How to cut a path

[mrrusty]

Have to cut for a gravel path 25m long approx 600 wide and 120 deep (so space for edging, sub-base + gravel) in existing turf lawn - heavy but not too clay topsoil. I can't decide the best way to do it.

Thoughts 1) man with digger, but will probably chew up a fair bit of surrounding lawn 2) hire a rotavator, loosen turf/ground then shovel into barrow - still work, but not as bad as cutting straight in to turf.

I just can't face hand-digging/cutting this amount of turf and digging it out.

Thoughts on best way to tackle this?

 

[Nige F]

Use a powered turf cutter first

 

[Munroast]

Done a little bit at a time it may be isnt as big a job as you think. The turf keeps it in nice move-able chunks, cut 1 foot sqaure by 3" deep at a time. The trick to make it easy is to use a sack barrow. stick a board on the bottom then after you have cut the turf just flip it onto the sack barrow - no lifting involved. you only have to move 4 pieces a day and jobs a good'un in a fortnight.

 

[mrrusty]

Thanks, had considered but that I think only gets me down about 20-30mm? still leaves ~100mm of heavy compacted soil to shift, hence was thinking rotavator to loosen down a bit deeper - what do peeps think of this idea - not really used a rotavator before.

 

[mrrusty]

Done a little bit at a time it may be isnt as big a job as you think. The turf keeps it in nice move-able chunks, cut 1 foot sqaure by 3" deep at a time. The trick to make it easy is to use a sack barrow. stick a board on the bottom then after you have cut the turf just flip it onto the sack barrow - no lifting involved. you only have to move 4 pieces a day and jobs a good'un in a fortnight.

Thanks. That's a good suggestion. Making me reconsider - I know it's doable by hand, just I find digging hard work on my old back. Think I might just have to go for it!

 

[Munroast]

If you keep the base level as you go it is no more than slicing the square from the top by standing on the spade, then sliding the spade underneath and flipping the turf over.

it so much depends on the ground, if it is very stoney it may be hard going but it may not be and it could be an easy job. Getting rid of all the turf is the hard bit, if you have somewhere you can wheel it to and stack then it could be worth a go. esp if you have a sack barrow. wheel barrows are too high to easily lift the turf into.

 

[mrrusty]

Y. have the sack barrow, and the stack of turf has a "home" as well. Cheers for the advice - you're right about wheelbarrow height and I hadn't considered a sack barrow - mine is good with fat pneumatic tyres too....

 

[Munroast]

Y. have the sack barrow, and the stack of turf has a "home" as well. Cheers for the advice - you're right about wheelbarrow height and I hadn't considered a sack barrow - mine is good with fat pneumatic tyres too....

This is mine converted to move large boulders. But it also works well for moving stuff like turf, you don't really have to manually lift anything up.

 

[scbk]

Mini digger and a power barrow, then use that to cart and lay the sub base/gravel.
Might be easier if you can the path slightly wider, a muck truck is 700mm wide.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Depending on where you are dumping the spoil, consider getting some hardboard/ thin mdf cut to 24" strips. Lay them on the route and it makes using a barrow/trolley far easier

 

[kingandy2nd]

Time vs money vs effort

Personally I’d get a mini digger. £150 and have it done in no time and minimal effort. I’ve churned up my grass with a digger a few times and it recovers pretty quick.