Many hobby gardeners ask themselves how many kilograms a bag of bark mulch weighs. However, determining the exact weight is not easy because it is subject to strong fluctuations. Therefore, when it comes to weight information, there are only values that serve as a guide.
How much does a bag of bark mulch weigh?
The weight of a bag of bark mulch varies depending on moisture content, grain size and composition and can be between 15 and 25 kilograms for 60 liters. The price also depends on these factors and ranges from 4 to 22 cents per liter.
Notes on weight
Bark mulch is created in sawmills when the bark is peeled off tree trunks. It is a natural raw material made from plant fibers that can absorb moisture. This property makes it almost impossible to define general weight specifications for a bag of mulch material.
Other influencing factors
The grain size also plays a role, because packaging with a fine-grained substrate is denser and therefore heavier than the same amount of coarse pieces of bark. There are more cavities here in which there is air. Finally, the composition and the proportion of foreign substances influence the final weight. Because of these variable factors, the mulching material is sold in liters.
Examples
Unless you know precise information about the product, you cannot make a weight calculation. In this case, you have the option of weighing the bark mulch bag. In this way you get a value that provides you with guidance. However, you should not apply the result across the board to other products.
Decisive factors:
- Composition of the material
- Proportion of foreign substances
- Size of shredded bark
- Moisture content in the bark pieces
Bulk goods
The bulk weight describes the average weight of loosely poured bark mulch, which you can buy loose from specialist companies. The name is the colloquial term for the bulk density, which represents the mass per volume. For pure bark mulch, the values vary between 310 and 380 kilograms per cubic meter depending on the water content.
Bagged goods
The weight of 60 liters of packaged bark mulch is subject to fluctuations that can range from 15 to 25 kilograms. There is less air in bags with fine-grained material than in packages with coarse pieces of bark, which is why fine mulch material is more densely packed and heavier. If the bags with air holes were stored outdoors in damp weather, the bark shreds absorb moisture and gain weight. Completely dried material is comparatively light.
Prices
The price for bark mulch is just as variable as the weight. This differs depending on the manufacturer or provider and is influenced by quality, grain size and composition. In principle, you can expect costs between twelve and 22 cents per liter for packaged mulch substrates with a fine grain size. For coarse-grained substrates, the price ranges from six to 22 cents per liter. Loose bulk material is available at cheaper liter prices of four to seven cents.
Tip
A brand name often causes the price to skyrocket, even though it says nothing about the quality. Don't let this mislead you. High-quality mulch substrates can be recognized by the RAL quality seal.
