New Soil Settling?

Mr. T. – posted 15 July 2004 12:08

I posted earlier about sodding a formerly concrete backyard. Am finally about to go operational on this project but have a question. I am putting planning to put in 8 inches of topsoil over gravel (think gravel driveway)- I plan to roller it before I lay the sod – How much settle can I expect from the new topsoil? i.e. if I put down 8 inches of topsoil and roller it, should I expect that it will settle down to 6 inches over time? I ask b/c I have sidewalks surrounding the soon to be grass and need to factor in settlement. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 03 September 2004 12:23

This is highly dependent on the local soil and the organic matter in it. Soils will “fluff up” once the roots start to take up significant volume. I would start out with the soil level at the grade you ultimately want. Would that be about 1/2 inch below the grade of the concrete paths?

Be absolutely sure you don’t screw up your drainage. If you have water flowing toward your house, you will have a huge problem which, in the worst case, can lead to your losing your insurance forever (or nearly).

If you want this done right, call in a landscaper who has a tractor and a box blade. They will ensure your drainage works. If it doesn’t, you have someone to choke other than yourself (c;