Bags to Cubic Yards: A Conversion Chart for Mulch, Soil, and Rock
Updated 2026-08-27 · Yardly
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, so a 2-cubic-foot bag holds about 1/27 of a yard — you need roughly 14 of them per yard, 18 if they’re 1.5-cubic-foot bags, or 27 if they’re 1-cubic-foot bags. The rest is just dividing your project’s cubic yards by the bag size on the shelf.
The conversion formula
Bags per cubic yard = 27 ÷ bag size in cubic feet
Bag sizes vary by product, so always read the printed cubic feet, not just the weight. A “40-lb” bag of topsoil is usually about 1 cubic foot; a “2 cu ft” mulch bag is exactly that.
Conversion chart
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Common products |
|---|---|---|
| 1.0 cu ft | 27 | Topsoil, potting mix, some compost |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | Garden soil, raised-bed mix |
| 2.0 cu ft | 14 | Mulch, bark, many soil blends |
| 3.0 cu ft | 9 | Bulk-style compressed mulch |
A worked example
A 20-ft × 4-ft bed at 3 inches of mulch:
- Volume = 20 × 4 × (3 ÷ 12) = 20 cubic feet
- ÷ 27 = 0.74 cubic yards
- In 2-cu-ft bags: 0.74 × 14 = ~10 bags
For a bigger job — say 2 cubic yards of mulch — that’s 2 × 14 = 28 bags, which is exactly where most people switch to a bulk yard delivery.
The Portland Cement Association and bagged-product makers such as QUIKRETE size their mixes and aggregates around the same 27-cubic-foot yard, so the chart above lines up with what you’ll find on the shelf and in the calculator.
When bulk beats bags
As a rule of thumb, once you’re over about one cubic yard, bulk delivery is cheaper per cubic foot and spares your back the trips. Use bags for:
- Small refresh jobs (a single bed or a few tree wells)
- Tight access where a delivery truck can’t reach
- Topping up after a bulk order came up short
For anything larger, estimate in yards and order bulk, then keep a few bags on hand for touch-ups.
Keep reading
- Estimate beds in yards with our mulch calculator
- Need garden soil for a planter? Try the soil calculator
- Spreading gravel instead? Use the gravel calculator
Frequently asked questions
How many cubic feet are in a cubic yard?
Exactly 27. A cubic yard is 3 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft, so the conversion is fixed. Divide any bag's cubic-foot size into 27 to get bags per yard.
How many 2-cubic-foot bags are in a cubic yard?
27 ÷ 2 = 13.5, so 14 bags rounded up per cubic yard. A 1.5-cu-ft bag takes 18 per yard, and a 1-cu-ft bag takes 27 per yard.
When should I buy bulk instead of bags?
Once a project needs more than about one cubic yard of material, bulk delivery by the yard is almost always cheaper per cubic foot and saves the hauling. Bags make sense for small refresh jobs and tight access.
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
It depends on the bag. Landscaping mulch is often sold in 2-cu-ft (14 bags/yd) or 3-cu-ft (9 bags/yd) bags; check the label. Compacted or wet mulch can read smaller on the shelf, so verify the printed cubic feet.