What Else Do I Need and What Other Items Do You Carry? (With a example)

Picture this, You ordered a yard of Cypress Rainbow and some Stackstone Edgers for a decorative garden bed but need some additional supplies for prep or final touch. We carry a small but specialized supply of tools to hopefully save you some running around town. We also offer some tools or trailers for rent for small scale project.

Lets build a garden. For the example scenario, we carry, sell or rent items in bold.

  • The first step is to prepare the area where the garden is being built.

    We have Spades, Shovels, and Landscape Rakes to clean up the old product or debris. Rent a Hand/Plate Tamper to pack the ground and use a Landscape Level to check the grade for future drainage and edging. If needed Rent a Trailer to haul old product or dirt or grass out.

  • Now the Edging/Retaining Wall can go up

    Strips of Snap Edging can be laid down to both guide the direction and support the Edger/Blocks from moving or shifting. Looking at the garden you want to separate more of the backyard garden but without more STACKSTONE or Blocks . Plastic 20ft Edging can be dug into the ground giving a inch of separation and a clean look. Landscape Stakes and Nails(sold in kits) are hammered in the edging to hold it down. Now the STACKSTONE can be placed along the back of the Snap Edging. We are building the STACKSTONE up 2 blocks high and as such use the LEVEL to confirm the first layer of Edging is the desired level (ideally flat). Now we use BRICKSTOP Paver/Retaining Wall Adhesive to hold the blocks down (if planning for permanence).

  • Now that the bed is more contained, we can get ready for the rock to go in.

    Landscape Fabric ( available in rolls or cut) is laid down in the garden bed to postpone the growth of weeds. Landscape Staples will keep the fabric from moving. Now the CYPRESS RAINBOW can be put into the garden to the desired height. It was awfully close but we ran out rock and need a little bit more. 5 Gallon Pails for more product can be either bought to keep or returned later for a return deposit. Lets say 3 more pails of CYPRESS was enough to finish the decorative garden and with that the initial project is complete.

  • It looks great but now I am feeling adventurous and want more. (budget is no concern now)

    What started as a new Garden Bed with a retaining wall and rock has now expanded to renovating the whole backyard. The sunlight is not the greatest and the dog has ruined the dream of keeping the grass green. Synthetic Landscape Turf applied on a Gatorbase surface gives you a durable alternative for grass/sod that is also pet resistant. Similarly Rubber Mulch gives a highly durable and low maintenance mulch that does not discolor like regular mulches. In addition to the Grass, BARKMAN PAVERS are brought in to make a walkway to the garden. Polymetric Sand can be used to fill the gaps between the blocks to create a more even surface when walking on. Next a variety of Garden Accent and Pathlight are installed along the new walkway and onto the retaining wall to light up the backyard in the night. The walkway heads off from the garden and circles around a Circular Firepit Kit with a inner ring, gloves and adhesive. And finally to maximize the backyard potential and make the neighbors jealous, supplies for a water feature are offered. A Pond Base/Lining , Water Pumps, Tubing and Boulders make a easy to maintain natural fountain that is accessible in fall/spring for pump access. The end result is a extravagant (if not synthetic in this case) backyard that will endure the elements and raise property value.

This was an exaggerated scenario using as many additional products as possible, but it should paint a picture of some of the things we can offer and what you could accomplish with your own projects. For a cheaper budget and more maintenance, the Synthetic turf and mulch would be replaced with regular grass and cedar mulch. Rent a Seed Spreader, buy a Pail of Grass Seed and pick up a Sprinkler/Nozzle and attempt to fix the rough patches in the grass. Alternatively we can order Rolls of Sod for faster results.

What Are the Differences Between the Sand Types?

We carry 3 main types of sand plus smaller bags of POLYMERIC SAND to hopefully meet your needs.

  • ENGINEERED PLAY SAND is our finest grain of sand and is primarily used for playgrounds or sand pits for children. Most of the clumps and rocks are removed leaving a ideal clean sand.

  • CONCRETE SAND is the middle ground between PLAY SAND and FILL SAND. Fine like the Play Sand but may contain some smaller pebbles. Use this for sandblasting or mixing concrete.

  • FILL SAND is the most commonly used and cheapest sand. Contains the most Irregularities and has a overall dirty look. It packs very well and as such is often used for packing fences/posts, levelling pavers/edging and sanding ice in the winter.

  • POLYMERIC SAND comes in smaller 50lb bags and is used for filling the gaps between pavers. As it is more decorative it comes in a variety of colors.

What Do I Get From a Cubic Yard?

One of the biggest hurdles of ordering product for your landscaping project is determining how much you need. The biggest loader bucket we have on site is a 1 yard bucket, and as such base our prices on cubic yards. we also offer prices based on 1/2 yard and 1/4 yard measured with a 1/4 yard bucket. A cubic yard (100sqft) when in a pile can look deceiving and be hard to judge if it is too much or not enough for your project. A good rule of thumb when measuring before ordering is that 1 Yard covers approximately 10’x10’ at around 3” high. If you are more of a visualizer, 1 Yard roughly fits into 6 full Wheelbarrows or 36 Five Gallon Pails (Yes we tested this). We recommend bringing in some rough measurements or a picture of the project before ordering.

How Heavy is a Cubic Yard?

The weight of a yard of feathers versus a yard of stone is obviously going to quite different and rock products are no different.

  • Soils can fluctuate around 2,200-2,700lb per Yard depending on moisture

  • Mulch is much lighter at 200-800lb per Yard and often can be packed to fit more

  • Gravel being a mixture of sand and rock is usually 1,800-2,500lb per Yard

  • Sand and Decorative Rock can be quite heavy ranging from 2,400—3,000lb.

When picking up product from the yard make sure you know what your truck (and or) trailer can carry. 1/2 ton trucks come in many forms and each can handle different weights. 1 ton trucks fare much better with the weight but in most cases carry 1 yard based on box size. We have the right to refuse loading if it will result in damage of harm to the vehicle or others on the road. Mulches are generally not a problem for most vehicles and in most cases multiple yards can be loaded as it can pack down. If you are unsure DONT BE A HERO and opt to take a couple of smaller trips instead.

We Also Deliver

Mulch - What is it and why use it?

What is mulch?

Simply defined, mulch is a covering placed over soil. Various materials can be used as mulch depending on the desired application and effect. Everything from grass clippings to cardboard to rocks can be used to blanket the ground.

black mulch.jpg

Advantages:

Depending on the material used as mulch, there can be many advantages. These may include:

  •     help prevent soil erosion
  •     suppress weeds
  •     increase soil temperature
  •     conserve water - reduce evaporation
  •     improve soil texture
  •     add nutrients to the soil
  •     decorative - adds appeal to the yard
  •     less cultivation of the soil
  •     can provide a pathway to walk on
  •     may be a deterrent to animals, pests and bugs
  •     encourages favorable soil microbial activity and worms
  •     time saving - the areas mulched don't need as much attention

Disadvantages:

Mulching can also have some disadvantages as well. Again choice of material used will play a part in these:

  •     cost of materials
  •     the need to top off periodically
  •     weed seeds can be spread
  •     it may provide cover for slugs - which can destroy peas and carrots
  •     moist organic mulch can cause rotting at the base of many plants

If you are unsure of which mulch would best suit your particular needs, it may be a good idea to discuss these concerns with your landscaper or a gardening expert.