Block Paving to become a lawn?

Hi All

New member signing in! Can I be so bold as to start off with a question?

About 3 years ago we completely removed our lawn as it had been destroyed by the dog! As our kids where very young we thought it might be a good idea to make the garden maintenance free. So we had the lot block paved! What a mistake, it is so dipressing, its like looking at a car park!

Well enough is enough. So heres the question.

Can I just pull up all the blocks and lay new turf directly onto the 2" of sand that supports the block. There is 4-6" of hardcore under the sand. OR Do i need to add top soil. OR even worse has the lot got to come out and start again?

Thanks in advance for your reply's

KLY

 

The whole lot or atleat the majority needs to come up.

The hardcore layer will otherwise cause waterlogging in the winter and drying out in the summer, you really want to scrape down to give atleast 3-4" minimum of soil depth for a good lawn.

 

I would turn all the soil over & dig in a good amount of well rotted compost. Not a good time for laying turf, mid-late September is best.

 

I agree with Pro Gard - to just lift the block paving and put turf down would be unwise. I used to live in a house with a disused brick cesspit under the lawn, about 200-250mm down. By late July, the grass would die off over the cesspit and you could see its exact outline. The greater the depth of decent soil under your turf, the better. I'm afraid that sand and hardcore should all come out......

Er, welcome to GC!