Question
We have a doggy door on the house so the dogs are able to come in and out when they need to go outside.  The problem is our back yard is full of red dirt.  We had a nice set of grass until all the rain this winter -- it died.  They are bringing in the red mud and ruining our kitchen floor.  It takes a lot of time to clean the mud up.

We were thinking of putting down gravel and then maybe a brick patio on top of it on part of the yard and then the other part maybe putting down pine straw so that they still have somewhere to use the bathroom.  Do you have any ideas that will not be too costly?  Thanks so much!

Answer
Hello,

The various asphalt pavings,which includes macadam and recycled asphalt,are in the lowest priced categories. This category also includes gravels,decomposed granite and rock dust pavings.

In order of cost from low to high,the remaining categories would include:

Precast concrete pavers.

Concrete.

Brick.

I do not have any exact cost data for geogrid or terrapave but these are probably comparable with concrete in price or perhaps a bit lower. Geogrid is a square pattern metal or plastic grid in which gravel is deposited or grass is allowed to grow. The grid prevents soil compaction and so helps to control mud. Terrapave is decomposed granite with tree resin added. The tree resin gives it a superior hardness to ordinary decomposed granite paving. Ordinary decomposed granite can soften in rain. Terrapave rivals concrete and asphalt in hardness.  Similar products to geogrid are concrete grid pavers. Good luck. Let me know if I can be of further help.

Mark Harshman
http://www.mahdrafting.com
Email: [email protected]

http://www.allexperts.com/ep/724-104627/Landscaping-Design/Mark.htm