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Massive concrete slab burying?

sp.peckhamsp.peckham Posts: 3
in Problem solving
This is probably a question for landscape gardeners.  I have an enormous, unwanted, concrete slab in my garden.  In all, about 140 square metres.  It would be a massive and expensive job to physically remove it so I'm wondering whether I could just fracture it for drainage and bury it under top soil.  It would then be laid to grass.  Is this a practical and reasonable proposition and, if so, what depth of top soil would be needed? Are there any regulations to say that I should not do this?
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  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    You'd just be burying it for someone else to dig out later.
  • WibbleWibble Posts: 89
    edited April 2021
    Having just dug up assorted lumps of concrete slab from my garden, I would strongly advise against burying it. Just fracturing it is highly unlikely to provide sufficient drainage I had a patch that constantly flooded - turned out the culprit was 2 2-foot pieces of concrete edging dumped about 14” below the surface. Just a few bits was causing water to lie on the surface to a depth of 1” in even moderate rain.
  • Cambridgerose12Cambridgerose12 Posts: 1,134
    Ever heard of parch marks? Archaeologists use these to locate buried remains of buildings, often many feet underground. They are where plants die off above ground because the buried stone beneath dries out the soil above faster than elsewhere.

    It might seem like the easy solution to bury your lump of concrete. But the reality is that it would cause problems for decades to come. Both in terms of drought for anything over the top of it, and in terms of the alkalinity it would leach into the soil. So if you can, hire a jackhammer, reduce it to manageable lumps, and dispose of it. 
  • SeahorseFriendSeahorseFriend Posts: 73
    Hi @sp.peckham, I feel for you as I have a large concreted area at the side of my house, though not as big as yours. I have raised beds and plants in pots on it. Have you thought of covering with a layer of bark chips - not to bury it, but just to disguise the look of the concrete?
  • K67K67 Posts: 2,506
    Install decking, lay gravel in those grids that keep it in place or bark as suggested research artificial grass system for laying on concrete.
    Paint a stencil or free hand pattern
    Build summerhouse or greenhouse. 
    It's very satisfying although noisy digging up concrete and but then you probably have hard-core underneath it as well....,
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Have you got any photos?

    There are things you can do - potentially quite exciting and very wildlife friendly.

    IMG_6541jpg

    But a bit of lateral thought is needed - just turfing over the top will probably result in a poor lawn that will show up the shape of the slab every summer.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • scooty883scooty883 Posts: 34
    If it's "old school" concrete and thin enough you could wet cut it into strips and use as edging. Cut face up the pattern and different colours of the aggregate is truly beautiful. If it's too thick 2 days with a jackhammer and Stihl saw  should remove it easily 👍
  • AstraeusAstraeus Posts: 336
    SDS Max. Sledgehammer. Pickaxe. Stanley viration-reducing gloves. Three days. Done.

    I've just torn through around 40m2 of concrete pad using a combination of the above. Fantastically satisfying to get all that out of the garden and know it's not hiding beneath the surface. Pain is temporary...
  • sp.peckhamsp.peckham Posts: 3
    How did you dispose of the concrete?  Skips?  If so, how many did you fill.  I'm sure it was very satisfying but, being 70 years old and with around 140m2 to deal with, I won't be trying that by myself in any case  :D 
  • scooty883scooty883 Posts: 34
    To be honest I know plenty a man would jump straight in and get that slab out the ground,older than yourself as well and treat me at 50 like an apprentice! You keep saying 140m²? As I mentioned previously the difficulty is the thickness and strength? I could remove 140m² with a ball pein and a wheelbarrow if it's 10mm thick? Only thing you're not vague on is your age and seeming reluctance to get your hands dirty or heart beating? If health reasons restrict you then you need to reply on other people or paying someone,not attempting to ridicule @Astraeus for genuine advice
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