Wood Chips Delivered in Bulk

Wood Chips come from a chipper. Branches and logs are fed past spinning knives that slice them into flat, blocky pieces. The result is far coarser than shredded mulch. Most pieces measure 1 to 3 inches across and have clean cut faces with no long, stringy fibers.^[1]

The color is natural, the shade of fresh cut wood. A new layer starts pale tan to blond and weathers over a few months to a soft silver gray in the sun. Because nothing is added, the chips age the way a fallen log does, which gives paths and woodland beds an unforced, natural look.^[1]

A cubic yard weighs around 700 lb, the lightest material in our mulch range. The large pieces leave air gaps between them, which is part of why the pile is so light. Wood Chips are sold by the yard, since the volume tells you how much ground the order will cover.^[1]

Paths are the classic job. A chip trail through a vegetable garden, between raised beds or across a wooded lot stays firm enough to walk on, drains fast after rain and keeps mud off your boots. Unlike fine mulch, the large pieces do not stick to shoes and track into the house.^[1]

Play areas under swings, slides and climbing frames are another common use. A deep, loose layer of chips gives a softer landing than packed soil or grass worn to dirt. The chunks shift under impact and spring back, and a rake brings the surface level again after a busy afternoon.^[1]

Trees benefit too. A wide ring of chips around a young or mature tree holds moisture over the roots, smothers competing grass and keeps mowers away from the bark. As the chips break down at the bottom of the layer, they feed the soil in much the same way that leaf litter feeds a forest floor.^[1]

Other jobs include covering bare ground behind a shed, filling the space under a deck, mulching around berry bushes and fruit trees and lining the floor of a dog run where grass will not grow.^[1]

Mark the area and clear it of grass and weeds. For a path, dig the soil down slightly so the chips sit in a shallow bed and do not spill onto the lawn. Edging boards, steel strips or a row of stones along each side help hold the chips where you want them.^[1]

A layer of landscape fabric under a path slows weeds and keeps the chips from mixing into the soil, which makes the surface last longer. Skip the fabric around trees and shrubs, where you want the chips to break down and enrich the ground over time.^[1]

Depth depends on the job. A tree ring or a light cover over garden soil needs only 2 to 3 inches. At 2 inches that is about 0.62 cubic yards per 100 square feet, and at 3 inches about 0.93 cubic yards. A garden path works well at 4 inches, about 1.23 cubic yards per 100 square feet, which gives a firm walking surface and stops weeds.^[1]

Play areas take the deepest layer. At 6 inches Wood Chips use about 1.85 cubic yards per 100 square feet, and many families go deeper under the tallest equipment. Rake the chips evenly and top them up as they pack down and break down over the seasons. Keep a small gap between the chips and any tree trunk.^[1]

Black Shredded Mulch, Brown Shredded Mulch and Red Mulch are finer, double shredded and dyed. They give front beds a neat, uniform finish and hold their color for a season. Chips are coarser and plainer, but they last longer on the ground and handle foot traffic far better.^[1]

The choice usually comes down to where the material goes. In a showpiece bed by the front door, a dyed shredded mulch looks more finished. On a path, under a swing set or around trees at the back of the lot, Wood Chips do the job with less upkeep. Many yards use both, each in its own spot.^[1]

One more difference is how the materials sit on slopes. Shredded strands knit into a mat that holds on a gentle bank, while loose chips can roll downhill. On steep ground, edging or a shredded mulch is the better option.^[1]

Gravel Valet gets Wood Chips from mulch yards, tree service yards and landscape suppliers near the delivery address. Tree crews chip limbs and trunks on the job and haul them to these yards, where the chips are screened to remove leaves, dirt and long sticks before they are sold.^[1]

The species in a load depend on the trees that grow in the region, so the color and grain can differ from one area to another. One yard's chips may be mostly oak and maple, another's more pine or mixed hardwood. All of them start in that same natural tone and weather to gray in the sun.^[1]

Wood Chips are bulky and light, which makes bags a poor deal. A sack holds only a small amount, and a single path or play area can swallow a long row of them. Bulk chips go from the yard straight to your driveway with no bags or pallets in between.^[1]

Big jobs need big volumes. A deep layer under a play set covers a lot of ground, and buying it by the cubic yard is the only practical way to get that much material on site in one day.^[1]

Because chips last longer than finer mulch, a bulk order also stretches further over the years. You top up less often, and each top up is a smaller load than the first.^[1]

Measure the path, ring or play area and work out the square feet. Choose the depth for the job and check the coverage figures above, or use the area calculator to get the cubic yards. For play areas, round up so the layer stays deep as the chips settle.^[1]

Choose a drop spot the truck can reach on solid ground, as near the work as you can. A pile of chips is light and will not stain paving, but a loaded truck still needs firm footing. Have a wheelbarrow, a pitchfork and a wide rake ready on delivery day.^[1]

Enter your ZIP in the order box to see the delivered amount for your area. Gravel Valet confirms the delivery date with you before the chips leave the yard.^[1]