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Raising a lawn

I have a 20x25 foot (south facing) rear garden but suffer when the weather is bad with a lot of water retention and lawn becoming very "sponge like". This is due to there being a lot of clay underneath the lawn. House and development is built on a previous school site.

I am looking at raising the lawn by a minimum of 6inches and then laying fake turrf replacing the currently lawn.

How much soil would I need to cover the whole area 20x25ft (500sq m // 598sq yard)? Before proceeding with the relay of the new lawn/fake turf.

 

PS. There is a reason for the fake turf over real turf. My wife suffers with hayfever so the cutting of grass can instigate sneezing fits. Plus I feel that fake has a much more tidier feel to it.

Posts

  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,697
    Anyone out there got a calculator?
  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    What's the actual measurement as you have mixed both up, and anyway if you have a drainage problem dumping topsoil on clay will just leave you with mud when it rains.

    You have to improve the drainage before you can consider doing either.

    Have a look at this link and then consider your options.

    http://www.artificialgrass-direct.com/diy-installation/

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 9,012

    You require 250 cubic feet or approximately 10 cubic yards of topsoil.  I'll let somebody else attempt any conversion to cubic metresimage

    As Dave says, just laying more topsoil won't fix the problem. You need to sort the drainage problem first.

  • gbr2909gbr2909 Posts: 2

    Like i said...looking to RAISE the lawn and then installation of fake turf.

    Not just leaving it with soil. The lawn is currently too low and there is no depth under grass before hitting clay. 

    Some neighbours have tried soakaways and drainage, spending in excess £3k but making no difference. Next door neighbour had ripped up lawn and laid flagging throughout which doesnt suffer the same as my garden, they are at least 6" higher in garden level than own.

     

    Looking at lazylawn and costing of personal install compared to company install.

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,138
    gbr2909 wrote (see)

    Like i said...looking to RAISE the lawn and then installation of fake turf................

    .

    image

    Dave Morgan understood your question perfectly and he explained what will happen if the drainage isn't sorted out - the water to make the mud will come from below - the water table is obviously near the surface and just putting soil on top will not solve your problem it will make it worse. 

    If your neighbours' flagging has not been properly installed with drainage it is probably contributing to the flooding in your garden.

     I have seen 'astroturf' lifted because of a rising water table and float away in flooding.  It will be worthwhile doing the preparation properly and as Mike says,you could put in shingle and sand  which will drainage. 

    However, I would seek advice from a specialist company regarding laying the turf as you obviously have drainage problems. 


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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