Bags to cubic yards calculator
Enter the number of bags and the size printed on the bag to see how many cubic yards you have, or how much bulk material the same job would take.
Estimates round up. Check product labels and supplier figures before ordering.
Bags per cubic yard
| Bag size | Bags in 1 cubic yard | Bags in 2 cubic yards |
|---|---|---|
| 0.5 cu ft | 54 | 108 |
| 0.75 cu ft | 36 | 72 |
| 1 cu ft | 27 | 54 |
| 1.5 cu ft | 18 | 36 |
| 2 cu ft | 13.5 (14) | 27 |
| 3 cu ft | 9 | 18 |
How it's calculated
Bags are labeled in cubic feet and bulk material is sold in cubic yards, so the conversion is a single division. One cubic yard is 3 ft x 3 ft x 3 ft, which is 27 cubic feet.
Cubic feet = number of bags x bag size (cu ft)
Cubic yards = cubic feet / 27
Bags per cubic yard = 27 / bag size
Example: 40 bags of mulch at 2 cubic feet each is 80 cubic feet, which is 80 / 27 = 2.96 cubic yards. If a cubic yard of bulk mulch costs $40 and a bag costs $4.50, the bags cost $180 and 2.96 yards of bulk cost about $119.
Bag sizes shown in the menu are common retail sizes, such as 0.75 cubic foot topsoil, 1.5 cubic foot garden soil and 2 or 3 cubic foot mulch. Some bags are sold by weight only, in which case the volume depends on the material. Always use the cubic feet printed on the bag.
What you'll need
- Wheelbarrow
- Garden rake
- Landscape tarp
- Work gloves
Common questions
How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?
A cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, so it holds 13.5 bags of 2 cubic feet or 9 bags of 3 cubic feet.
How many 1 cubic foot bags make a yard?
27. Divide 27 by the bag size in cubic feet for any bag.
Is it cheaper to buy mulch or soil in bags or in bulk?
Bulk is usually cheaper per cubic yard once you need about two to three yards or more, but delivery fees can erase the savings on small jobs. Enter both prices above to compare.
How many 0.75 cubic foot bags of topsoil are in a yard?
36. Divide 27 by 0.75.