Digging up Concrete Garden

Emma2019

Hi all,

My back garden is pretty small and is currently mostly concrete which is a yellow colour I'm not a fan of and I'd like to be able to grow some more plants.

I'm debating getting a jack hammer and digging it all up but I'm wondering if there's a risk it will mess up the drainage in the garden and wondering how you make a newly laid lawn level?

Also, please feel free to tell me I should just suck it up and pay someone to landscape it or something.

Thanks!

The Continental Op

Before you do anything work out how thick the concrete is and how much of it you'll need to remove. If its a cheap job and just a couple of inches go for it but if its 4 inches or more think a bit harder.

Then you'll need to bring soil back it all adds up.

Leveling a lawn is easy rake and do it by eye but you'll find loads of ways on youtube. Thing is you don't have to do it on half a day like concrete that sets you can work on an area of grass for days getting it level before you seed it.

Lumen

Do you have side or rear access?

Emma2019

I bought the house last year so I have no idea how thick the concrete is unfortunately. I can't think of any way to find out either without drilling in.

I had thought of covering it with gravel but apparently gravel on concrete doesn't work?

I have side access.

Lumen

The amount of effort also depends on how the ground was prepared for the concrete. You may have to take out a layer of compacted gravel underneath, but it'll all go in a skip either way, to be replaced by fresh topsoil.

But it's well worth it if you want a proper garden. My mum got it done about 30 years ago and has been enjoying it ever since.

People pay money to do pointless exercise in the gym, this has a productive outcome!

If you want to find out the depth you can use a long masonry bit.

The Ging and I

Before you do any any work, what direction is the garden facing. Do you get enough sun to grow stuff ?

Emma2019

Garden faces east so gets sun in the morning in most of it and evening for the rest of it. I've grown stuff in the tiny strips of beds the previous owner had left.

I don't think I'd get much of a lawn in. The space is about 30m2 or a bit bigger so not a big space but it's just the look of the concrete that's bothering me, and the beds that they left are just too small to do anything nice with.

Don't really mind the hard work. It's just the hard work without having a clue what I'm doing that I worry about!

SEPT 23 1989

pave over it

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119725371#Comment_119725371

Stop worrying and crack on OP, jack/kango hammering up concrete isn't rocket science, no-one has a clue about anything until they do it the first time!

You'll find out within the first couple of minutes though whether you're controlling the hammer or it's controlling you (wear steel toe-cap boots), but it's something everyone should experience at least once :-).

The Continental Op

Or get a lot of pots and garden that way?

Emma2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119740573#Comment_119740573

Cheers, I had been doing this but it's just harder to keep things alive in pots when you're as forgetful as I am about watering! And I'd also like to put a native tree or two into the garden and the ones I got didn't survive in their big containers unfortunately.

Also means that the evil yellow concrete is still visible too!

Emma2019

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119725399#Comment_119725399

Interesting, wasn't sure this was an option but I'll look into it!

irishMANinuk

pickaxe, jack hammer and alot of beers

Muahahaha

Have a similar problem to the OP and am wondering what way to tackle it next summer. Its approx 30m2 garden laid out by the previous owner in concrete slab tiles, each one is approx 80cm2. Underneath them is hard soil.

I want some of the new garden paved with new limestone paving and then other parts soil ready for planting. Currently wondering if I should lift up the entire 30m2 of concrete slabs and start from scratch or should I just cut out the planting areas I want and then pave over the remaining concrete slabs with new limestone paving.

I think just removing the whole lot is probably the best way to go while I have a skip but interested to hear opinions.

GreeBo

If the current tiles are just on the soil I would take them up before putting down new limestone, you want a compacted base so your new tiles dont crack.

Now if the current stuff is down for 30 years its probably as compacted as its ever going to get, but Id still want some hardcore and a whacker plate if I was installing it.

So yeah, dump the lot in a skip, use a rotavator on the whole thing, use the soil from the areas you want to pave to bulk up the areas you want to plant/lawn.

804/Hardcore in the new paving areas, whacker plate and the cement in the limestone.

Are you planning on doing it all yourself or just the prep work?

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119872634#Comment_119872634

Thanks GreenBo that explains what needs to be done very well. I think I am going to get the current concrete slabs up myself and into a skip and then call in a landscaper to complete the job as I wouldnt be confident of doing that part myself. I want a professional finish which is beyond my DIY skills. I'll also be putting in a garden shed and that needs a concrete base too.

Just with jackhammers, think I will hire one to crack all the concrete between the paving slabs and then get them up with a crow bar. When using a jackhammer is there a danger they can go too deep or is that within your control? I know there is some sewer pipes beneath the garden about 6 inches below the slabs and am conscious of hitting them with a jackhammer. A neighbour has a map of where they are so I'll be getting that off him and proceeding with caution.

standardg60

You'll hardly need a jackhammer if they're just laid on soil, just prize them up with a shovel, the cement between them will just break away.

GreeBo

Yeah just lift them with a pick-axe or crowbar to be honest.

I'd be sure to tell any landscaper where the buried pipes are!