Cheapest Way to Cover Dirt in Backyard

Plain dirt is the perfect opportunity to infuse charm and character into your backyard. The possibilities are endless and there is no reason that you have to spend thousands of dollars. So, what is the cheapest way to cover dirt in a backyard?

Gravel, grass, and hay are the cheapest ways to cover the dirt in your backyard. Lay sod if you want the dirt in your backyard to instantly transform into a gorgeous lawn. Mulch and wood chips let you cover the dirt in your backyard while still holding the option to plant flowers and vegetables.

Stone pavers are another stylish and cheap way to cover dirt, and they cost $8 per square foot if you do it yourself. The best option for you depends on your taste, budget, and how much space you have. Follow along as we explore the cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard.

Plain dirt isn’t the most appealing visual in a backyard, but it can daunting to cover. Homeowners are often understandably hesitant to spend thousands of dollars to cover dirt in their backyard. However, you can cover the dirt in your backyard for less than $200 in many cases.

There are several ways to cover dirt in your backyard that require minimal effort and labor. The cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard typically cost less than $300, but it depends on the size of the space.

Grass is one of the cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard. You can cover up to 1,000 square feet of dirt with grass for an average of $135. This is cheap and visually appealing whether you need to cover a small patch of dirt or a large chunk of land.

Grass seeds are readily available at any plant nursery and many hardware stores. It can take up to 14 days for grass seeds to start to grow, but the results will be noticeable after that. Coated grass seeds can help speed up the results so you can cover the dirt in your backyard quickly.

Sod is a great way to cover dirt in your backyard and it requires little patience. Unlike planting grass seeds, you won’t need to wait for results with sod. It is slightly more expensive to cover the dirt with sod at $0.90 per square foot, on average, but it’s worth it.

You can lay sod without professional help to save money on labor costs. Otherwise, you may have to spend $450 or more if you hire a professional to lay sod. Even still, sod is one of the cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard and it instantly transforms the space into a lush lawn.

Mulch provides you a chance to do more with the space in your backyard later on while still covering the dirt. You can plant trees, shrubs, and flowers in the mulch in the future if you want to brighten up the space. Until then, however, mulch is much more visually appealing than a large space of plain dirt.

You can expect to spend $40 per yard of mulch, on average, but costs vary. It can cost as little as $15 per yard to install mulch, particularly if you do it without hiring a professional. Experienced DIYers can even cover dirt in the backyard with mulch for $0.20 per square foot.

Much like mulch, wood chips are a cheap way to cover the dirt in your backyard with plenty of potential. Wood chips can even infuse nutrients into your soil eventually. The key difference between mulch and wood chips is that you can’t plant directly into wood chips alone.

You can only successfully grow vegetation in wood chips if there is a healthy layer of soil beneath it. Another advantage is that you won’t need to add more wood chips each year like you would with mulch. Wood chips generally cost between $20 and $30 per yard to install.

Chips made out of cedar are the best option if you plan to grow vegetation. Mix topsoil with your wood chips for the best results.

Hay is arguably the cheapest way to cover dirt in your backyard. At $15 per bale, you can cover large or small patches of dirt in your backyard cheaply. You can grow flowers and vegetables in hay as long as you put it over healthy soil.

Hay is a great option whether you want it to be permanent or temporary. Your soil will thank you as hay helps prevent erosion which can render your soil useless. The right mixture of outdoor décor and gardening can make your hay a charming, rustic addition to your backyard.

Stone pavers can not only cover the dirt in your backyard, but they can add plenty of character. It requires a fair amount of work to lay stone pavers, but it is well worth the effort. Level the dirt in your backyard so that you can lay the pavers evenly for a clean appearance.

Put geotextile fabric over the dirt before you lay the pavers. Pavers can cost up to $15 per square foot or as little as $8 per square foot with DIY installation. You can always remove the pavers in the future if you choose to lay sod or plant grass as well.

Artificial grass provides the visual benefit of real grass without laborious maintenance. Typically made of polyethylene, artificial grass is as durable as it is affordable. DIY installation is the cheapest way to cover dirt in your backyard and costs an average of $5 per square foot.

It is much more expensive to hire professional help, and installation can cost $18 per square foot including labor. Luckily, it isn’t difficult to install artificial grass after you level the dirt. Artificial grass can last for at least 15 years before you need to replace it.

Gravel is among the cheapest and most durable ways to cover dirt in your backyard. This is a great option for small areas of dirt in particular because the average homeowner doesn’t want a large gravel yard. Gravel looks great in a backyard if you can brighten it up with vibrant plants or decorations.

The average cost of gravel is $1.10 per square foot, but it can cost less than $0.80 per square foot. As with any way to cover dirt in your backyard, DIY installation is the cheapest option. Otherwise, you may spend up to $15 per square foot after labor and material costs.

A gazebo can be as cheap or expensive as you choose based on materials and how large it is. Gazebos are an excellent choice that you can use in conjunction with mulch, gravel, wood chips, or artificial grass. You can cover a small patch of dirt with a gazebo and surround it with another form of ground cover.

There are DIY gazebo kits that cost $100 that any builder-owner can put together. This can help you avoid spending upwards of $5,000 that a professional would charge to build a gazebo.

The cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard include grass, sod, and gravel. Artificial grass is another great option and it costs $5 per square foot on average. Hay and pavers allow you to cover dirt without hiring a professional and spending hundreds on labor.

Wood chips and mulch can make your soil healthier and are helpful if you plant flowers and vegetables. You can even install a gazebo to cover the dirt in your backyard for $100 with a DIY gazebo kit. Plant grass if you are willing to wait up to 14 days for your dirt to look more vibrant and green.