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Levelling an area with top soil

CharleyDCharleyD Posts: 440
in Problem solving

I've read older threads on levelling lawns with great interest and I'm going to proceed with killing the existing lawn and therefore any weeds in it, putting top soil on the area and levelling it off, waiting 2/3 weeks for any weeds to appear and killing them off, and then laying turf.  It's only approx a 3m by 3m area.

My question is, has anyone experienced any settling down of the top soil over time and therefore making the new area slightly lower than what you first wanted?  Can anyone foresee any other problems with this plan?

Posts

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    You will almost certainly get a certain amount of settlement, but weathering will quickly expose those ares Charley. Some decent rain,, which is on the cards, and you'll soon see them and they're quickly sorted. 2-3 weeks is about perfect.

  • CharleyDCharleyD Posts: 440

    Thank you Gentlemen.  I should have mentioned that the lawn is on a slope and it's that part of the process that I want to level so it's possible that I will have about a couple of feet of top soil at the lowest point, which I intend to make a sloping bank out of.  I've read that laying turf will keep it all together hence my choice to turf it rather than sew grass seed.  Sorry not to make it clear.  Does that alter things?

  • CharleyDCharleyD Posts: 440

    Right, so level what I have already, and then level again after the top soil, wait for some hard rain to spot the problems, add more top soil, level and then add the turf.  So you don't think 2 foot of top soil will sink over time?

  • Dave MorganDave Morgan Posts: 3,123

    It's bound too Charley give it 3 weeks for 2 ft.

  • CharleyDCharleyD Posts: 440

    Brilliant!  I can cope with 3 weeks image.  Thanks so much for your help Dave and Edd image

  • KT53KT53 Posts: 8,038

    Ideally you should level the soil by raking and then 'heel in' by walking all over with the pressure on your heels rather than the soles of your feet.  That will show up any high spots and hollows.  Rake over again to address those areas and then seed or turf.

  • michael mpcmichael mpc Posts: 422

    hi all been down garden this morn dug about 12 barrows of thick compost out of my heat to fill and level out for my beet put it about 6inchs higher than old ground it says we are in for some heavy rain so hoping it will level it out (  soil/compost looks good) put some more plants in pots tidy up  had coffee went home   enough for me

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