Playground Mulch Calculator
Playground surfacing needs depth, not looks: the CPSC guideline is 9″ of loose fill (12″ installed to allow for compaction) for equipment up to about 8 feet. Enter the use zone, which extends 6 feet beyond the equipment on all sides.
Order 24.5 yd³ — bulk mulch is sold by the ½ yard; a pickup holds about 2 yd³.
- Area
- 600 ft²
- Volume (600.0 ft³)
- 22.22 yd³
- Weight @ 0.40 t/yd³
- ≈ 8.9 tons
- Waste / settling 10%
- + 2.22 yd³
- Order quantity
- 24.44 yd³
- Truckloads
- 3 × dump load (≈10 yd³)
- Metric
- 18.69 m³
- 2 ft³ bag
- 330 bags
- 3 ft³ bag
- 220 bags
- Materials + delivery$25–$60 / yd³ · Sep 2026
- $688 – $1,545
- Installed (with labor)typ. $1,911
- $1,176 – $2,889
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What will this mulch job cost?
See the installed price range for these quantities and get up to 3 quotes from local contractors. Free, no obligation.
How to calculate mulch by hand
Cubic yards = Length (ft) × Width (ft) × Depth (in) ÷ 12 ÷ 27 · 2 ft³ bags = ft³ ÷ 2
Worked example
- Area: 20 ft × 5 ft = 100 ft².
- Volume: 100 ft² × (3 in ÷ 12) = 25 ft³.
- Cubic yards: 25 ÷ 27 = 0.93 yd³ → order 1 yd³ bulk.
- Bagged: 25 ÷ 2 = 12.5 → 13 × 2 ft³ bags, or 25 ÷ 3 = 8.3 → 9 × 3 ft³ bags.
- 1 yd³ of mulch at 3″
- ≈ 108 ft²
- 1 yd³ of mulch at 2″
- ≈ 162 ft²
- 1 yd³ in 2 ft³ bags
- 13.5 bags
- 1 yd³ hardwood mulch
- ≈ 800 lb
Questions crews ask
How deep should playground mulch be?
The CPSC Public Playground Safety Handbook calls for 9 inches of loose-fill surfacing for equipment up to 8 feet high (engineered wood fibre, wood chips, shredded rubber). Install 12 inches because loose fill compacts by about 25%.
How big is a playground use zone?
Measure the equipment footprint and add 6 feet on every side. For swings, the zone extends twice the pivot height in front and behind the swing beam.
How much does playground mulch cost?
Engineered wood fibre is $30–$50 per cubic yard bulk; rubber mulch is $8–$14 per 0.8 ft³ bag or $300–$500 per cubic yard bulk. A 30 × 20 ft area at 12 inches needs about 22 yards, so wood fibre runs $700–$1,100 in material.