Rubber Mulch Calculator
A playground needs 6 inches of rubber mulch for a 6-foot fall height, which is about 40 bags (0.8 cu ft each) per 100 square feet.
Rubber mulch is bought bagged far more often than in bulk. Playground depth is set by fall height, not looks — 6 inches is the common minimum under equipment.
Rubber mulch calculator
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- Area covered
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- Cubic feet
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- Weight
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- 0.8 cu ft bags
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- Estimated cost
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Density of 1,200 lb/yd³ is typical for shredded recycled tire mulch. Estimates only — confirm with your supplier before ordering.
Rubber mulch coverage per cubic yard
| Depth | Coverage per cubic yard | Yards per 500 sq ft |
|---|---|---|
| 1" | 324 sq ft | 1.54 yd³ |
| 2" | 162 sq ft | 3.09 yd³ |
| 3" | 108 sq ft | 4.63 yd³ |
| 4" | 81 sq ft | 6.17 yd³ |
| 6" | 54 sq ft | 9.26 yd³ |
Rubber mulch questions people actually ask
- How deep should rubber mulch be for a playground?
- Six inches for a fall height up to 6 feet, and 9 inches for taller equipment. Decorative beds only need 2 to 3 inches.
- How many bags of rubber mulch per square foot?
- At 6 inches deep, a 0.8 cubic foot bag covers about 1.6 square feet, so plan on roughly 40 bags per 100 square feet.
- Does rubber mulch need landscape fabric?
- Yes. Fabric keeps the rubber from mixing into the soil, which makes it far easier to top up or remove years later.
Gear for a rubber mulch job
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Related calculators
- Mulch CalculatorA cubic yard of mulch covers about 108 square feet at 3 inches deep, so most beds need roughly 1 cubic yard (13.5 two-cubic-foot bags) per 100 square feet.
- Pine Straw CalculatorOne bale of pine straw covers about 50 square feet at a settled depth of 2 to 3 inches.
- Sand CalculatorOne cubic yard of sand weighs about 1.35 tons and covers roughly 324 square feet at a 1-inch paver bedding depth.
- Compost CalculatorOne cubic yard of compost topdresses about 650 square feet of lawn at a quarter inch, or fills 108 square feet of bed at 3 inches deep.
How this number is calculated
Density of 1,200 lb/yd³ is typical for shredded recycled tire mulch. Volume is area × depth, converted to cubic yards by dividing cubic feet by 27. See all our assumptions.