# Replacing concrete with grass in back yard



## abrowning (Jun 2, 2008)

Jackhammer is the way to go. I've also seen guys whack away with a sledge hammer to break up a slab. Two inches isn't that thick. They pry up a section and stick a block under the edge so that when the sledge hits it cracks through pretty easily. Too much work for me though. 

I don't know the answer to your second question about dead soil. When I've needed a lot of soil I've gone to a nursery and ordered screened loam with a mix of organic materials in it. The screening takes out the hundreds of large rocks you're likely to get otherwise. They send a dump truck and dump a few yards and I move it where it needs to go by wheelbarrow. 

Sod is quick but expensive. That's your only option at this point if you want something usable so quickly. There are tutorials on how to do it on the web. I think you have to pack the seams with soil so they don't dry out and curl up. And it can take a while for the sod to establish roots in the topsoil. Until that happens it has to be watered pretty well. 

Best time for this is the end of August or early September. Starting sod or seed during the hottest part of the year is the worst time.


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## stick\shift (Mar 23, 2015)

There might be a gravel base under the concrete, I would likely remove that. If it's just dirt, I wouldn't worry about it and just put good soil on top.

I do not know where you live to advise on the timeliness of the project.


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