• Chicago IL Fill Dirt Delivery - Mulch Mound
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Chicago Fill Dirt Delivery

About this fill dirt

Screened fill dirt free of debris, for raising low ground and backfilling. Structural material, place it in lifts and compact as you go.
Ryan Cully
Ryan Cully
Google Review

First time going with this company for mulch and it was an efficient process from start to finish. Website was easy—I told them exactly where I wanted the mulch put on my driveway, and it was delivered perfectly when I got home from work the next day. Best deal around when I c...

One cubic yard covers about 54 square feet at a 6 inch depth, so a small low spot near a patio might only need a yard or two, while backfilling around a foundation or pool on a typical city lot can run into double digits. Measure the low area's length and width, decide how many inches you need to raise it, and order in cubic yards from there. Because fill is placed in 6 to 8 inch compacted lifts, larger jobs often get delivered in stages rather than one drop.

A yard is approximately 27 cubic feet. As a general guideline, one yard of material can cover an area of about 100-160 square feet at a 2-3 inch depth.

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Chicago Fill Dirt Delivery

Chicago Fill Dirt Delivery

4.7
137 reviews
$38.00 per Yard
$38.00
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Type
Size
Hand-picked local yards
4,000+ regional deliveries
Dedicated support
Why order through Mulch Mound

The best local fill dirt, without the guesswork.

We hand-pick and partner with the best yards in your region, keep only the ones our buyers rate well, and back each load with our guarantee.

Mulch Mound Guarantee

If your fill dirt isn't the quantity or quality you ordered, we'll make it right.

About this fill dirt

Screened fill dirt free of debris, for raising low ground and backfilling. Structural material, place it in lifts and compact as you go.
Ryan Cully
Ryan Cully
Google Review

First time going with this company for mulch and it was an efficient process from start to finish. Website was easy—I told them exactly where I wanted the mulch put on my driveway, and it was delivered perfectly when I got home from work the next day. Best deal around when I c...

One cubic yard covers about 54 square feet at a 6 inch depth, so a small low spot near a patio might only need a yard or two, while backfilling around a foundation or pool on a typical city lot can run into double digits. Measure the low area's length and width, decide how many inches you need to raise it, and order in cubic yards from there. Because fill is placed in 6 to 8 inch compacted lifts, larger jobs often get delivered in stages rather than one drop.

A yard is approximately 27 cubic feet. As a general guideline, one yard of material can cover an area of about 100-160 square feet at a 2-3 inch depth.

FAQs

Read all FAQs

View full details

How It Works

Getting started is easy — just follow these simple steps

1

Choose your quantity

Adjust the quantity to match your project. One cubic yard covers about 100 to 160 square feet at a 2 to 3 inch depth.

2

Select your delivery date

Select a delivery date you'd like for the product to be dropped off at your home

3

Sit back and wait

Sit back, wait, and let us work our magic to make sure the highest quality product is delivered to your driveway.

From The Mouths of Chicago Folks

4.7
out of 5 based on 137 reviews
Google Reviews
Ryan Cully
Ryan Cully

First time going with this company for mulch and it was an efficient process from start to finish. Website was easy—I told them exactly where I wan...

Read full review

First time going with this company for mulch and it was an efficient process from start to finish. Website was easy—I told them exactly where I wanted the mulch put on my driveway, and it was delivered perfectly when I got home from work the next day. Best deal around when I compared it to competitors and I will definitely be becoming back.

Google Review
Lindsay Mangan
Lindsay Mangan

Wonderful experience! They put the mulch exactly where we wanted. This mulch spread very easily and didn’t have the usual “mulch smell.” We will de...

Read full review

Wonderful experience! They put the mulch exactly where we wanted. This mulch spread very easily and didn’t have the usual “mulch smell.” We will definitely use again!

Google Review

Complete Your Outdoor Project

Most fill dirt jobs in Chicago finish with a cap of topsoil once the grade is where it needs to be, especially if grass or beds go in on top. Some backfill jobs near foundations or pools also call for gravel at the base for drainage before the fill goes in. If you're building up a low yard, pairing fill with topsoil on the same delivery schedule saves a second trip.

