Mulch for 20 Square Metres

Calculating Mulch for a 20 Square Metre Area

Twenty square metres represents a medium-sized garden bed that's common in Australian backyards. This could be a generous planting strip running along the side of your house, a combined front garden bed, or a dedicated garden area around an outdoor entertaining space. At the recommended 75mm depth for general garden beds, you'll need approximately 1.5 cubic metres of wood chip mulch to achieve proper coverage.

In terms of weight, 1.5 cubic metres of wood chip mulch weighs around 0.60 tonnes (600 kilograms). This is a comfortable amount for bulk delivery—most landscape suppliers are happy to deliver quantities from one cubic metre upward, and 1.5 cubic metres won't overwhelm a standard residential driveway. If you're picking up yourself, you'll need a trailer rated for at least 750kg to handle this load safely in one trip.

Delivery and Handling Considerations

At this quantity, bulk delivery makes far more sense than buying bags. You'd need roughly 30 standard 20kg bags to cover 20 square metres at 75mm depth, which would cost significantly more and require multiple trips to your local hardware store. A single bulk delivery is not only more economical but also saves considerable time and effort when spreading the material.

Spreading Tips for Medium Areas

For an area this size, you'll find the job manageable with a wheelbarrow and garden rake. Start by distributing small piles of mulch evenly across the area before raking it level. This prevents you from having to move material long distances and ensures consistent coverage. Work methodically from one end to the other, checking depth with a ruler as you go until you develop a feel for 75mm thickness.

Need to calculate different dimensions or depths? Use our main mulch calculator to adjust the measurements for your specific garden bed.