Get matched with top mulch and topsoil pros in Dayton, ID

Topsoil should go down first. If the topsoil is next to your house, make sure the grade slopes away from the house to keep water from pooling against your foundation and possibly leaking into your basement or crawl space. Don’t cover your decorative landscape mulch with topsoil as that defeats the purpose of laying down the mulch. If you’re trying to create a certain soil composition to improve plant growth, you’ll likely want compost mixed into the topsoil instead of mulch. Over time, any decorative wood mulch will simply decompose under the topsoil.

Sand is a common sublayer for hardscape features like driveways, paver patios, and more. Most projects that involve sand require a 1-inch layer to promote evenness, drainage, and weight distribution. For further drainage, most projects have a 6-inch minimum layer of gravel beneath the sand. 

A yard of crushed concrete costs between $20 and $50. A single-car driveway will need 1.5 to 2.5 yards of crushed concrete, putting your material costs between $30 and $125, which is much less than you’ll pay for most driveway paving methods. Your total could vary based on the thickness you’re going for, and, of course, total prices will increase with added square footage for driveways that fit multiple cars.

There should be a 1-inch thick layer of sand underneath your pavers in order to provide a proper base.