General FAQ’s

We get a ton of questions every day, so I’m working on compiling a list of those questions and answers here. I’ll be updating it often and expanding on some of the shorter answers. If you have questions of your own, please use the contact form below!

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cubic feet in a cubic yard? 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard

How many square feet will one cubic yard cover? One cubic yard will cover 160 square feet (10′ x 12′) 2 inches deep. Or 80 square feet (8′ x 10′) 4 inches deep.

How many bags of mulch in a cubic yard? Our bagged mulch comes in 2 cubic foot bags, you would need 13 ½ bags to make a cubic yard.

How many bags of sand or gravel in a cubic yard? Our bagged sand and gravel are in ½ cubic foot bags. You would need 54 bags to make a cubic yard.

How much mulch/topsoil/gravel can a pickup truck hold? A small pick up truck (i.e. Ranger, S-10) can hold 1 cubic yard of mulch, a ½ cubic yard of topsoil, or a ½ ton of sand or gravel. A full size pick up truck (F150, 1 ton pickup) with a full size bed can hold 2 cubic yards of mulch, 1 cubic yard of topsoil or 1 ton of sand or gravel. It is your responsibility to know your vehicle and what its weight limit is. We will not load a vehicle beyond it’s  assumed weight limit. We reserve the right to refuse to load vehicles or trailers we deem unable to safely transport the material.

Can I get bulk material loaded in my van? No. Bulk material can only be loaded into open-bed vehicles.

Can I shovel it in myself? No. Our insurance policy does not allow customers to be working in the bulk area due to the amount of heavy machinery and large truck traffic. Bulk material may only be loaded with our loader into open-bed vehicles.

What kind of mulch is the best? The short answer is: whichever one you like. There are some things to consider that will be addressed in a longer article soon. For the time being, the most beneficial mulch for improving your soil condition are hardwood bark mulches or pine bark mulches. We carry hardwood bark mulch in bags and bulk, but pine bark mulch is available only in bags.

How deep should my mulch be? Two to two and a half inches. Mulch that is too deep is a breeding ground for mold.

Are dyed mulches safe for my animals and plants? The dye used to color our mulches is totally organic. The primary ingredients in the dye pigments are also used in cosmetics and food packaging. It will not harm plants or pets.  The Rock Pile carries Grandscape® and Timber Ridge™ mulches which only contain virgin materials from the timber industry. Read more about dyed mulches.

Are there mulches on the market that are not safe? Yes, unfortunately there are many mulches that can contain recycled wood which can contain unsafe debris and chemicals. The Rock Pile carries Grandscape® and Timber Ridge™ mulches which only contain virgin materials from the timber industry.

What kind of gravel is best for driveways? #57 Limestone is the best option for driveways. Some people also use #8 Limestone for driveways. The #8 tends to scatter more than the #57, but it is easier to walk on with high heels, if that is a consideration. It is very uncommon to use River Gravel on driveways since it won’t pack very well and it is a ‘softer’ gravel, meaning it will disintegrate more quickly than limestone.

How do I pick up bulk material? It’s very easy. Simply park in the parking lot, come into the store and speak to one of our cashiers. We can help you determine which product you need and how much. You’ll be rung up and then asked to pull around to the where the bulk pile are in the back of the property. (If you are getting a material that is sold by the ton, you will be directed where to go to get an empty weight on your vehicle first.) Then, one of our loaders will load your truck. If the product is a weighed material, you’ll pull back onto the scale and then stop back in the store to pay.

How do I drop off my yard waste?

We accept your yard clean-up waste including: grass clippings, branches, brush, bush trimmings, leaves, mulch, roots, bushes. (No soil or dirt. If disposing of roots or bushes, soil must be removed from root system.) The charge is $10.00 per cubic yard.

Simply stop in the store to let us know that you’re dropping off material. We will direct you where to go and someone will assess how much material you are dropping off.

I’ve heard that Cocoa Mulch can kill my dog. Is that true?

It is true that cocoa mulch, as well as chocolate and caffeine can be very harmful to pets. The harmful ingredient in chocolate and cocoa mulch is Theobromine. Some manufacturers who produce cocoa mulch have made it theobromine-free.
We have never carried Cocoa Mulch, but are asked about this occasionally. You can go here for more information. http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/cocoamulch.asp

I bought an item 5 days ago, and now it’s on sale. Can I get a credit?

Discounted prices are not valid on previously purchased items.

Why not?

Everything about our business is seasonal and weather-driven. Our sales promotions, discounts, etc. are planned to match to season, weather and many other time-related factors. As an extreme example, we may occasionally offer a ‘rainy-day’ sale on days that rain most of the day. Most of our other promotions are similar in nature, trying to draw more business when things might otherwise be slow due to a wide variety of factors.