Pics linked below show the issue. This slab was poured a year ago and the soil has settled around it more than expected. Looking for creative ideas for how to deal with this.

I really don’t want to bring the grass up to level, partly because that would be a PITA and require recontouring well out into yard to look and cut right. Also don’t want to chew up a lot of space with a contained dirt area with plants.

I’d consider using medium sized rock with metal or plastic edging to contain, but still end up with outer edge of that looking like crap. Need some containment if going with rocks, etc to keep from lawnmower slinging any drifting rocks into back of house which is practically a wall of glass.

I’ve considered tetrapods for creative and permanent solution but can find any small enough. Did stumble across a site on making your own from plastic shot glasses which is cool, but probably too big.

Any ideas here?


Link to pics. Included in post they were YUGE!

That would drive me crazy. And I’d wind up getting a load of sand to grade it to make it even, it’s a trip hazard for me, (I drag my foot due to my stroke).

Idea #1:
Planting bed around the concrete to extend into yard that you can angle outwards from the patio to ground level to eliminate the "step".
#2
pull up grass about 1-1/2 feet from concrete, add topsoil, relay grass sod to eliminate step
#3
place weed stop fabric on grass and add rock around concrete edge to eliminate step
#4
mixture of the above

I would put in a metal edging and add whatever color rock would go with the color of your house.

This is similar situation.

Our neighbor just did this, he had a much more prounces difference because of yard slope, at first they brought dirt up, which I thought looked fine, they ended up putting medium stones in a couple feet away and filling it in with dirt and mulch and plants, both looked fine.

quote:

Originally posted by David W:
I would put in a metal edging and add whatever color rock would go with the color of your house.

This is similar situation.

wife and I will do something similar but likely with mulch, and a few small plants,

slate as a stepping stone to go out in the yard,



we had a small ( 6") border of river rock down, that even tho we had the weed barrier, got over ran by grass/weed,

Edging and Asiastic or confederate jasmine?

I'd just add topsoil to the first 3' and make it a nice slope with grass on it to meet the rest of the grade.......I think the height is good for drainage.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
I'd just add topsoil to the first 3' and make it a nice slope with grass on it to meet the rest of the grade.......I think the height is good for drainage.

Exactly! You can’t lower the patio but as Jimmy pointed out, you can bring the lawn up to meet it. Just make the slope enough that it’s not a tripping hazard like he suggests and you’re good. If you plan on being there awhile it will always look good with just a simple mowing plus you can walk onto and off of the patio from your back yard without limitation plus you won’t end up with paths eventually worn into the lawn at limited access points.

P210 and Jimmy have it exactly right.

While you said you didn’t want to bring the lawn up, in the end it will be the easiest to maintain if you do.
Everything else will take ongoing work to keep it looking good. Cutting grass up to the edge of the patio will be easiest.

As far as doing the job, I would put down some small (1/2 -3/4”) stone for fill and grade it. Then come back with top soil. Grade that. Generously spread seed. Cover it all with straw, maybe 4-6” deep.
Doing it this way you’ll do it once.

Yeah, y'all are right.

Dammit

If you’re lazy & patient, you could do it by adding sand a little bit at a time. Somewhere between 1/2” and 1” and the grass will grow up through it. Once the grass is good to go again, add another lift. Rinse and repeat until you have the grade where you want it.

I don’t have the patience. I’d figure out where I wanted the grade, cut out the lawn in that area (if I could peel it up like sod and reuse, that would be great, but it would be a first if it came up nicely), bring in the topsoil, make grade, *compact*, fine tune grade, then lay down sod (either the existing if I was lucky, or new if not). It is more work this way, but it is done quicker, is more predictable, and plays better with my lack of patience.

Of course the sprinklers would be in the wrong place, so there’d be some work tuning them up too. Sigh, fun and games...