How Much Does A 2 Cubic Foot Bag Of Mulch Weigh?

A 2 cubic foot bag of wood mulch weighs approximately 20 to 40 pounds. However, its exact weight depends on the type of mulch and moisture content. The actual weight of a bag of mulch can be very different than the stated bag weight. For example, a 2 cubic foot bag of Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch has a bag weight of 34 lbs. Compare that to a 2 cubic foot bag of Year Long Black Mulch with a bag weight of 42 lbs. and a 2 cubic foot bag of hardwood mulch by Gardener’s Pride with a bag weight of 35 lbs. Each had a coverage area of 8 sq. ft. at 3-inches deep.

I bought one bag of each type of mulch, brought them to my shop, and weighed them. In each case, the results differed greatly from the stated bag weight.

• Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 34 lbs but actually weighed 20 lbs. The mulch was stored indoors and was extremely dry, which is why it was so light.
• Year Long Color Black Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 42 lbs but actually weighed 55 lbs. The mulch was stored outdoors and was pretty wet, which accounts for the extra weight.
• Gardener’s Pride Hardwood Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 35 lbs but actually weighed 44 lbs. The bag was stored outdoors and was wet, which is why it weighed so much.

As you can see, a 2 cubic yard bag of mulch can weigh around 20 lbs or over 50 lbs when it’s bone dry or really wet. Most mulch bags have a stated bag weight of around 34 to 42 pounds, but their actual weight is higher or lower depending on their moisture content.

How Much Does 2 Cubic Feet Of Mulch Weigh?

The standard-size bag of mulch is 2 cubic feet. How much it weighs depends largely on the type of mulch and its moisture content. For example, a bag of Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch has a bag weight of 34 lbs. But in our test, the bag actually weighed just 20 lbs. when it was bone dry. However, that same bag can weigh over 50 lbs. when soaked in water.

• 2 cubic feet of straw mulch weighs around 40 lbs.
• 2 cubic feet of wood mulch weighs about 35 lbs.
• 2 cubic feet of compost mulch weighs approximately 88 lbs.

This wide range of weight per 2 cubic foot bag depends on the different types of wood, bark, straw, and compost used to produce the mulch.

Non-organic mulch typically weighs more per 2 cubic yards than organic mulch.

• Rubber mulch weighs about 88 lbs. for 2 cubic feet.
• River rocks weigh about 200 lbs. for 2 cubic feet.
• Egg rocks weigh around 180 lbs. for 2 cubic feet.
• Lava rocks weigh approximately 72 lbs. for 2 cubic feet.
• Marble chips weigh about 180 lbs. for 2 cubic feet.

When buying mulch, it’s important to understand the material’s weight and how much moisture content it holds.

The stated weight on a 2 cubic yard bag of organic mulch can vary a lot because organic material holds more moisture than inorganic material. For example, wood mulch has a bag weight of around 25 lbs. per 2 cubic yards. But in reality, a bag can weigh 20 lbs. when bone dry or 50 lbs. when soaking wet.

A 2 cubic yard bag or inorganic mulch will be closer to its stated bag weight when dry or wet because inorganic materials, like rock, don’t absorb water like organic material does.

How Much A 2 Cubic Foot Bag Of Mulch Weighs

The standard size bag for organic wood mulch is 2 cubic feet. It weighs around 35 pounds on average and covers an area of 8 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep. However, 35 lbs. is the weight stated on the bag. In reality, wood mulch can be lighter or heavier depending on its moisture content.

Here is a chart showing some of the most popular types of wood mulch, the bag weight, and their coverage.

Mulch’s bag weight factors in a moisture content of 20-30%. If the mulch is extremely dry, a bag can weigh as little as 20 lbs. However, if it’s soaking wet that same bag can weigh 50 lbs.

Other types of organic mulch, like straw and compost don;t come in a 2 cubic foot bag. Straw bags are bigger because the material is lighter than wood. Compost mulch bags are smaller because its heavier material.

