I only covered with peat moss in the bare/thin spots. For that I would break it down as fine as I could with a shovel/trowel, took about an hour and used 4-5 cubic feet of it. If I was doing the yard over again I'd get one of these which can be rented at most places (just a compost spreader). I used straw in the fall when I started from scratch and never again after using peat moss. No raking out, no worries about bringing weeds into the lawn, and can always tell when I need to water.