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Laying Lawn over gravel? Good practice?

Posted by Amy Perkins on June 26, 2012 at 6:17pm in Turfcare

Hello all ,
I have a client, whose garden is currently a gravel garden - approx 20 mm gravel all over, with membrane under that. They no longer like the gravel area and would like to bring some lawn  back into the garden.


I have designed a new lawn area for the garden - and in chatting to the client the other day - they mentioned that they have heard that new turf can be laid on top of the gravel - therefore saving the costs of removing all the gravel off site.

Is this good practice? Does anyone do this? I can appreciate it would help with drainage to some extent - but worry that the lawn would struggle in the long term.

Any thoughts / advice would be very welcome, thanks,

Amy

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Replies

  • Paul McNulty June 26, 2012 at 8:50pm

    Grass only roots to a very shallow depth. Lay it on gravel and the turf is all it will have to live on. 20mm is even worse, all the moisture and nutrients will be flowing away through it.

    Recipe for disaster!

  • PRO
    Brian www.mibservices.co.uk June 26, 2012 at 9:04pm

    New lawns can be laid on sand, I don't think you will have any problems removing the membrane and tillering the chips into the soil. If the soil is poor, introduce a soil conditioner before tillering and it should be fine to lay the new lawn on.

  • David Harris June 26, 2012 at 9:13pm

    Nope. Remove the gravel and membrane  lay 2, 3''  fresh top soil sand mix and lay the new lawn that way. Least that way your lawn will more likely to last.

    http://fenceinstallationnorthlondon.co.uk/

     

  • PRO
    Nick @ NM Garden Services Ltd June 26, 2012 at 9:17pm
    Why cut for corners to save a few £££? It will only come back and bite you.

    Carry out the job properly or not at all.
  • Amy Perkins June 27, 2012 at 9:21am

    Many thanks for all advice - I was feeling like this was a bad idea - but just wanted to reassurance to trust my instincts! So I shall recommend the gravel is taken off site and spec the usual for a new lawn!

    Thanks v much

  • Colin Hunt June 27, 2012 at 5:03pm

    Good for you Amy.  Specify the correct way, should the client then be looking to save a few quid on the job, then option 2 would be to remove the membrane and rotavate the shingle into the ground as has been mentioned.  Laying direct onto shingle? - no.

    Amy Perkins said:

    Many thanks for all advice - I was feeling like this was a bad idea - but just wanted to reassurance to trust my instincts! So I shall recommend the gravel is taken off site and spec the usual for a new lawn!

    Thanks v much

  • Amy Perkins June 27, 2012 at 5:06pm

    Thanks Colin, I think the client will go with what I advise, they had just been told this method by someone else, so wanted to see if you could do it!

  • Gareth Wilson June 30, 2012 at 12:44pm
    I would despose of the membrane and rotivate the gravel into the topsoil, rake and compact lightly, rake level again and lay your turf.
  • Mark Watson June 30, 2012 at 5:17pm

    Lets just remember here, we are talking 20 mm ( less than 1 inch) gravel.In the past I have rotovated this amount into the soil, then applied 2 inches of topsoil onto the firmed base, re-firmed the soil and still have a lovely sward of grass.

  • Tim Royce July 2, 2012 at 10:09am

    Laying grass on top of gravel with a membrane underneath is not a good idea, drainage would be great but there is no soil for the roots to grow in and it would be impossible to walk on or mow. Turf needs at least six inches good drained soil to establish well rooted lawn. Turf given a chance will root deeply but can survive on about 4inches. I would remove membrane and still incorporate  the gravel but mix it with top soil

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