Chicago Soil Delivery
Chicago Mulch Delivery
Map of the fill dirt delivery area around Chicago, Illinois

Service area

Areas we deliver fill dirt in Chicago, Illinois

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Mulch Mound Pro Tip

Chicago's silty clay subsoil already drains poorly, so if you're filling near a foundation or low spot, don't just dump and walk away. Place fill in lifts of 6 to 8 inches and compact each one with a plate compactor before adding the next. Skipping this step is the number one reason people end up with a sunken yard two years later, especially once winter freeze thaw cycles work through loosely placed fill.

Mulch Mound Pro Tip

A common mistake is treating fill dirt like topsoil and trying to seed or plant directly into it. Fill is subsoil, it lacks the organic matter and structure plants need. Always cap finished, compacted fill with 4 to 6 inches of real topsoil before grass, beds, or anything else goes in. Skipping the cap layer leads to patchy growth and frustrated homeowners who blame the seed instead of the base.

Mulch Mound Pro Tip

If your project also needs topsoil or gravel, schedule both in the same delivery window rather than ordering fill now and topsoil weeks later. It saves a truck trip and keeps your timeline tighter, especially with Chicago's frost dates bookending the usable outdoor work season from mid May to early October. Planning the full stack up front, gravel base, fill, topsoil cap, avoids scrambling for a second delivery mid project.

Grading and Filling in Chicago

Chicago sits on silty clay that drains slowly and holds water after storms off the lake, which is exactly why low yards and areas near foundations need fill to raise them above the problem line. With a last frost around May 15 and first frost by October 1, most fill and grading work happens in that window before the ground firms up or freezes. This material is not for planting, it is the structural base you build up before topsoil goes on top. Expect to compact in lifts given how the local clay already resists settling evenly on its own.

What Clean Fill Is

Clean fill is screened subsoil free of debris, roots, and contaminants. It is made for volume and grade, and it compacts predictably, which is exactly what you want under slabs, in trenches, and behind walls.

Fill Dirt vs Topsoil

Fill dirt builds the shape of the ground, topsoil grows things on top of it. Bring the grade up with fill, then cap it with 4 to 6 inches of topsoil anywhere grass or plants are going in.

Compact in Lifts

Place fill in layers of 4 to 6 inches and compact each one before adding the next. Dumping the full depth at once leaves voids that settle later, and settling is the one problem fill is supposed to solve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to see the answer

Answer

Can I use fill dirt to level my backyard in Chicago?

Yes, fill dirt is exactly what leveling a low or uneven yard calls for, especially where Chicago's silty clay holds water and creates soggy patches. It should be placed in compacted 6 to 8 inch lifts rather than dumped in one deep layer, and capped with topsoil if you plan to grow grass on top.

Answer

How many cubic yards of fill dirt do I need for my lot?

One cubic yard covers about 54 square feet at a 6 inch depth, so measure your low area and depth needed to estimate yardage. A typical city lot backfill job around a foundation or pool often runs higher, sometimes 10 or more cubic yards depending on depth and area, so measure carefully before ordering.

Answer

When is the best time to bring in fill dirt in Chicago?

Fill work is driven by the project, not the season, but most people get it done between the last frost around May 15 and first frost around October 1 when the ground is workable. Frozen or saturated clay in winter makes compaction unreliable, so spring through early fall is the practical window.

Answer

Where does the delivery truck place the fill dirt?

We place the load wherever your site allows truck access, typically a driveway or the edge of the work area, and you direct the exact spot on delivery day. Delivery timing is scheduled at checkout, so plan for equipment or wheelbarrows on hand to move material from the drop point if needed.

Answer

Should I get fill dirt or topsoil for my project?

Fill dirt is for raising grade, backfilling, and building up structural depth, it is subsoil with debris screened out but no nutrients for planting. Topsoil goes on top as the final layer where anything needs to grow. Most grading and backfill jobs in Chicago use both, fill dirt as the base and a topsoil cap on top.

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