Non-organic mulch also comes in smaller bags than 2 cubic foot because its very heavy, this includes stone and rubber mulch.

How Much Does A Wet Bag Of Mulch Weigh?

Organic mulches, like wood, straw, and compost, can be 50% heavier when wet and fully saturated with water. When buying mulch by the bag, always factor in the weight added by moisture because the bag weight can be inaccurate. However, bags of mulch can also be much lighter than the bag states if they’re extremely dry.

The weight stated on a bag of mulch factors in a moisture content of between 10-30%. If the bag has more or less moisture, it will be lighter or heavier than the bag states.

Here are the results of our testing:

• A 2 cubic foot bag of Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch with a bag weight of 34 lbs. actually weighed just 20 lbs. when we weighed it because it was bone dry.
• We also tested a 2 cubic yard bag of Year Long Black Mulch with a bag weight of 42 lbs, but it actually weighed 55 lbs. because of how much water it was holding.

Inorganic mulches don’t fluctuate in weight very much from what’s stated on the bag. This is because inorganic materials like stone don’t absorb water. The bag may still contain some water, but it won’t be soaked into the material.

Here are a few rules of thumb I follow when estimating the weight of a bag of mulch:

• If organic mulch is stored inside, its weight is usually very close to the bag weight.
• When organic mulch bags are stored outside, and it rained recently, they can be 30-40% heavier than normal.
• If organic mulch is stored outdoors and in direct sunlight, it can weigh as little as 20 lbs. per bag.
• Bags on the top of the pile dry out and become lighter much faster than bags in the middle or bottom.

How To Estimate Mulch

A 2 cubic foot bag of mulch has a coverage area of approximately 8 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep. Since 3 inches is the ideal depth you should spread mulch, it’s easy to figure out how many bags you need if you stick with that depth for your mulch beds. However, if you want to use more or less mulch, here are the calculations.

One bag of 2 cubic foot mulch covers the following area:

• 10 sq. ft. at 2 inches deep.
• 8 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep.
• 6 sq. ft. at 4 inches deep.

3 inches deep is ideal, but mulch in the 2 to 4-inch deep range is OK to get the full benefits of mulch.

To figure out how many bags of mulch you need for 3-inches of depth, you must calculate the size of the area you’ll be covering. This is a very quick and easy calculation to make.

Here’s how to find the square footage of the area you want to mulch:

1. Measure the length and width of the area requiring mulch.
2. Multiply the two figures together.
3. The resulting figure is the area’s square feet.

For example, if your mulch bed is 15 feet long and 3 feet wide, multiply 15 x 3, and you end up with 45 square feet.

Once you know the square footage of the area, simply divide that number by 8, which is the coverage area per bag of mulch at 3-inches deep.

Divide 45 sq. ft. / 8 sq. ft. coverage per bag = 5.625. So to cover 45 sq. ft., you need six 2 cubic foot bags of mulch.

Wood Mulch

The average weight per 2 cubic foot bag of wood mulch is around 35 lbs., but that can vary greatly depending on the mulch’s moisture content. Wood mulch absorbs water like a sponge, so check the material’s moisture content before loading your truck.

Organic wood mulch is the most popular type of mulch used to create mulch beds and gardens. It’s very consistent and covers the same approximate area per inch of depth.

• In our tests, 2 cubic foot bags of mulch weighed between 20 lbs. when bone dry up to 55 lbs. when very wet, even though they had a stated bag weight of around 35 lbs. This is important to understand if you’re picking up mulch bags by yourself and carrying them in a car or truck with a weight limit.
• The average weight of a 2 cubic foot bag of dry shredded wood mulch is approximately 35 lbs, which can almost double in weight when saturated with water or drop to as low as 20 lbs. when bone dry.

Wood mulch comes in 2 cubic foot bags. For organic wood mulch to work properly, it should be installed at 2 to 4 inches thick. In my experience, 3 inches works best, and that’s what’s stated on the bag.

