Why Lincoln lawns go uneven
Down in the Witham valley, in Boultham, Birchwood, the West End and out towards Washingborough, much of the ground is clay and river silt. It shrinks in dry summers and swells in wet winters, and it settles unevenly over old drains, tree roots and builders' backfill. Up on the limestone, at Bailgate, Ermine or Bracebridge Heath, the topsoil is thin and stony, so lawns develop dips wherever soil has washed or settled into the rock below.
Add moles, years of foot traffic on the same routes and new-build turf laid over rubble, and you get the lumpy, sunken lawns we are asked to fix.
How we level a lawn
- Look firstWe check how uneven it is, what is causing it and what soil we are working with.
- Lift or stripHealthy turf with shallow dips can be lifted, packed and relaid. Badly uneven or weedy lawns are stripped.
- RegradeHigh spots taken down, hollows filled with screened topsoil, compacted ground broken up.
- Firm and checkThe surface is trodden, raked and checked with a straight edge until it is true.
- TurfFresh turf laid tight, or the original relaid if it is good enough.
- EdgesEdges cut straight or curved, exactly where you want them.
Is top-dressing enough?
For very shallow dips, a sandy top-dressing worked in over a season or two can even a lawn out. We will tell you honestly whether that will do, or whether the lawn needs regrading. Most lawns people call us about need the latter.
Limestone lawns: on the thin soils uphill and across the heath, we add depth with topsoil as we level, so the new lawn has enough root room to stay green in a dry summer.
Lawn levelling across Lincoln
We cover Lincoln and the villages around it, including Uphill and Bailgate, West End, Ermine, Birchwood, Boultham, Doddington Park, North Hykeham, Bracebridge Heath and more. Ring 01522 447016 with your postcode to check.
Questions about lawn levelling
How much does lawn levelling cost?
It depends on the size, how uneven it is and whether new turf is needed. We give a free quote after seeing it.
Can you keep my existing turf?
If it is healthy, yes: we lift, level and relay it. Patchy or weedy turf is better replaced.
How long does it take?
Usually a day or two for an average lawn.
When is best?
Spring and autumn, though it can be done most of the year outside frost and waterlogging.
