Turfing my lawn

[Chrisgg90]

Hi new to the forum and looking for some help. My lawn doesn’t drain at all and the current grass area is like a mud bog. My plan is to take all the grass off, dig it down by about 6 inches as well as putting a drainage channel with perforated pipe down the middle. Then putting a layer of 10 mm gravel on top, then a weed membrane before putting either sand or top soil on top of that before laying the new turf.

I’m just wondering if that’s the best way way to do it, or am I completely off base with it and if I am any tips would be most appreciated. Thanks

 

[Deleted member 267285]

A photo of existing setup may help, with the water on top if possible.

 

[StephenOak]

It may be compacted. We have open soil and the lawn is at the top of a steep garden but in winter after heavy rain all the lawn was boggy apart from the RH strip (which is a bit lower) where there would be a thin layer of water.

I went over it with a hollow tine aerator, removing c. 40L of soil plugs, and it made a huge improvement. It has never been boggy since then.

I also scarify the lawn every year to remove dead material and, AFAIUI, that helps to keep the soil open and better draining.

 

[Chrisgg90]

It may be compacted. We have open soil and the lawn is at the top of a steep garden but in winter after heavy rain all the lawn was boggy apart from the RH strip (which is a bit lower) where there would be a thin layer of water. I went over it with a hollow tine aerator, removing c. 40L of soil plugs, and it made a huge improvement. It has never been boggy since then.

I also scarify the lawn every year to remove dead material and, AFAIUI, that helps to keep the soil open and better draining.

I did think it was maybe compacted and thought about hiring one of this machines to turn the soil over and then trampled it back down and re turf on top of that ?

 

[StephenOak]

thought about hiring one of this machines to turn the soil over

Not sure what sort of machine you mean. I used a manual hollow tine aerator, which was really hard work. You can get mechanical versions.

As you say "turn the soil over" that sounds more like a rotavator. I have never used one but that is a very different sort of machine.

and then trampled it back down and re turf on top of that ?

I have never done re-turfing, but I don't think that is how it is done.