Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How thick should I apply my bark dust?
A: Bark Boys recommends three inches for the fist application. After that you can go as little as 1 ½ to 2 inches to refresh your bark dust. Use our quick and easy coverage calculator to determine the right quantity for your needs.

Q: How long do I have to wait for my delivery after I place my order?
A: If you call first thing in the morning we can almost always see you the same day if not the very next. If you would like a morning delivery, please give a day or two's notice. We deliver Monday through Saturday.

Q: What is the best thing to use to cover up grass seed?
A: For years many believed that sawdust was the best thing to use. However; on a hot day sawdust will dry out very quickly. Use fir bark or an organic compost to retain that much needed moisture for germination.

Q: Are there red and dark hemlock and fir trees?
A: No. All bark whether it is hemlock or fir starts out red. What turns it dark is it sits in these big, giant piles we store it in and it gets hot. When bark gets hot it begins the composting process and that is what turns it dark.

Q: What should I put under my children's play structure?
A: The Salem/Keizer School District uses wood chips. A more economical alternative would be to use the cedar hog fuel. This product is used by the City of Salem in the parks.

Q: Does bark dust attract and/or house fleas?
A: Fleas are just like people-we need something to eat in order to live. What does a flea eat? Blood. There is no blood in bark dust.

Q: Why is there dirt in my ¾ minus gravel?
A: ¾ minus gravel is a crushed rock. During the crushing process "fines" are created. So what you see are these fines and not dirt. These fines are necessary to achieve compaction.

Q: Does cedar repel fleas?
A: Yes. While cedar will not kill fleas it is known to repel them. This is why most pet beds are filled with some type of cedar material.

Q: Is Hemlock bark dust poisonous?
A: No. The hemlock "plant" is poisonous. The hemlock "tree" is not.

Q: Can you dump my product in the street in front of my house?
A: No. Even if you plan to move the product right away the City of Salem Erosion Control Department will no longer allow product to be dumped in the street due to potential contamination of the storm drains.

Q: I'm building a raised garden bed. Can I plant directly into straight compost?
A: While compost is very high in nutrients you still need some type of soil for your plants root system. We recommend our topsoil/compost mix for raised beds.

Q: Do I need to add compost to the topsoil if I'm laying down sod?
A: Sod already comes with a layer of soil. The straight topsoil will work fine for laying down sod.