How much bark for paths?

[sez]

Does anyone have experience of covering their lottie paths with bark?

Mine are, at a very rough guess, 0.3x3 metres each, x 8. (thats the minimum I need to do - I'd like to go over the rather ratty grassed areas at a later point). The local garden centre has bark chips @ £4 for 80l. Any idea if thats a good price and a rough approximation of how much I would need? (exact isn't important, as I would start with a minimum and go back if i needed more, its more so i can judge approximate cost).

[Pootle]

Not sure (yet!) about quantity, but our local Countrywide has a buy 2 get 3rd free on bark chips - and they're cheaper than the local garden centres....don't know if that helps?

[MadamJoJo]

Most sites say 2" (50 mm) deep - if you have a quick google some merchants calculate how much you will need - try this one for how much a bag covers:
Ornamental Chip Bark Available From AHS Direct Garden Products UK

Countrywide always have the best deals, if you have one local.

[Snadger]

I think Netto have bark chippings very cheap at the mo! £1.99 for a big bag from memeory, but I may be wrong!

[Two_Sheds]

We get ours delivered free from a local groundsman - grass clippings too from the local schools. I have no idea of the capacity I used, but a barrowload covers about 5 foot of path? I like it nice and deep

[Eyren]

When my chicken run was on bark, I used to allow three sacks (60L? 80L?) to cover an area of about 6 sq metres reasonably thickly - you've got 8 sq m there, so you might need four of them, depending on how deep you want it. Four quid for 80L is about standard for garden centres but not particularly cheap - I usually wait until they've got some kind of offer, such as three for a tenner (we don't have places like Netto or Lidl in Cambridge - too posh ).

[lottie dolly]

we have it delivered by the local council for free,and later on in the year it's leaves as well,why not give your council a ring,there are also tree surgons and the likes,who might be to willing to give you them,as they have to pay to get rid,and some are just plain GREEDY

[mikon_warrior]

The tree surgeons around me always put a sign out saying that they are cutting and can provide free chippings or logs, but the council also dumps them at our allotment, its like gold - everyone piles in with the wheel barrows!

[hawthorns]

try your local recycle center. ours does 80 ltr bag for £3

[yorkshire sam]

B&Q have playbark at 4 bags for a tenner - we got 4 for our chooks great lot and good value

[Stacey Steve]

My paths between the raised beds are approx .75m x 3.5m and I have just been using 240lt per path.

Last year I used quite a bit less and it was constantly showing the weed control fabric underneath and also weeds were growing in it with their roots gripping the fabric.

With the deeper amounts I am using now, the weeds come up a lot easier and I can just shake the chippings off their roots.

Does help though that we get our chipping free.

[jnkimjones]

Wickes also have offers on at the moment. 3 huge bags for £10

[dinah gale]

We don't have Wickes or Netto down here in Devon either - woe, woe. (unless anyone can tell me differently)
I'm thinking of doing the same but have been wondering if slugs would love hiding amongst the bigger bark chippings, so whether the mulch quality would be better.
It's been such a season for the little blighters - I don't want to give them any encouragement.