How many bags make a cubic yard
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so:
| Bag size | Bags per cubic yard | Common for |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu ft | 54 | Gravel, decorative stone, sand |
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | Topsoil, garden soil |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | Topsoil, potting mix |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | Raised bed soil, compost |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 | Mulch |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | Mulch, pine bark |
Finding your break-even point
Work it out with your own local prices:
- Bag cost per yard = bag price × bags per yard (from the table).
- Bulk cost = price per yard × yards + delivery fee.
- Bulk wins when it's lower than bags × yards.
Delivery fees are the main reason bags win on small jobs. Because the fee is fixed, bulk usually comes out cheaper somewhere around 2–3 cubic yards for mulch and soil, and even sooner for gravel, because gravel bags are tiny.
When bags still make sense
- Small jobs: a few raised beds or a single flower bed.
- No place for a dump-truck pile, or no way to protect a driveway.
- Back yards with no wheelbarrow access, where carrying bags is easier than shoveling a pile.
- Specialty mixes, such as potting mix, that yards don't sell in bulk.
To get yards and bag counts for your project, use the mulch, topsoil or cubic yard calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many bags of mulch are in a yard?
13.5 bags of 2 cu ft, or 9 bags of 3 cu ft.
Will a cubic yard fit in a pickup truck?
Volume-wise, a full-size bed holds about 2 cubic yards of mulch. Weight is the limit for heavy materials: a yard of gravel weighs about 1.35 tons, which is more than many half-ton pickups should carry.
Does bulk mulch come with a minimum order?
Many yards have a 2–3 yard minimum for delivery, or charge a small-load fee below that. Pickup usually has no minimum.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14. Figures are typical averages; confirm with your local supplier.