Temporarily remove turf
Gn0me
Posts: 85
I'm a total novice when it comes to the garden.
I've just had new turf put down. The problem is they've done it so that I can no longer open my garage side door!
However, I realised that instead of getting them back again to create a clearway to open the door again I thought why not have the door open inwards instead. I then won't spoil the look of the lawn. I think I prefer it that way.
My problem is that for now I have to dig up some of the turf temporarily to open the door in the first place with the intention of putting it back once I've reveresed the door.
So my question is, do I dig up the turf the same way as the videos on YouTube etc. and for how long can it remain removed before putting it back?
It was only put down a week ago so I don't know if that changes things.
Thanks very much.
Posts
If you use the doorway regularly you'll soon wear out the grass in the immediate vicinity. Not that helps your current dilemma but I think I'd consider a small area of pavers or similar materials in that area.
Ditto for the pavers.
thirded for paving
In the sticks near Peterborough
Side doors on a garage open outward for safety reasons, if you need exit fast you can burst out instead of struggling to open inwards. I would go for a couple of pavings let in under the door.
Frank.
I'd always assumed that side doors on a garage open outwards so that no one can open them and put a dent in the car ............. in the days when people kept their cars in their garages
Last edited: 09 March 2017 11:02:25
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
In the days you drove old cars or motor bikes repairs were done at home in the garage. There would often be inflammable liquids in there for vehicle and greenhouse. I often had blow torches in use a quite explosive risk. Turning with the aforsaid blow lamp and setting fire to the pile of oily rags, the tent you hung to dry five years ago, the shirt you had removed when the lady next door was working oposite the window, had to show off hairy chest you know, or even setting fire to said hairy chest, it was out and head first into the pond. Fiddling to pull a door open cost you a loss of hair, you burst out, which my ladies is why the side door opens out. Any questions?
Frank.
Fourthed for a few pavers / paving slabs.
(Frank's explanation
not withstanding) I would be reluctant to reverse the opening of the door simply because the opening radius of the door restricts the storage / useable space within the garage (bit like wot Dove said).
I appreciate you might like the idea of a clean line of turf but you are probably going to need to a bit of a mowing channel or strip next to the wall anyway (very difficult to keep the turf cut right up to a wall). Heavy traffic in and out of that door will also soon make the area in front of it look different to the rest of the grass. It will be compressed with possibly some bare patches developing. The soil will become compacted and may eventually start to form a dip.
All you need is a small (2 - 3') square of paving (set lower than the turf).
I had new turf laid in the autumn. It goes right up to the house wall on one side. I intend to remove a 6" strip and put in a line of brick sized pavers so I can just mow straight over them.
It would be an easy job to cut out the area you need to pave now before the turf roots but (whatever you do) remember that you should be staying off the turf as much as possible for a few weeks to give it a chance to grow away.
Thanks for all your input, really helpful!
I'm not bothered about the door opening inwards BUT I think I'm now swaying to the pavers idea because even though I think my original idea will make the lawn look nicer, it seems my inexperience doesn't realise the practicalities of the upkeep.
I was going to ask this in separate threads but most of you have already mentioned these:
Is it that easy to make marks on the grass when going down the garden and into the garage? I won't be going there every day but maybe a few times over a weekend.
I did consider having a side path along the fence to the garage side door but my garden is quite narrow so I thought that might spoil the effect.
Is it difficult to cut the grass against the fences? Is there a lawnmower that does edge cutting?
Here's a photo of the lawn in it's almost entirety:
As you can see the right side isn't straight but moves at an angle so I'm assuming it's difficult to keep it the way it is now? Maybe I should have that side paved then?
Thanks again.
Gnome, Two of my lawns are hard up against walls i use the strimmer it works perfectly well. We all had to start from the beginning and sometimes we see a picture not taking everything into account. Paves under the door will do the job and the mower will run over them if low enough.
Ask away on here we all had to learn and obviously do not mind giving you many and varied solutions, you read them then take your pick.
Frank
It looks to me as if the newly laid turf is higher than the damp course on the garage hence why it is higher than the door threshold. This will lead to rising damp. I assume whoever laid the new turf raised the ground level with the addition of topsoil. The garage foundations will also draw the moisture from the ground and you might struggle to get good grass growth along that wall. You might want to think about a shingle path which would help reduce the chances of rising damp and also the challenge of growing grass in this location. Just some thoughts.