Lifting an old lawn is the first proper job of any artificial grass installation, and probably the part most people underestimate. Done well, it’s straightforward physical work that takes a day. Done badly, it leaves you with awkward patches of root and soil that haunt the rest of the project. The good news is that the techniques are simple. What matters most is picking the right method for your garden size, time, and budget.
This guide walks through the five practical ways to remove old turf in a UK garden, when each one works best, what to check before you start digging, how to dispose of the old material legally, and the mistakes that catch most DIYers out.
Why Proper Turf Removal Matters
You can’t lay artificial grass on top of an existing lawn. Even mowed short and rolled flat, the old grass and roots underneath continue to decay and shift for years, creating soft spots, sinking patches, and ripples through your finished surface. The grass also acts as a barrier to drainage.
Beyond decay and drainage, leaving old turf in place means you can’t build a proper compacted base. Artificial grass needs a stable, flat, well-draining foundation which requires going down through the topsoil to firm ground before building back up with hardcore. There are no real shortcuts.
How Deep You Need to Dig
For a UK domestic installation, plan to dig down to a total depth of around 75–100mm below your finished lawn level. That accounts for roughly 25mm of turf and topsoil being removed, plus 50–75mm of MOT Type 1 hardcore and a 25mm binding layer going back in afterwards.
If your existing lawn sits flush with patio edges or paths, you’ll need to dig the full depth so the finished artificial lawn comes back up to the same level. If the lawn is already lower than the surrounding edges, you may not need to dig quite as deep. Measure carefully before you start getting the final levels wrong is much harder to correct than it is to plan.
Method 1: Digging by Hand with a Spade
For small, simple gardens under about 20 square metres, hand digging with a sharp spade is the simplest method. Mark out the area with string, cut the turf into 30cm-wide strips, then slide the spade horizontally underneath each strip at a depth of around 25mm and lift the turf away in sections, root mat intact.
It’s hard work no point pretending otherwise. Expect to spend half a day on a small garden if you’re reasonably fit. A sharp spade matters more than people realise; a blunt one doubles the effort. Wet the lawn lightly the day before to soften the soil if it’s been dry, and wear gardening gloves and proper boots.
The advantage of the hand method is precision around edges, flower beds, and obstacles. The disadvantage is the time and effort once the area gets above 20 square metres.
Method 2: Using a Hired Turf Cutter
For anything larger than 20 square metres, hire a turf cutter. It’s a petrol-powered machine that looks like an upright lawn mower but has a horizontal blade that slices under the turf at a set depth. You walk behind it in straight lines, the blade cuts the roots, and you can then roll up or lift the cut strips by hand. A turf cutter does in 30–45 minutes what would take a full day by hand.
Hire costs in the UK are typically £40–£60 a day from HSS, Speedy, or local independent shops. Book a week ahead during spring and summer because they get snapped up. You’ll need a way to transport it most hire shops offer delivery for an extra fee if you don’t have a van or trailer.
Check the ground for stones, large roots, or buried debris before starting. Hitting a stone with the blade damages both the machine and your hire deposit.
Method 3: Killing the Grass First (Chemical or Smothering)
For very large areas or lawns full of stubborn perennial weeds like bindweed or couch grass, killing the grass before removing it makes the actual lifting much easier. Two approaches work well:
Glyphosate treatment. Spray the lawn with a systemic herbicide like Roundup about two weeks before you plan to dig. The weeds and grass die off, roots and all, which makes them lift cleanly without leaving viable root fragments to regrow. Glyphosate is controversial some councils restrict it and some people prefer to avoid it but it’s still legal and widely used in the UK for this purpose.
Smothering with cardboard or tarpaulin. Lay flattened cardboard or thick black tarpaulin over the lawn, weight it down, and leave it for six to eight weeks. The grass dies from lack of light and the dead material lifts easily afterwards. This method is chemical-free but needs serious lead time, which makes it best for projects planned months in advance. Note that UK winter and autumn are too cold and damp for this to work well late spring through late summer is the realistic window.
