Cheap Ways To Cover Dirt In The Backyard – What Options Do You Have?

Last Updated on December 8, 2022 by Guillermina

Looking for cheap ways to cover dirt in the backyard? Do you ever look at your backyard and just feel sad, dejected or unmotivated because it does not look the way you would like and have no budget for an expensive landscaping project? Would you like to come home from work, look at your backyard and feel a sense of peace and relaxation? Keep reading this article.

Why The Backyard Of The House Is Important

The backyard for most homeowners is a place where they like to relax. To be able to relax in this backyard, you need it to be clean, organized and just give off that relaxing aura.

This may not always be the case, especially in newly built houses where there hasn’t been time to landscape the yard, or there haven’t been sufficient finances to carry out the landscaping because these have just been directed towards building and completing the house.

If you are in this situation, do not despair, we are here to help you out with cheap ways of making your backyard look attractive.

Small townhome garden with patio furniture amidst blooming lavender.

What Can I Use To Cover Dirt In My Yard?

There are various portions of materials that you can use to cover dirt in your backyard. These include;

• sods
• concrete slabs
• artificial turf
• mulch
• stones
• ground cover

This list of materials you can use should give you ideas to cover dirt in the yard. Now, let us get into how to cover dirt in the backyard by presenting these six ways.

Six Cheap Ways To Cover Dirt In The Backyard

1. Artificial turf

This is the lowest maintenance way to cover dirt in your backyard. The only costs you will need to cover is purchasing the turf. You can do the installation yourself if you are mechanically inclined or have an idea on how to do it. Of course, the cost of this will depend on the size of your backyard, and whether or not you will need to pay for labor.

The average cost of artificial turf is $3-15 dollars per square foot. The price depends on who you are buying it from, so you will want to look around and compare prices before making your purchase. Wholesalers usually sell at a lower cost.  You can also purchase artificial grass on amazon. The initial cost of purchase may seem high, but it will save you a lot in the long run.

2. Mulching

This is another cheap way f covering u dirt and dust in your backyard. Mulching is basically covering your backyard with organic wood chips, bark or leaves. Because these are organic, they will decay over time and will enrich your soil. If at a later stage you decide to turn your backyard into a garden, you will have the healthiest and most productive garden that you can produce a wide range of vegetables.

It will cost anywhere between 0.15-0.60 cents per square foot to mulch your backyard. It will cost you less to buy more, which may be a good idea so you can top up over time as your mulch decays and breaks down into the soil.

3. Paver bricks

This method will require a bit of manpower but otherwise, it is one of the simplest and cheapest ways to cover dirt in your backyard.

There is a wide range of different bricks in terms of size, shape and colour, giving you so many choices to choose from. You can also choose the color that you feel goes best with the rest of your house decor or colors that make you feel relaxed.

If you have just built your house, you may also have some leftover brick that you can use to save costs. You could also acquire used or second hand bricks from others, which will definitely be at a cheaper price than what you would buy them for at the store.

It will cost about $5-30 per square foot to cover your backyard. Prices will differ according to the area and type of bricks you decide to go for. Look around to find the price that will best suit your pocket.

4. Plants

This is a plant lover’s dream! If you are like me and love plants and find being surrounded by plants energizing, you will definitely want to cover your backyard with plants. There are different plants that you could choose from. For low maintenance plants, choose indigenous plants and succulents that do not require regular maintenance and watering.

You can find cheap plants at your local nursery or garden store, you could also collect them for free in your areas and take good care of them.

5.  Build a deck

Building a deck can be an expensive option. However, doing it yourself and using available materials can help save costs. If you have some leftover food or can acquire some at a cheap cost from friends or hardware stores, you can take up building a deck as a weekend project. Building it yourself will be hard work but it will definitely be very rewarding when you start to enjoy the fruits of your labor. You can also design it exactly as you want it.

6. Concrete slab

You can cast a concrete slab to cover the dirt in your back yard. This is a great way to keep your house clean especially if you have children and pets that may track dirt into the house. It will also help reduce the amount of dust that lands on the surfaces of furniture in your house, saving you time on cleaning.

If you get someone to do it for you, it will cost you between $6-10 dollars per square foot to cast a slab over your backyard. To save costs, you can mix your own cement and do your own labor. Remember, however, that this is a long term option as it will be difficult to remove once you have it on the ground.

Conclusion – Cheap Ways To Cover Dirt In The Backyard

There you have it, 5 cheap ways that help you with what to do with dirt in the backyard of your house. We hope you will find the method that will best suit your backyard and your budget, so you can create the backyard you have always dreamed of.

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