How much mulch do you need for a playground?
Just so, how many inches of mulch do I need for a playground?
One to two inches of rubber mulch is enough for landscaping and gardening needs. For playgrounds, the American Society for Testing and Materials requires a safety standard depth of three to six inches of mulch. This has been determined to sufficiently cushion falls from six feet up to 12 feet.
In this manner, how do I calculate how much mulch I need?
Multiply your total area in feet by how deep you want your mulch in inches. For example, if your square footage is 648 and you want a 2-inch depth, multiply 648 by 2 to get 1296 (648 x 2 = 1296). Divide your answer by 324 (1 cubic yard of mulch will cover 324 square feet 1 inch deep).
Trees, especially young ones, typically benefit most from a 2- to 3-inch layer of mulch around their base. However, for the first 12 inches immediately surrounding the trunk, thin the mulch layer so that it just covers the soil.