New Build Lawn Drainage - Clay Soil

AutumnRain · April 2022

Hello,

I’m just wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction.

Our new build garden is mainly on clay-based soil and the turf was quite boggy over the first winter. It’s drained a bit now but it hasn’t rained for a while, and would probably get boggy again in a rainy spell.

We’re not sure what would be the right thing to do here.

It is south facing but there is heavy clay and a high water table (a hole filled with up with water itself).

In the long term we will get it landscaped and increase the paving, but for the short term we would like to help improve the drainage.

We could still go back to the developer but wondering what the best options are to help in the long term.

We’ve been thinking about French drains but don’t know what these would connect to? Storage crates wouldn’t work here I don’t think, because of the high water table.

If we did get it re-turfed, what would be the ideal thing to do? Replace the topsoil, add sand / grit? I think may organic matter help, but how could this be incorporated under any new turf?

Thanks

Fairygirl · April 2022

You'll always struggle if it's clay and a high water table. I don't think there's a cheap, easy option unfortunately.
French drains would be the usual solution, with good, improved soil over them, but you'd have to investigate the management of the run off, and only you can decide how to go about that.
It would be a waste of money to get it re turfed without doing anything to the conditions first though. Organic matter will certainly improve the soil, and you can even add that on top before turfing, but it's pointless unless what's underneath is sorted well enough.

AutumnRain · April 2022

Thank you for your reply.

I’ve been trying to do some research but not really found anything out.

French drains sound like the best option then. But of course, working out where the water would go. We would rather invest in it now and do it properly.

I was just wondering if there’s a chance the ground could settle and the water table reduce over the coming years, or if it is likely to be ongoing? I think it was compacted by machinery quite a bit.

Chris-P-Bacon · April 2022

Honestly..abandon the idea of a usable lawn. It will cost a small fortune, the drainage work will create an unholy mess and you'll still probably be forever fighting wet ground.
You can install the drains & raise the level of the lawn but again it will cost far too much for the benefit you'll gain IMHO.
Having said that I think drainage work would be money well spent if you then consider other types of surface in your garden. You can still have a great garden without a lawn.

MrMow · April 2022

Take a google and Gypsum for turf. some folk are getting good results.

AutumnRain · April 2022

Chris-P-Bacon said:

Honestly..abandon the idea of a usable lawn. It will cost a small fortune, the drainage work will create an unholy mess and you'll still probably be forever fighting wet ground.
You can install the drains & raise the level of the lawn but again it will cost far too much for the benefit you'll gain IMHO.
Having said that I think drainage work would be money well spent if you then consider other types of surface in your garden. You can still have a great garden without a lawn.

Thanks for your reply.

I totally understand what you’re saying. Just would like to try to have some lawn if possible. The lawn as it is, isn’t too bad, just thought if we did some prep work underneath of some kind, or put in some French drains, things might be a bit better.

AutumnRain · April 2022

MrMow said:

Take a google and Gypsum for turf. some folk are getting good results.

I will take a look, thank you

New Build Lawn Drainage - Clay Soil

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