Frequently Asked Questions
For your convenience, Mulch Express Super Center offers these answers to the following frequently asked questions. Simply position your cursor atop the question to see the answer.
- What are your hours?We are open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 3 pm. We are closed on Sunday. We are open for all holidays except: Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
- How much is a truck load of mulch?We do not sell mulch by the truck load. It is instead sold by the loader scoop, which is equal to approximately one cubic yard. The mulch is not sold by the truck load because different trucks have different bed sizes. This therefore leads to being able to put different quantities of mulch in different trucks. It also depends on if the truck has a tool box or not.
- How much does a ton of rock cost?We do not sell our rock by weight (ton). Instead, we sell our rock by volume. We do not sale it by weight because different rocks weigh different amounts. An example of this would be a ton of feathers would be a bigger pile than a ton of bricks. To bring this back to the rock a ton of brick chips is a much smaller pile than a ton of lava rock So, to keep everything consistent it is sold by volume. Our rock loader scoop is approximately 6 tenths of a cubic yard and will cover about 60 sq ft. at 2in deep.
- How much is in a scoop?The loader scoop for the wood mulch is equal to one cubic yard and will cover approximately 120 sq ft at 2in deep. We use a different loader scoop for the rock aggregate. This scoop is equal to approximately 6 tenths of a yard and will cover 60 sq ft at 2in deep.
- Why do you use two different sized scoops?We use different sized scoops because the rock aggregate weighs a lot more than the wood mulches do. The customers' vehicles can not hold as much do to the weight.. If we used our wood mulch scoop to load stone, some of the scoops would weigh 3000 lbs, and the small light duty trucks (Chevy S10) would not be able to hold that much weight.
- How do you sell your flagstone?Our flagstone is sold in two ways. 1) It sold by the pallet (wired basket), which is equal to one ton or 2 ) the customer can choose from our picking area. All flagstone in the picking area is sold by the pound.
- How much will a pallet (ton) of flagstone cover?The larger pieces of flagstone will cover about 80 sq ft, and the veneer (small) flagstone will cover approximately 120 sq ft. This however depends on how wide the joints between the stone are. The wider the joints the more area the flagstone will cover.
- How deep should my mulch be?We recommend a 2in depth. This gives you a good coverage without running the risk of blocking water to your vegetation.
- How do I calculate how much mulch I need?First you need to figure your square footage. To do this, measure the length and the width of each bed. Then multiply the length and the width of each bed. Make sure you keep each bed separate when multiplying. Then add the total square footage of each bed together. After that divide the total square footage by either 120( wood mulches) or 60(rock aggregates) and that gives you the number of scoops you need. If you need help with this please give us a call ( 919-778-4297 )
Example:
Bed 1: 10x5, Bed 2: 20x3, Bed 3: 30x4 = Bed 1: 50 sq ft, Bed 2: 60 sq ft, Bed 3: 120 sq ft.
Add these: 50 + 60 + 120 = 230 total sq ft.
Divide by 120(wood mulches) or 60(rock aggregate)
230 / 120 = 1.9 = 2 yards of wood mulch or 230 / 60 = 3.8 = 4 scoops of rock aggregate
* Please round up or down as we typically don't sell in half yard increments - What is a cubic yard?cubic yard is 3 feet x 3 feet x 3 feet = 27 cubic feet
- How many bags of mulch are in a cubic yard?Most stores sell mulch in bags that hold 2 cubic feet of material. Divide 27 (the number of cubic feet in a cubic yard) by 2 and the answer is 13.5. So one cubic yard equates to 13.5 bags.
- Can I spread mulch on top of my pine straw?Yes, especially if the straw has already started to decay. If the straw is still thick, however, you may be adding some unnecessary and possibly damaging depth to your beds. You don't want to deprive your vegetation of water.
- What is the best way to control weeds in my beds?If you are starting out with fresh beds you have a couple of options: 1) The mulch itself - at the recommended 2in depth will help control weeds in and of itself, then a spot treatment of a mild weed chemical may be applied as needed. 2) Use landscape fabric between the mulch and soil as a barrier.
- Will dyed mulches harm my vegetation?No, the dyed mulches will not harm your vegetation because we use a nontoxic dye in our color enhanced mulches.
- Are mulches treated with pesticide?No
- Would I be inviting termites if I use wood mulch around the foundation of my home and is it treated for them?It is not treated for termites, but we have never found any termites in our mulch piles. However, wood is wood and termites gobble it up. For most people this isn't a real concern as most mulch applications are placed against masonry/concrete foundations or the hardy plank siding. But if you have wood sideing you might want to consider another product - such as decorative stone. However, some of our customers have placed a decorative stone barrier 8 - 12 inches out from their foundation then continued from the edge of the stone with mulch. This allowed them to use mulch while keeping it from directly touching the foundation. Either way, being that the south provides ideal climate conditions for termites, it's still a good idea to maintain a pest control program.
- How long will mulch last?We have had customers claim to keep acceptable color from mulch for as long as a year. Some have prolonged the life of their mulch by applying a thicker layer initially then using a rake to occasionally break it up. So, while it is possible to get a year out of it, that is probably the max. The upside, however, is that unlike pine straw, mulch doesn't totally disintegrate in a year so if you put down 2 inches this year, you'll probably only have to put down one inch next year, which will bring your depth back up to par for weed control plus provide new color.
- How much material will fit in the back of my truck?A standard pickup - like a Ford F150/Chevy 1500 - will hold about 2 yards of mulch, one scoop of dirt, and 1 scoop of sand. Longer beds will hold more volume but no more weight. Heavy-duty suspensions will carry more weight. Smaller trucks will hold about 1. yard of mulch, about 1 scoop of dirt and about 1 scoop of rock.
- Is there a delivery charge?Yes. Our delivery does have a non-negotiable charge. It is $35 for 6 scoops or more of any of our products as long as you are within ten miles. However, for every scoop under 6 the charge goes up $5 (Ex. For 3 scoops the delivery charge = $50). Also if you live further than ten miles away the charge is $3.50 a mile one way (Ex. 20 miles = $70).
6 scoops 35.00
5 scoops 40.00
4 scoops 45.00
3 scoops 50.00
2 scoops 55.00
1 scoop 60.00 - How much material can be delivered at one time?We can deliver up to 20 yards of mulch and up to 16 scoops of rock aggregate.
- Can the materials be dumped in several piles/places?No. When the material starts coming off the truck it is very hard to control.
- Will the dyed mulches stain my driveway?If the mulch has been freshly dyed and it gets to you before the dye has properly set, yes, it can stain your concrete. You will have to use a pressure washer to get the stain out. We recommend placing a tarp down on the driveway to help minimize staining.
- Will rain wash the color off the dyed (color-enhanced) mulch?Yes and No. If the mulch has been freshly dyed there is a good possibility that a heavy downpour will cause the color to wash. We recommend, just to be safe, that you watch the forecast and try to avoid installing dyed mulches when there are pending rain showers. If the dye has set, then there is no need for concern. Just ask us before you install the mulch if you think there could be an issue.
- I receive two different products on the same truck?No, it is impossible to keep two products from mixing.
- What kind of lead time do you need for a delivery?Much of the time if we are notified early in the day we can make deliveries the same day. But to be safe try to give us a day's notice, especially if it is a big order.
- Do you deliver on Saturdays and Sundays?We do deliver on Saturdays but not Sunday because we are closed.
Operating Hours:
Mon-Fri from 8:00-5:00
Sat from 8:00-3:00
Closed on Sunday