On Wed, 01 Jun 2005 14:30:04 +0000, Spud Demon wrote:

"S.D." writes in article dated Tue, 24 May 2005 13:15:03 GMT:
I want to level this area out and have a lawn growing there. I'm thinking
of two possibilities:

1. Till up the back area where all the sod is and try to redistribute the
soil. My feeling is this would be a lot of work. The soil is clay.

2. Order up a truck of good quality soil and dump it in the back yard. Get
a bunch of friends and family to come over and help me distribute the soil
to fill in the depressions. This would involve putting soil right over the
growing grass - but then I would re-seed.

I'm favouring the last option. But my question is: would it work? Is this
just a crazy idea? would I have to roll the soil to compact it? What kind
of tools do I use to level the soil? Would this be more work than the first
option?

I have bumps in my lawn too. Whatever you decide to do, please tell us
about it afterwards so we can learn from your experience.

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.


I'd seriously consider using the cement layers method: screeting.
It's actually fairly simple to achieve.
Get a 6-8ft 2x8, 4 cement blocks (cheap at a hardware store, or find
brokenones at a build site (ASK BEFORE TAKING)), and about 12-16 feet of
rope, which is then cut in half (or 2 piece of rop 6-8 feet long...even
old burnt out extension cords can do the trick if you're in a pinch)
and two bolts that have the ability to have the rope tide to them.
drill 2 holes in the 2x8 like such:

Here and Here
| |
V V
+-----------------------------------------+ ^
| | |
| | |width
+-----------------------------------------+ v
--------------lengthwise-----------------

Drill the holes at opposite ends of the 2x8, and insert the bolts you
chose. Attach your ropes to the bolts, and lay the concrete blocks on top.
You can hook them down if you'd like, but it may not be necessary.
Now you have a handy 8 foot wide screet, that can be used to level the
ground a little easier than using a rake or shovel, and might just take
one person to handle. Remember to do this AFTER tilling or backfilling,
though. I would personally have SOME quality top soil brought in, if you
do indeed have very heavy clay deposits in your soil, THEN till.
That might sound funny, but you'll likely have better luck getting thigs
to grow in the long run that require deep rootbases.

Hope I've helped in some way. Let us know what you do!