• Chicago IL Sand Delivery - Mulch Mound
  • Chicago IL Sand Delivery - Mulch Mound
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Sand - Mulch Mound
Sand - Mulch Mound

About this sand

Washed and finely screened masonry sand for mortar, paver joints, and pool bases. Consistent grain, ready to screed.
Brachie Zehnwirth
Brachie Zehnwirth
Google Review

I have ordered twice now, a pleasure to deal with, easy and fast delivery, beautiful mulch!

One cubic yard of sand covers about 324 square feet at a 1 inch depth, and most mortar mixing or paver joint jobs only need a 1 to 2 inch layer. For a typical Chicago patio or walkway project, figure out your square footage first, then decide whether you need 1 or 2 inches based on whether it is a joint fill or a bedding layer. Sand is sold by the cubic yard here, so round up rather than under order since running short mid pour stalls a crew fast.

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 Sand Delivery

Chicago Sand Delivery

4.7
137 reviews
$74.00 per Yard
$74.00
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.
Type
Size
Minimum of 3 Yard
Hand-picked local yards
4,000+ regional deliveries
Dedicated support
Why order through Mulch Mound

The best local sand, 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 sand isn't the quantity or quality you ordered, we'll make it right.

About this sand

Washed and finely screened masonry sand for mortar, paver joints, and pool bases. Consistent grain, ready to screed.
Brachie Zehnwirth
Brachie Zehnwirth
Google Review

I have ordered twice now, a pleasure to deal with, easy and fast delivery, beautiful mulch!

One cubic yard of sand covers about 324 square feet at a 1 inch depth, and most mortar mixing or paver joint jobs only need a 1 to 2 inch layer. For a typical Chicago patio or walkway project, figure out your square footage first, then decide whether you need 1 or 2 inches based on whether it is a joint fill or a bedding layer. Sand is sold by the cubic yard here, so round up rather than under order since running short mid pour stalls a crew fast.

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
Hannah
Hannah

I needed 3 yards of top soil and that's what I got! Right on time and right where I asked it to be placed (Order# 2041).

Google Review

Complete Your Outdoor Project

Sand pairs naturally with paver base or crushed stone for a full paver installation, and with mortar bags or bagged cement for masonry repair on Chicago's brick buildings. Some crews are shifting to clean chip stone for paver bedding since it does not pump the way sand can under freeze thaw cycles, worth asking your contractor about if drainage is a concern.

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

Service area

Areas we deliver sand in Chicago, Illinois

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Mulch Mound Pro Tip

In Chicago's silty clay, do not lay sand bedding directly over unamended clay subgrade for pavers, it will trap water and heave through freeze thaw cycles. Excavate a few extra inches and add a compacted gravel base under the sand layer. This is standard practice here given how our clay behaves once winter sets in, and skipping it is the most common reason paver patios sink or shift by their second season.

Mulch Mound Pro Tip

Sand for mortar mixing should stay dry until you are ready to use it, wet sand thrown into a mixer changes your water ratio and weakens the mix. Keep the pile covered with a tarp if rain is forecast, especially during Chicago's wetter spring and fall stretches when hardscape season is busiest. A soaked pile also freezes solid overnight once temperatures drop near first frost in early October.

Mulch Mound Pro Tip

Order slightly more sand than your calculated minimum, a partial yard delivered later costs more in time than a little extra on site now. If your project spans both mortar work and paver joints, ask about ordering one load sized for both uses rather than two separate deliveries, it simplifies scheduling and reduces handling on tighter city lots.

Working With Sand in Chicago

Chicago sits on silty clay that holds water and turns greasy when wet, which is exactly why sand matters here for drainage layers and workable mortar. With frost reaching down through the soil every winter until the May 15 last frost, any bedding material under pavers or steps needs to be uniform and well drained or it will heave. Mason work and masonry repair are common on Chicago's older brick housing stock, and finely screened sand is what makes that mortar workable in cold weather installs. Many local masons still call it mason sand for this reason.

Masonry vs Fill Sand

Masonry sand is washed and finely screened, the right choice for mortar work, paver joints, and sandboxes. Fill sand is coarser and less processed, better suited to leveling, bedding pipe, and filling low spots.

Bedding and Leveling

For pavers, screed a 1 inch sand bed over a compacted base rather than using sand to fix deep grade problems. A thin, even bed locks pavers in place. A thick one shifts underfoot.

Working With Moisture

Slightly damp sand spreads, screeds, and compacts far more easily than bone dry sand, which just flows back into your screed lines. Lightly wetting the pile before you work it saves real effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to see the answer

Answer

What is the difference between mason sand and regular sand for my project?

Mason sand, also called washed sand here, is finer and more uniformly screened than concrete sand, which is what makes mortar workable for brick and block work. Regular concrete sand is coarser and better suited to structural concrete mixes, not repointing or paver joints. For Chicago's masonry repair work, mason sand is the right call.

Answer

How many cubic yards of sand do I need for a paver patio?

One cubic yard covers about 324 square feet at a 1 inch depth. For a 300 square foot patio with a 1 inch bedding layer, that is roughly 1 cubic yard, but if you are also filling joints, add extra based on joint width and depth. Round up rather than order short.

Answer

When is the best time to install sand for hardscape projects in Chicago?

Spring through fall is prime hardscape season here, once the ground is workable after the May 15 last frost and before the ground starts locking up again near October 1. Working sand into joints or mortar in freezing temperatures makes it unworkable, so plan installs outside the deep winter window.

Answer

Where will the sand be dropped off and do I need to prepare anything?

The load is placed in your driveway or another clear, accessible spot near your work area that you specify at checkout. Make sure the drop zone is free of parked cars, low branches, or anything blocking truck access, and have a tarp or plywood down if you want to protect a paved surface underneath.

Answer

Should I use sand or chip stone for paver bedding?

Sand has long been the standard for paver bedding, but many contractors are shifting to clean chip stone because it drains better and does not pump up through joints over time, which matters given Chicago's clay soil and freeze thaw cycles. Sand still works well for mortar mixing and paver joint filling regardless of what you choose for the base layer.

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