Beds and borders
Pine Straw Calculator
Enter your bed area. A bale of pine straw covers roughly 40 square feet at a normal 2 to 3 inch depth. Pine straw is the classic Piedmont mulch, light, and it knits together on slopes.
At a glance
- Covers per bale
- 40 sq ft
- Waste allowance
- +5%
- Answer in
- bales
100 sq ft needs:
3 bales
Includes a 5% allowance for waste.
A bale covers about 40 sq ft at 2 to 3 inches. Long-needle straw covers a touch more and lasts longer than short-needle.
Need it delivered? Cedar Creek Landscape Supply sells pine straw by the yard across the Triangle.
Order pine strawBeds and borders
Buy it by the yard, not by the trip
Bulk mulch and soil land cheaper than bagged once you pass a yard or two, and a delivered pile saves a weekend of hauling. Work out the amount first, then price the delivery.
How this is worked out
No hidden fudge factor. This is the whole calculation.
- Length times width gives the area in square feet.
- That area is divided by 40 square feet, which is what one covers, to give the bales.
- A 5% allowance is added on top for cuts, offcuts and odd shapes.
- The total rounds up, since you cannot buy part of a bale.
Common questions
- How much pine straw do I need?
- Enter your bed area. A bale of pine straw covers roughly 40 square feet at a normal 2 to 3 inch depth. Pine straw is the classic Piedmont mulch, light, and it knits together on slopes. Enter your measurements above and this calculator gives you the amount, including a waste allowance where it applies.