Mulch calculator / Bulk delivery

Mulch Delivery Space Calculator

Plan the landing spot before the truck arrives. An order in cubic yards does not, by itself, tell you the pile's width or tarp size.

Drop-space check

Enter your ordered volume and the clear drop-space dimensions below.

Waiting for measurements

Planned ground tarp—

Pile footprintNot supplied

This is a dimension check, not permission for a truck to enter or dump.

What you know now

Measure the unobstructed hard-standing, not the whole property or the size of a tarp you already own.

Bulk order cu ydClear drop-space length ftClear drop-space width ft

Ask the delivery supplier

Enter the pile footprint they expect for your order. Leave both blank if they cannot estimate it yet: the result will stay unknown, not guess a pile size.

Expected pile length ft, optionalExpected pile width ft, optionalYour extra tarp edge on each side ft, optional

Check the truck separately

Pile footprint, vehicle approach and raised dump-bed overhead are different questions. Use the current supplier's numbers, not a generic truck preset.

Narrowest clear approach width ft, optionalSupplier-required approach width ft, optionalClear overhead at drop ft, optionalSupplier-required raised-bed clearance ft, optional

Four separate checks

Quoted pile footprint: Not checked
Tarp cut and placement: Not checked
Truck approach width: Not checked
Overhead with bed raised: Not checked

A numerical pass is only a screen. The supplier must confirm turning room, surface/load limits, buried utilities, slope, overhead lines and the actual dump position.

Site plan separating the measured clear driveway rectangle, the supplier's expected mulch footprint, a user-chosen ground-tarp margin, and the truck approach. No pile size is inferred from cubic yards alone. — The tarp surrounds a *supplier-estimated* footprint. The truck still needs its own approach and raised-bed clearance.

What the calculator does—and cannot do

For a quoted rectangular footprint, this tool checks whether its length and width fit inside your measured clear area in either orientation. A tarp cut for your chosen margin is pile length + twice the margin by pile width + twice the margin; it receives a separate fit check. The volume you enter is carried into the supplier question but is not turned into an invented pile diameter or truck clearance. A dumped mound spreads according to the material, truck and placement, so confirm the actual footprint and tarp with the supplier. This browser worksheet accepts a positive order up to 1,000 cu yd, positive lengths up to 1,000 ft, and a user-chosen tarp margin from 0 to 100 ft; those are software limits, not supplier capabilities.

Two suppliers illustrate why a universal preset would be misleading: one published FAQ calls a 10 × 12 ft tarp usually just large enough for its two-yard delivery and explicitly says placement on it is not guaranteed; another delivery guide describes an approximately 12-ft pile base and separate truck/raised-bed clearances. These are supplier-specific examples, not dimensions or recommendations for your order. A UC Agriculture and Natural Resources first-person wood-chip delivery account also notes keeping driveways and walkways usable. No vendor price, product or site suitability is inferred.

Before you schedule the dump

Can cubic yards alone tell me what tarp to buy?

No. Cubic yards measure volume, not the shape of the dropped pile. Ask for the expected footprint of your specific delivery and add the ground-tarp margin you choose; the driver still may not be able to keep every piece on the tarp.

Does a fitting pile mean the delivery truck can reach the spot?

No. Compare the supplier-required route width and raised-bed height with your actual clearances, then have the supplier check turns, overhead hazards and the surface before dispatch.

What if the supplier cannot quote a pile footprint?

Keep the footprint and tarp result unknown. Copy the measured space and order quantity into a question for the supplier. Do not buy a supposedly exact tarp from volume alone.