1. Beauty Bark - Typically this is one of the more expensive types of ground cover, but offers one of the most "manicured look". Beauty bark commonly comes in red and brown colors and is composed of ground bark. It is commonly available in fine and course and is sometimes available in bark nuggets.

2. Wood Chips - Wood chips are commonly available and are composed of various wood types of wood, usually branches that are reduced to chips from a wood chipper. Tree trimming companies often have an abundance of this material. Although it is often much more inexpensive than beauty bark, it offers a very different look compared to beauty bark when used as ground cover due to its larger chip nature. Additionally, there are often unwanted components mixed in such as weeds and seeds. However if you are looking for inexpensive ground cover for a portion of you property, this is an option.

3. Hog Fuel - Hog fuel is another less expensive ground cover. Hog fuel is essentially shredded wood material and it is commonly used a fuel for industrial boilers. It is commonly used on farms for animal enclosures and stalls and also can make a good ground cover choice. The composition of hog fuel can vary from supplier to supplier, with some offering highly shredded material, while others may sell hog fuel with large chunks of wood.

4. Rock Material/Hardscape - Some people prefer hardscape for landscaping, which can consist of various types and sizes of rock material, including but not limited to river rock, blast rock, round rock, pea gravel or other choices such as lava rock. Rock material is usually similarly priced as beauty bark, and although it offers a very different look when used a a ground cover, it does offer some advantages, including being fireproof and also it does not decompose, as all other organic material does.

Our machine needs a minimum of a 5 foot opening in any gates or fences and adequate access to install the material. It is helpful to move any obstacles such as furniture, lawnmowers, gardening equipment, tools etc or other obstructions out of the way before we arrive to allow for the job to proceed in a timely manner.

Proper preparation is critical for successful installation. Any unwanted vegetation such as grass/weeds first needs to be removed by uprooting or killed via herbicide. A quality landscape fabric should then be laid over the ground and secured. Avoid using the paper thin fabric that is commonly sold in home improvement stores as these usually fail within 2 years. A better choice is 3oz or heavier woven fabric that is similar to a tarp.

Properly prepped and installed beauty bark can last for several years. As it is a natural organic material, it does slowly decompose, generally decomposing from the bottom layer. However with a quality fabric providing a barrier between the ground and the beauty bark, the rate of composition can be slowed. Additionally, most beauty bark is colored, varying from red to brown and exposure to the sun can bleach the coloration from the bark over time. We usually recommend a periodic light raking of the bark to help maintain its coloration. Older and faded beauty bark can easily be restored to its former glory with a simple fresh coat of it, generally 2-3" thick of fresh material.

We generally will use a machine to clear out any unwanted vegetation from the area where the beauty bark will be installed. In some cases, fill material maybe needed to fill low spots prior to installation of the bark. High quality landscape fabric is then put in place and secured with staples. The beauty bark material is then added to the area using a loader. The final step involves finish raking it in place and evenly around trees and shrubs.