Need Some Advice About Upcoming Landscape Project

[KD4315]

Hello all,
I'm about to undertake my first landscape DIY project. We have a grass area that is ruined and pretty much all weeds. By weeds I mean super mega weeds with stocks 1-1.5" think. Our plan is to till the area rake out all the weeds and garbage and then put down wood chips. There will be a play structure put in also. I have a few questions.

I will need to put down about 3" of wood chips. Should I compact the loose tilled soil to get my required depth or remove the 3" completely?

Will Landscape plastic sheets be necessary to combat future weeds?

Thanks for any help.

[bullthistle]

It depends on how much excercise you need. I would just use Roundup and then put down a woven weed barrier then mulch on top. Of course the ground underneath would be hard but then after tilling and continous use it would become hard.

[I like plants]

I don't see the need to really compact the soil. Just stomp it a bit. It will get compacted by people walking on it anyways in the near futur.

Geotextile does help. But, don't get the laminated kind. Get the felt kind. It is better.

[JackMatt18]

If you leave the soil in the area, it will naturally compact itself down with traffic and rain. Also, you will not have the room to put your 3 inches of wood chips in the area. I suggest you remove the loose soil, put your 3 inches of wood chips in the area and all should be okay. You will probably have to put an inch of wood chips in the area to maintain your 3 inches of wood chips every year.