# My yard is ugly and I don't know an easy way to fix it.



## LawnGuyLandSparky (Nov 18, 2007)

You have 2 choices...

Either truck in many qubic yards of fill dirt and topsoil and plant a new lawn, or (if your entire soil isn't permeated by this gravel) get the existing soil combed out.

My vote is for the 1st suggestion.


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

The 1st one sounds expensive. I'd almost rather take out dirt since that section of yard is above the level of the foundation anyway. Either option is out of my price range right now though. 

Any easier way to comb the gravel than a rake and lots of pain? Maybe wait until after a good rain at least? 

Thanks a lot for the help.


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## sestivers (Aug 10, 2007)

I would pay someone who knows how to operate a bobcat or skid steer to scrape down the whole area. Have him scrape a nice edge for your driveway. You might be able to find someone on Craigslist for $30-40 per hour and this would take him only a few hours.

Then install edging along the driveway, and get some topsoil to replace what was scraped away. The bobcat guy can spread the topsoil for you, saving a lot of time. Plant new grass.

Then get new gravel for your driveway.

Finally, get rid of the chain-link fence. To me, any chain-link fence looks worse than your yard does.


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

The bobcat might be a feasible solution. I thought of renting one myself but I'd waste too much time learning how to use it effectively and then I'd be sore to boot. 

I wish I could get rid of the fence but it's the neighbors unfortunately. 

I'm going to go poke around some more now to see how deep the gravel goes. If it's all on top I may try to rake it up but will probably end up hiring someone to do it for me. 

I do have access to a small (and I mean small) tractor that has a scrape blade and a wide front bucket on it... Would that work? This thing will barely carry a bucket of dirt up a small hill so I'm not sure it has the power to drag through this stuff. It's packed down really tight. I could probably find somewhere in the yard to move this stuff to avoiding the dump truck fees. Or maybe rent a dumpster for the dirt/gravel? Lost cause?

Thanks.


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

Well, the rake idea is most definitely insufficient. The gravel is at least 2 or 3 inches deep in the dirt. I'm thinking about leaving it in place and covering it up with new dirt. I didn't want to spend that much but I don't know of another way really.


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## Randell Tarin (Jan 19, 2008)

If you're wanting a quick fix that is inexpensive....there isn't one.

You are going to have to either put in some hard work or money into this project. If it's your labor you want to save, then pay someone else to do it. If it's money you want to save, then do all the work yourself.

The easiest way and a good comprimise has already been suggested. If your yard is graded correctly for drainage, then several yards of good top-soil could be brought in for the same price you would pay to rent a Bob-Cat for a day. 

You can then manually spread the dirt using a shovel and a rake. It's not easy, but it can be done.


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## sestivers (Aug 10, 2007)

You should really consider how much your time is worth to you. For example, you could rent a bobcat for a day for probably $250 and waste your first few hours learning how to use it. Instead, you could pay someone who has his own bobcat and knows how to use it accurately and efficiently $40/hour for four hours. While he's doing the work you could be doing something else that you're more capable of handling on your own. On the other hand, trying to do this "inexpensively" by your own admission will take 40+ hours of meticulous and difficult manual labor. To me, I'd rather work a week of overtime and be paid for it!

Here is a picture of what my driveway (look familiar?) looked like before I paid a guy to scrape it with a skid steer. Then he spread the fresh gravel for me. He also mentored an accomplice on the skid steer and was done in less than four hours. He asked for $140 and I tipped him $20. Unfortunately I don't have the "after" picture.










Like Randell said, you're going to need additional dirt anyway, so you might as well get that delivered in time to plant grass while it's still spring.


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## Robert131 (Feb 11, 2008)

One option for acquiring fill dirt is to find construction sites nearby where they are looking to get rid of some dirt. Most will happily drop it off for free. Then all you have to do is spread it around. If you could get 4-6 inches of fill down, you could manage to create a decent lawn with decent drainage (rocks) below.


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## PaddyKevin (May 22, 2008)

*Great Landscaping Opportunity*

This is not so much of a problem as it is an opportunty. The gravel that is in the soil will actually improve drainage and aeration and, if you work atop it, can be an assett. If it was my property I would equal amounts of compost, construction sand and top soil in sufficient quantity to build the area up four to six inches. Then design a planting scheme that includes not just lawn but beds for shrubs and flowering plants


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## kimberland30 (Jan 22, 2008)

You've been given great advice so far. I'd choose to cover the gravel with dirt and start over. I'd also somehow edge your driveway to keep the gravel from spreading into areas where you don't want it to. Refilling the gravel driveway is a great idea too.

Dirt and gravel isn't that expensive compared to renting equipment. We just had 6 yards of a nice compost/topsoil blend delivered to our house for $175.00 (free delivery with a min. of 6 yards).

