Lawn Care Forum banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

Ideas for mulch storage at shop (Wood or Concrete)

Jump to Latest
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
M

madness0827

· Registered
Joined
·
89 Posts
Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello,

I am planning on having mulch delivered to my shop next year. I want to build a bin able to hold around 90 yards of mulch. I am trying to decide what to build the bin out of. I have seen the big concrete blocks (each block costs $40), but i was thinking of building it out of wood. What do you recommend? Please post pictures of your storage areas. Thank you
 
#2 ·
madness0827 said:
Hello,

I am planning on having mulch delivered to my shop next year. I want to build a bin able to hold around 90 yards of mulch. I am trying to decide what to build the bin out of. I have seen the big concrete blocks (each block costs $40), but i was thinking of building it out of wood. What do you recommend? Please post pictures of your storage areas. Thank you
Click to expand...
the concrete blocks would up better over time
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#3 ·
I have seen them made of wood but I actually think concrete would be cheaper. The one I saw was about 10wx16dx6h, give or take. It looked like he had taken 6"x6"x10' and buried them 4' in the ground with some concrete around them every 2' along the sides. Then he ran 6"x6" back at an angle from the top of the vertical ones down into the ground. All of the connections were made using some pretty heavy carriage bolts. He then covered the frame with 2"x8". Again bolted on. Everything was made from treated wood and it seemed to be holding up alright. It was made pretty heavily but it was also made before they changed the treatment used in treated wood. Today's wood wouldn't hold up as well.

Now unless you have a cheap source for lumber and a good auger, I think blocks would be cheaper. It would be much easier to install, it could easily be expanded, and easily taken down if you ever need to move it.
 
#4 ·
I think concrete will work out cheaper and not hold onto as much moisture as wood. Moisture will speed up rot and won't take as much abuse.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#5 ·
I have seen farmer's upstate going away from barns and silos to constructing what looks like a three sided concrete basement foundation with the open side flush with ground levelso equipment can be driven into the structure with soil graded up against the three sides to store their hay covered with a tarp.

Don't need a tarp to cover mulch though they built it with concrete to last and for strength.

Now for those not experienced and or have the tools to do cement work wood becomes a tempting alternative. Thing is wood is not cheap and won't last as long but more people already have the tools to work with wood.

Comes down to what you can afford, what your skills can do, and how long does the structure have to last.
 
#7 ·
IMO, concrete floor with large concrete block sides.
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#8 ·
being half sicilian, im gonna have to go with the mafia blocks

in the near future were putting up a 40x80 pole barn,with mafia blocks lining the back and side walls, so we can load mulch and firewood with a skid steer
 
#11 ·
madness0827 said:
Hello,

I am planning on having mulch delivered to my shop next year. I want to build a bin able to hold around 90 yards of mulch. I am trying to decide what to build the bin out of. I have seen the big concrete blocks (each block costs $40), but i was thinking of building it out of wood. What do you recommend? Please post pictures of your storage areas. Thank you
Click to expand...
While I'm leaning towards agreeing with the general consensus of using the large concrete blocks you have to take into consideration if you have the equipment to move those blocks around. I don't know the weight of them but can't imagine them being light.

Store bought lumber is very expensive in comparison to concrete but if you have access to woods I would be tempted to simply fell some 20 ft trees of uniform thickness and use a gas powered auger to drill holes and assemble with rebar. That would be my "cheapest" version. But you have to have the trees.
 
#12 ·
I'll actually be building a mulch pit at my shop starting next week hopefully. My plan is to use telephone poles and 2x12s. I had thought about using 6x6 for the posts, but didn't want to risk possibly hitting the wall with the tractor bucket and snapping the posts. I had thought about the mafia block route but I was told they weigh about 1200 pounds and was quoted a price of $100each.
 
#13 ·
In the past when I worked at a nursery we did the site prep for the block getting everything graded. Delivery truck brought blocks and set them in place with crane boom on truck. Next day we poured concrete inside block to form the floor. Height was three blocks which equated to six feet.
 
#14 ·
Those block way more than 1200 lbs. I would say closer to 3 or 4. Had some dropped off for a loading dock and they put them in. Had 2 extra they laid off and tried moving them with a bobcat 773 and it wouldnt budge. They were 4x2x2. You can pick them up all day for $40
 
Save
Reply Quote Like Like
#15 ·
I'd might be concerned with the heat of decomposition if the structure was made out of wood and sealed up too tight. What do you anticipate the rate of use of the mulch and getting it turned over to ventilate etc? How many years will you be using the structure for mulch storage?
 
#19 ·
I built mulch bins last spring out of wood only. I made each bin large enough to hold 60 or so yrds. But the cost was so much cheaper than doing concrete blocks. I would reccomend using wood for your mulch bins. Because mulch takes up way more space than other landscape materials. The concrete blocks would be ideal for topsoil, and stone products because you don't need as many blocks for a load of topsoil stone etc.
I built my bins by sinking railroad ties 24 inches into the ground and concreted them. Railroad ties (real one) last forever and won't rot in your lifetime. And i went to a local lumber mill and bought untreated pine lumber boards and nailed them to the railroad ties, pretty cheap and easy job. Ithink this will save you a few thousand dollars doing a few bins vs concrete. On a perfect world i would have concrete for the mulch bins but i don't have big banks like the big shots. Having a stockpile of landscaping materials at your property is what every landscaper needs, it will save you time,and be very convient, and best if you find the materials in wholesale prices you will make money buying mulch from yourself and who all gets sick of the high mulch and material account bills at the end of the month. Good luck and great decision on this project if i can figure out how to use my camera i will put a picture up.
 
#20 ·
I guess if cost is the biggest issue. But wood is going to swell, warp and bend with moisture, especially with mulch pressed against it. Also one hard push with a loader and there goes that construction. In the long run if you can afford it, there is only one way... Concrete
Posted via Mobile Device
 
1 - 20 of 26 Posts
About this Discussion
25 Replies
23 Participants
Last post:
Brown & Co.
Lawn Care Forum
posts
7.2M
members
230K
Since
1999
A forum community dedicated to lawn care and landscaping professionals and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Lawn Mowing Pesticide & Herbicide Application 🔧 Mechanic and Repair Business Operations Lawn Mowing Equipment