What Kinds of Soils are Expected to be Found in Florida?
While the majority of the state is covered in Myakka (gray-ish sand with a high water table), soil properties can vary widely. The soils of North and Central Florida are typically very sandy, while in the panhandle, the soil can contain substantial amounts of clay. Clay soils compact more easily and drain slower than sandy soils.  Finally, in extreme South Florida, soils are often shallow and have a high pH due to the influence of the limestone bedrock.

Organic matter is extremely common in subsurface sediments of Florida. The organic matter is formed from the remains of wetland plants that were deposited over hundreds of years. Other types of soils may cover these deposits so they can’t be seen at the surface. 

Most clay minerals are hygroscopic, meaning they have a tendency to absorb moisture. As the water table naturally fluctuates with local precipitation, the soil beneath a home or other building may shrink or swell depending on the amount of clay within it. If the soil contains a large amount of expansive clays, damage may occur to the structure, especially in times of heavy rainfall or drought. The most expansive clays (also referred to as "pipe clay") include the smectite group of clay minerals. Smectite is common throughout the Hawthorn Group, a geological layer that lies beneath much of Florida.