I borrowed a truck from work and went to our local stone yard (Vulcan Materials) and picked up 5 tons of #57 stone for about the same cost as the dirt. By going ourselves, I saved about $100 (the difference in cost of the stone plus delivery). However, I first took a pick up truck that only held about 3/4 of a ton. I decided to borrow a dump truck and got the rest of the stone in one trip. Plus we got to dump it where we wanted instead of having to scoop it out of the back of the truck.

Good luck!


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

I'm embarrassed. I thought I was subscribed to this thread and I wasn't. 

You all have really god suggestions that I might be able to afford in the near future. I'll be sure to post pics as soon as I get the work done.

sestivers, great point about what time is worth. I try to use that mindset for everything these days. 

Thanks all.


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## HandyMac (Jun 9, 2008)

Keyser,

Where in NC are you? I would be happy to take a look at it if you aren't far from Charlotte.

HandyMac
www.handymacimprovements.com


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

I'm about 30 minutes east of Asheville off 40. That might be too far unless you happened to be up this way for something else. 

Thanks a ton for the offer though. :thumbsup:


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## HandyMac (Jun 9, 2008)

Keyser,

If you run into a snag let me know, maybe we can work something out. Post some pics as you go along - I would be interested. Here are some of the things we have done. Sorry not all loaded.

HandyMac


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

Nice work!!! :thumbup:

I'm hoping to resell this one so I won't be doing anything remotely as elaborate but there's always the next house.


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## Allison1888 (Mar 16, 2008)

*yard mess*

Agree, you need a bobcat and to start over. Hard work, but it will come together in the end. Here's some info on starting a yard over.
http://www.allaboutlawns.com/backyard/reclaiming-your-lawn-how-to-replace-a-lawn.php

Good luck!


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

Hello all, just noticed this thread. 

No one has suggested a rock rake on a tractor. If your main goal is to get most of the gravel out of the yard, that would save a lot of back work getting it all to one side or in a pile, IF it's not compacted to badly. You may need to scratch if first with an all-purpose plow. Maybe you could find someone who could use it as a base layer to haul it off, maybe free, or someone could use it who has a gravel driveway in the country where appearance might not be too critical but they want to fill in some ruts. The small tractor you have available would probably load a pickup. 

What's that saying about every man's trash...?

Considering the above compaction question, it is possible that simply covering what you have with soil would create a hardpan that would prevent adequate drainage. That may have already been addressed and I missed it. If so, I apologize. I have seen that happen more than once on old store sites, road banks, etc where 90% had to be replanted because they were sitting in a water table 6-8 inches below the surface. May not be a problem with your site, just something to consider. Dig a hole like you are doing a perc test and see what it does down in there, at least ballpark.

Since you plan on selling, at least a decent lawn would be good for the curb appeal, but I like the idea of shrubs and flowers. Don't know how long that fence area is but you could do a lots there with some mixed evergreens- boring azaleas, hollies, etc. Well, the azaleas are boring if everyone else on the street has them, but you could use them as fillers with a few more expensive shrubs, couple of Knockout roses. Oops, there I go designing and we're supposed to be getting rid of that gravel!:whistling2:


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

Thanks a lot for the great post downunder. 

The "dirt" in that area of the yard is very compacted, but is also the highest point in the yard. The fence area is probably about 70-80'. I would love to get a bunch of shrubs and flowers for that space but the budget is pretty tight at this point. I'm considering just running the driveway back up into the yard there for more parking and also to keep the cars in the driveway while turning around. I would make it about 2 cars wide. 

That seems like the easiest idea at least. Having a plus sign shaped driveway. Then I could put down the edging and still have a nice look compared to what I've got now. At least there would be defined driveway vs yard. A little more weed eating but not too much more.


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## HVAC_Ryan (Jul 3, 2008)

*A word of caution*:

What's the water table like around your area? And What Types of soil do you have?

I speak from experience on this one, you may want to have a soil analysis test done to ensure that the gravel isn't there to allow water drain down and flow away from the property. It may be ugly but it may also serve a purpose.
The soil in our neighborhood is clay after only a few inches which means that after a few days of rain the topsoil is saturated, and the water has nowhere to go but wherever the land lets it. We are now in the process of looking into soakways & drywells.

Just a thought...as we too had and ugly yard and removed the gravel.....


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

Sounds like a good idea if I'm going to cover up the gravel or remove it. Shouldn't be an issue if I add more gravel though right? I'm the opposite of an expert when it comes to this kind of stuff.


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## downunder (Jun 13, 2008)

Keyser, are you leaning toward just adding more gravel and defining the driveway or some kind of landscaping process? Just a little confused from the original post/title and where we are now.:huh:

Adding more gravel not a problem. You might want to consider some edging to hold it in place so it won't scatter across the yard. That may be how it got like this in the first place.


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## keyser soze (May 28, 2007)

I am now considering just adding some gravel and defining the driveway. It never hurts to have a little easier turnaround and more parking. It would be the easiest and cheapest solution I think.


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