One bag of 2 cubic foot mulch covers the following area:

• 10 sq. ft. at 2 inches deep.
• 8 sq. ft. at 3 inches deep.
• 6 sq. ft. at 4 inches deep.

Organic wood mulches come in a variety of colors and types, such as brown, white, and black, and some are treated with insecticides to repel insects like termites.

Common types include shredded hardwoods, shredded eucalyptus, and pine bark nuggets.

Mulch Installation Tips

Before spreading mulch around your plants and flowers, it’s important to pluck unwanted weeds or grass from the area. Instead of spraying the area with weed killer, I like to dig the root out so there’s no chance of it growing back. A weed killer works too, but in some cases, the root survives and eventually grows back.

When spreading your mulch, try and keep it 2 to 3 inches away from the base of your plants and tree trunks. Keeping some distance between plants and mulch helps prevent rot and other diseases, reduces nesting grounds for insects, and promotes air circulation. It also helps funnel water to the root of the plant where it’s needed most.

• You can apply wood mulch directly to the ground, spreading it evenly over the area.
• I recommend wearing gloves when spreading dyed mulch because it can stain your hands.
• To reduce the chance of disease and insects, keep your mulch several inches away from trunks and the base of plants.
• Most wood mulch requires refreshing every six to 12 months.

Spread your mulch evenly and loosely. You don’t have to compact it because it will do so on its own. Once I’m done spreading, I rake the mulch to even the surface as best I can.

How Much Does A 2 Cubic Foot Of Black Mulch Weigh?

A 2 cubic foot bag of Black Mulch by Vigoro weighs 34 lbs per bag. However, that assumes a 20-30% moisture content. If the bag is bone dry, it can weigh as little as 20 lbs. But it can also weigh over 45 lbs. when soaking wet. Remember to consider the moisture content of mulch when estimating its weight.

As a general rule, bags of mulch stored indoors will be closer to the weight stated on the bag because there’s less evaporation and no rain. Bags stored outside can be heavy or light depending on the weather and direct sunlight.

If bags of black mulch are stored outdoors and in direct sunlight, they’ll usually be dry and light. However, if it rained recently, expect the bags to be heavy.

As you lift bags of mulch off the pile, you’ll notice that bags in the middle and bottom tend to hold more moisture than the bags on top, even in Summer. This is because they don’t evaporate water as easily and hold water.

Summary: How Much Does A 2 Cubic Foot Bag Of Mulch Weigh?

A 2 cubic foot bag of wood mulch weighs approximately 20 to 40 pounds. However, its exact weight depends on the type of mulch and moisture content. The actual weight of a bag of mulch can be very different than the stated bag weight. For example, a 2 cubic foot bag of Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch has a bag weight of 34 lbs. Compare that to a 2 cubic foot bag of Year Long Black Mulch with a bag weight of 42 lbs. and a 2 cubic foot bag of hardwood mulch by Gardener’s Pride with a bag weight of 35 lbs. Each had a coverage area of 8 sq. ft. at 3-inches deep.

I bought one bag of each type of mulch, brought them to my shop, and weighed them. In each case, the results differed greatly from the stated bag weight.

• Vigoro Premium Wood Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 34 lbs but actually weighed 20 lbs. The mulch was stored indoors and was extremely dry, which is why it was so light.
• Year Long Black Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 42 lbs but actually weighed 55 lbs. The mulch was stored outdoors and was pretty wet, which accounts for the extra weight.
• Gardener’s Pride Hardwood Mulch 2 cubic foot bag stated a weight of 35 lbs but actually weighed 44 lbs. The bag was stored outdoors and was wet, which is why it weighed so much.

As you can see, how much a standard 2 cubic yard bag of mulch weighs is heavily effected by its moisture content.

If you have any questions or comments about how much a 2 cubic foot bag of mulch weighs, email any time.