If your old lawn has been a weed battleground for years, our guide to treating weeds in artificial grass covers what to do about persistent perennials that survive even chemical treatment.
Things to Check Before You Start Digging
Before any spade goes in the ground, take ten minutes to walk the garden and think about what might be buried under the lawn:
- Cables. Outdoor lighting, garden sheds, summer houses, and electric gates all run on cables that are sometimes only inches below the surface. Trace where they run from the house outward.
- Water pipes. Outside taps, garden irrigation, and supply pipes to detached buildings can run anywhere underneath a lawn.
- Tree roots. Established trees within several metres of the lawn often have surface roots beneath the grass. Cutting through these can damage the tree and bend a turf cutter blade.
- Old patio or paving. Some lawns are laid over a previous patio that was never lifted. Hitting concrete with a turf cutter is expensive.
If you’re not sure what’s underneath, dig small exploratory holes by hand at the edges before committing to the machine.
Disposing of Old Turf the Right Way
A typical UK lawn produces a surprising amount of waste about 25 litres per square metre lifted to 25mm depth. A 30 square metre lawn fills a small skip easily.
Options for disposal in the UK:
- Hire a skip. A 4-yard mini skip costs around £150–£220 and handles a small to medium garden. Larger 8-yard skips run £250–£350.
- Council garden waste collection. Some councils accept turf in green-waste bins if cut into manageable pieces. Check your council’s rules first.
- Household waste recycling centre. Most accept turf and soil for free if you’ve got transport. Limits on car-load size apply.
- Compost at home. Turf composts beautifully stack it grass-side down and leave for a year. The result is excellent topsoil for vegetable beds.
Time, Cost, and Effort: A Quick Comparison
For a typical 30 square metre UK garden:
- Hand digging: 1–2 days of work, no machinery cost, around £150–£220 for a skip, total ~£200.
- Turf cutter hire: 1 day of work, £50 hire plus £150–£220 skip, total ~£250.
- Chemical kill then lift: 2 weeks lead time, then 1 day of work, £15 herbicide plus skip, total ~£215.
- Smothering then lift: 6–8 weeks lead time, then half a day of work, £20 cardboard/tarpaulin plus skip, total ~£220.
Most people on a medium-sized garden go for the turf cutter the small extra cost more than pays for itself in time saved.
Common Mistakes When Removing Old Turf
A few mistakes catch most DIYers out:
- Digging too deep. You only need the turf and topsoil out, not deep into subsoil. Extra depth means extra hardcore back in.
- Not removing all the roots. Particularly with perennial weeds, leaving fragments behind means they regrow under the artificial grass. Take a few extra minutes at the end to pick out any visible roots.
- Working in wet weather. Wet soil is heavier, sticks to spades, and is harder to barrow. Wait for two or three dry days before starting.
- Underestimating the volume of waste. Lawn waste is bulkier than people expect. Always over-estimate skip size.
- Forgetting about disposal access. If your skip can’t get close to the lawn, factor in the time and effort to wheelbarrow waste through narrow gates or down long driveways.
- Not checking the forecast. Heavy rain mid-removal turns the exposed subsoil into mud, which then has to dry before you can build the new base.
Where to Go From Here
Removing the old turf is the first physical step in any artificial grass project, and getting it right makes everything that follows much easier. With a clean, level, root-free area ready, the rest of the installation is far more forgiving.
If you’re planning the full installation yourself, our DIY artificial lawn guide walks through every step that follows the removal. If you’d rather have a professional handle the work, you can request a free installation quote and one of our team will come out, measure up, and price the job at no cost.
If you’d like to feel grass options before committing to a roll, order a free sample pack and we’ll send a hand-picked selection in the post. For any questions on your specific garden, give us a ring on 0800 246 1809.