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No, mulch itself does not necessarily attract termites even though it’s usually made of shredded wood. Some types of mulch like cedar or cypress resist termites because they’re toxic or unappetizing to the wood munchers. However, when the mulch is deep enough, say three inches or more, it creates a perfect habitat for insects of all kinds to build nests.

A 40-pound bag of topsoil covers 0.76 cubic feet, enough for 4.5 square feet with a 2-inch depth or 36 square feet with a .25-inch depth, such as topdressing a standard garden bed. If you want 2 inches of fresh topsoil for your 36-square-foot garden bed, you’ll need eight 40-pound bags.

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.

Mulch is made from natural materials, which will break down and add nutrients to your soil for better plant and soil health, so removing old mulch is unnecessary before putting down new mulch. However, if you live in a particularly moist area, it’s possible that the old mulch will harbor fungus or mold, which can hurt plant health. If you notice these issues, you might want to consider removing the old mulch first. Otherwise, save time and money by placing new mulch right over the old mulch.