around a tree is the single most common way people kill one.