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

Top up your gravel driveway whenever water starts to pool in areas. This is bound to happen over time. You can be proactive and top up your driveway at the start of the warm season, and then check on it throughout the summer, particularly after heavy rainfall. Every few years, you should consider installing a new, clean layer of gravel—and that’s a good opportunity to install a layer of landscaping fabric before doing so.

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.

The depth of your decomposed granite depends on its intended use, but around 3 to 4 inches is the most common depth. Driveways that need to support a lot of weight should be at a depth of no less than 6 inches. Walkways that won’t see a lot of weight but lots of foot traffic should be built at a depth of 3 to 4 inches, and patios should also be between 3 and 4 inches deep.

Yes, you can put soil on top of existing grass to level small areas. This is helpful for filling in small divots or leveling out minor dips in your yard that collect rainwater. However, this isn’t a good option if you need to regrade your entire lawn. It’s better to have a professional excavate some of the dirt first so that the level of the lawn doesn’t rise too high.