How to level a lawn?

[GJOB]

I've checked back through 20 pages just to make sure but can anyone recommend the best way to level a a lawn?

What I've gleaned so far has been a bit contradictory:

1. Topsoil straight over the grass then seed or turf
or
2. Dig out an turn the existing grass so it rots downwards before doing 1 above
or
3. Dig out the grass, add topsoil, roll it then replace the grass sods.

It needs raising by around 10 inches at the deepest part and 3 inches at the shallowest.

40m2 in total.

TIA

[bigee]

Option 3 for the best results (also the most work,but there you go!)

[Patch1875]

Yep 3 is the only way quite a big fix required.

[RedLeicester]

Top dressing and dragmats / brushes.

ETA - just saw the 10". Erm. Re-lay from scratch.

[5MUG]

From this
to this

Whole lawn dug up - extra top soil required then turfed.

[PhilboSE]

5MUG said:

Whole lawn dug up - extra top soil required then turfed.

They've missed a bit.

[BliarOut]

Battens and lengths of string are your friend. Lay out a framework, use a large board to scrape off the excess until it's level then remove the inner part of the framework just leaving the edges for a neat border. Quick roll and you're good to go

[rfisher]

Just dig the lot up, pour in some quick setting cement to level it up and seed over that.

It's what they've done for all new builds that I've lived in.

[jfdi]

Started with option 3, after a days hard slog and still not a very flat lawn reverted to option 1 takes a few weeks to grow but far less effort.
Option 3 would probably be okay if you have a turf cutter, the area we were doing wasn't big enough to warrant hiring one.

[Mad Dave]

We had this same predicament - rented a cultivator, churned the old lawn , then added topsoil and levelled the whole area, rollered it, covered it in plant food and turfed. The turf is growing like mad!

[RedLeicester]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Here's where you're going wrong.

[CharlesdeGaulle]

5MUG said:

to this

Whole lawn dug up - extra top soil required then turfed.

You made a nice job of that. Bet it looks good now.

[McWigglebum4th]

For those of you with a fetish for large machinery


A 10 ton vibrating roller doesn't work as well as you would of hoped


Which is a bugger as i keep spilling my beer while mowing the lawn

[GJOB]

Thanks for the replies - it's only 6m x 6m that is being leveled and the existing and ajoining 12m x 10m is in OK condition. No plans to do the lot.

Work started today, I got a labourer to manually cut it, foot it and turn it - basically a manual rotivation with plenty of gaps for drainage. It'll be treaded in tomorrow before the top soil arrives.

It seemed like the most effective method for such a small size - i'll take it on the chin if it doesn't turn out so well.....like the old saying "what's the worst that could happen....?"

[bigee]

I will watch this thread for the inevitable 'bump'

[eldar]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Ahh, the joy of the out-of-context-quote.

[GJOB]

bigee said:

I will watch this thread for the inevitable 'bump'

[rotarymazda]

I had a large digger in for some building work last year, while he was on site, he redid the front garden ~100m2 in a day.

1. Strip turf
2. Strip 6-12" of topsoil off
3. Put old grass at the bottom
4. Put stripped topsoil at the top and level
5. Add grass seed, water daily.
6. Cover with a clear membrane to keep moisture in

Took 6 weeks to get a nice lawn again. The diggers are back in for another project so I'll be doing the back garden the same way.

[kinabalu]

OP, do you play golf by any chance. If yes, your in luck.
Go to the greenkeeper & ask to borrow his trulute. Fantastically easy to use & perfect results. Fill with top dressing, drag along & it fills all your dips & hollows.
Failing that, get a 10ft plank, rope tie each end & drag.

[Mad Dave]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I went over it about half a dozen times, so the grass was obliterated, very few lumps of grass in there and then covered the lot in topsoil. The whole lot was rollered with a small but quite heavy roller. I only put the turves down a month ago so there's still time for it to settle if its going to!