McClain's Soil Supply

Based in Tacoma, Washington, McClain's Soil Supply supplies sand and gravel, mulch and topsoil to homeowners, landscapers and contractors across the area. Google lists the business under 4 categories — Sand & gravel supplier, Bark supplier, Mulch supplier, Topsoil supplier — which points to a broader inventory than a single-product yard carries.

The business holds a 4.3-star Google rating from 242 reviews. For comparison, the Washington average across 485 listed suppliers is 4.5.

What McClain's Soil Supply supplies

Aggregate yards carry crushed stone, pea gravel, road base, mason sand, concrete sand and structural fill. Material is graded by particle size, and the correct grade depends entirely on whether you are building a compacted base, a drainage layer or a walking surface.

Road base (often called crusher run or 21AA) compacts hard and is the right choice under pavers or driveways. Clean washed stone such as #57 drains freely and is used for French drains and trench backfill. Pea gravel looks good underfoot but migrates and needs edging to stay put.

Bulk mulch comes in hardwood, dyed, cedar, cypress and pine bark varieties. Bought loose by the yard it usually costs well under half the per-volume price of bagged mulch at a big-box store, which is why most repeat buyers switch to bulk.

Because McClain's Soil Supply carries several material lines, it is often possible to combine an order across products — soil, mulch and stone on one truck — rather than paying separate delivery charges to two or three different yards.

How much material you need

Sand and gravel is sold by the ton. Aggregate is sold by weight, not volume — one cubic yard of crushed stone runs roughly 1.4 tons.

As a rough guide: 1 ton covers about 100 sq ft at 2 in; 5 tons covers about 500 sq ft at 2 in; 20 tons covers about 2,000 sq ft at 2 in.

Have length, width and target depth ready when you phone. Yard staff convert those into tons far more reliably than a generic online calculator, and they know how their own material settles.

Ordering and delivery

Ask about delivery minimums and trip charges up front — for smaller orders these often matter more to the final bill than the headline per-ton price.

Check where the truck can actually dump. Tandem trucks need overhead clearance and firm ground, and most drivers will not reverse across a soft lawn or a new driveway. If access is tight, ask whether they run a smaller truck or can leave the load at the kerb.

Pricing for bulk material is rarely published in full, since it moves with stock and season. The business website may list current products, but a phone call will get you a firm delivered number faster.

Ratings and reputation

Of the 242 reviews on file, 172 are five-star (71%) and 29 are four-star. 30 reviews sit at one or two stars, and those are worth reading directly — complaints at material yards usually concern delivery timing or short loads rather than the product itself.

Among the suppliers we list across Washington, this rating places McClain's Soil Supply in the top 76%.

Across the 20 suppliers we list in Tacoma, the average rating is 4.8.

Review volume matters as much as the score. A 4.3 drawn from 242 reviews reflects a substantial track record.

Hours and visiting the yard

McClain's Soil Supply is open 6 days a week, closed on Sunday. The yard opens as early as 8 AM and runs until 4:20 PM.

Saturday opening makes this a practical option for weekend projects — a real advantage, since plenty of bulk yards shut for the weekend and leave homeowners unable to collect material outside working hours.

Loading is weather-dependent whatever the posted hours say. Heavy rain turns yards to mud and makes wet material heavier and harder to spread, so call the same morning if conditions look poor.

Best time to buy in Washington

Demand for sand and gravel peaks from spring through early summer across Washington, when yards run their longest queues and hold firmest on price. Late summer and autumn typically bring shorter waits and more negotiating room, particularly on larger loads. If your project timing is flexible, buying outside the spring rush is the single easiest way to reduce the delivered cost.

Other suppliers nearby

There are 6 other suppliers we list within a short drive, the closest being McClain's Soil Supply in Tacoma, roughly 0.1 miles away. 127 suppliers sit within a 25-mile radius of this yard.

If this yard is short on what you need, the suppliers listed below carry overlapping inventory and will often deliver into the same area.

Buying sand and gravel in Tacoma

We list 20 bulk suppliers in Tacoma and 485 across Washington, spread over 132 cities and towns.

Bulk material pricing is intensely local. Trucking is a large share of the delivered cost, which is why a nearby yard usually beats a cheaper one further out once the full quote lands.