Last updated on August 14th, 2022 at 01:25 pm
Sometimes during farming season, there are several situations you may encounter with the soil.
Mulching is the best resort for soil with high moisture, low fertility, or even when the sun is too scorching on little plants.
However, not many people have enough mulch material on the ground for circumstances that will require you to need the mulch.
In times like this, you must buy Mulch to be able to preserve your budding plants from harsh factors.
A yard of Mulch weighs between 400 to 800 pounds (lbs). Usually, the more moisture the Mulch contains, the heavier it will weigh. A yard of Mulch is calculated using feet measurements. So, 3 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3 feet high of Mulch equals one yard.
How Much Does Four Yards Of Mulch Weigh?

Typically, a cubic yard of Mulch weighs around 600 to 1000 lbs. This approximately equates to 0.3-0.5 tons.
Therefore, four yards of Mulch will equal 600×4, which equals 2400 lbs or 188.625 kilograms on average.
This is just an average calculation because mulch weight per yard will depend on two factors.
- How wet or dry the Mulch is.
- What material is the base of the Mulch?
The heavier the mulch material, the more pounds per yard. Mulch can be made from different things.
But basically, they are divided into two major categories: Organic mulch material and inorganic mulch material.
Examples of the mulch materials are:
Organic Mulch Material | Inorganic Mulch Material |
---|---|
Straw. | Plastic. |
Tree bark. | Geotextiles. |
Pine needles. | Rubber mulch. |
Paper. | Reflective metal much. |
Sawdust. | Landscape fabric. |
Grass clippings. | Gravel. |
Compost. | Pebbles. |
Shredded wood. | River rocks. |
Wood chips. | Black plastic landscape tarp. |
The thing with organic Mulch is that anything made from a once-living object is considered organic Mulch.
Contrary to what many think, organic Mulch doesn’t facilitate weed growth. As earlier stated, the heavier the mulch material, the more it weighs per yard.
Four-yard sawdust may measure 1600 pounds (lbs), while four yards of wood chips will weigh 2400 pounds (lbs).
The only difference between organic and inorganic Mulch is that the organic one adds nutrients to the soil.
Also, decomposing will add nutrients to the soil since it is a finished product of original living materials.
How Much Does 3 Yards Of Mulch Weigh?
Averagely, 3 Yards of Mulch will weigh between 1800 to 3000 pounds (lbs). If you’ve to measure in tons, three yards of Mulch should weigh around 0.9 to 1.5 tons.
There is no specific weight assigned to Mulch per yard because they weigh differently under different circumstances.
Examples of reasons why Mulch cannot have a specific weight include:
#1. Type of Mulch Material
Mulch weighs differently depending on the kind. Some organic Mulch materials weigh less than inorganic or synthetic materials.
Not, however, that this isn’t the case with every one of them. For example, sawdust and wood chips are organic Mulch, but wood chips will weigh heavier than sawdust.
So basically, the more weight per unit the Mulch has, the more weight per yard it will have.
#2. Moist Condition of Mulch Material
When your Mulch is wet or dry, it’ll weigh differently. Wet Mulch will weigh higher than a dry one because of its water compost.
Water will make the Mulch heavier, and that means the littlest measurement unit of the Mulch will increase by a few pounds.
#3. Weight of Other Compost
When the Mulch is not made of a single content, it will weigh higher per yard. This variation in weight is mostly so with inorganic and organic mulch compounds (when you mix both kinds of Mulch to achieve the desired result).
Assume you mix sawdust and gravel to make a mulch. The gravels will increase how much the overall mulch mixture weighs per yard.
How Much Does 5 Yards Of Mulch Weigh?
Typically, 5 Yards of Mulch will weigh 2500 pounds (lbs). Besides being used to cover plants and nurture garden beds, Mulch has a series of other importance.
When you purchase or produce this much Mulch, there is a tendency you will not exhaust it in your garden.
However, you can always use the remaining Mulch to add beauty to your landscape while protecting the soil around you.
Many companies specialize in producing human-friendly Mulch that You can use for this very purpose.
But, of course, you can always purchase from them directly, so you stand a chance of having them do the work of spreading out the Mulch for you.
Beware. However, covering your entire landscape with Mulch-like sawdust leaves you prone to significant fire accidents. And can harbor tiny insects in your surroundings.
To avoid all of these, try to get synthetic Mulch, seeing that they’ve already been through fumigation processes and can be fumigated again.
How Much Does 1 Cubic Yard Of Mulch Weigh?
One yard of Mulch weighs 400- 500 pounds (lbs). Sometimes, the weight may go higher or lower, depending on the Mulch you’re going for.
For gardens and farmlands, you should go for organic Mulch that can add nutrients to the soil when they decay into the soil.
Your best option for landscape beautification and other artificial uses is synthetic Mulch since they rarely decay.
Inorganic Mulch is not eco-friendly because it is not biodegradable. However, they still have their uses and will serve you for as long as you need them.
How Much Do Two Cubic Yards Of Mulch Weigh?
As earlier mentioned, most mulches, on average, weigh around 400 to 500 pounds (lbs).
Therefore, from this data, we can deduce that two yards of Mulch will approximately weigh 800 to 1000 pounds (lbs).
Considering this approximation is vague, it would be best to consult a trustworthy landscaping expert.
This person will provide you with the amount of mulch weight you need for your garden bed.
Also, people from the closest garden centers so you can answer all your questions concerning mulch products and their weight.
For more accurate answers, you need to consider certain factors.
These factors include:
- The layer depth of the Mulch.
- Types of Mulch, using an estimate of your mulch requirements.
- Size of the Mulch. In this case, measurements per yard. Typically, a two-yard bag of properly shredded Mulch will weigh higher than the same amount of coarsely shredded Mulch. This is so because the finely shredded Mulch typically will have little or no air space. They are finely arranged on top of each other such that the bag or container can accommodate more. The case is not so with coarse Mulch. There is space for air for coarsely chopped Mulch, and the size of the components will not allow space for the bag or container to take in more.
How Much Does 20 Yards Of Mulch Weigh?
Per our initial calculation, a yard of Mulch is 400 to 500 pounds (lbs). That means 20 Yards will be 20×400, which equates to 20 Yards of Mulch weighing 8000 pounds (lbs).
Mulch is not the same as topsoil in many situations because topsoil will weigh around 2100 pounds for 20 Yards.
All the features mentioned above that we have discussed and said play a role in increasing or reducing the weight of the Mulch are also applicable to 20 Yards.
By this, 20 Yards of Mulch can weigh more significantly or lower than 8000 pounds (lbs).
Additional characteristics found in a large quantity of Mulch include moisture, debris, and rocks.
Conclusion
Your need for the mulch material you’re buying should determine whether or not you’re going for arid ones.
Note that the dryer the mulch material, the less it will weigh. So, always try to purchase dry Mulch.