# Sod Removal and Replacement For Drainage



## anthonybilotta (Aug 11, 2018)

Hey everybody,

Im going to be installing about 200' worth of drainage on my property and had a question as to sod removal and replacement. I do not want to be left with an ugly scar that will take a full year to recover. My thought was to rent a sod cutter to remove my bermuda grass, followed by trenching with a ditch witch. In terms of the sod removal, would it be better to cut the sod thin (.75 inches) which would remove quite a bit of root mass (the lawn is dormant) or to cut the sod as thick as possible (2.5 inches) as to remove only the lower half of the root zone? Either way, I will be disrupting the roots. I was just unsure if thinner or thicker cut sod would regenerate better (in terms of new roots). Im in the houston area and temperatures are just starting to be consistently in the 60s-70s during the day.

Lastly, will any damage be done to the sod given that it is dormant?

Thanks!


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## Art_Vandelay (Nov 20, 2018)

It would be best to do it as thick as the cutter will allow. Doing it when it's dormant will work fine. The main thing is to compact or water the area where the ditch is cut before replacing the sod. Put some sand around the edges of the sod to help it blend when it starts to grow


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## Austinite (Oct 4, 2018)

I think that's a good call, and its what I did after french drain. However, I didn't save my sod, I purchased new. If I were to save my sod, I would dig lower and keep as much of the root as possible.


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## viva_oldtrafford (Apr 4, 2018)

How big of a trencher are you using? If it's a smaller one (2"-4"), the "scar" should only take a couple weeks to recover (growing season). Using a sod cutter to remove the turf before you use a trencher is a little overkill imo. With that said, if you do choose the sod cutter route, I'd opt for thicker sod.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

I agree with the above to cut it as thick as possible, it will be heavier but it will repair itself fast also. Another down side to cutting the sod thin is that the sod will tend to break apart a lot easier too since there is less holding it together.


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## Jagermeister (May 18, 2021)

Austinite said:


> I think that's a good call, and its what I did after french drain. However, I didn't save my sod, I purchased new. If I were to save my sod, I would dig lower and keep as much of the root as possible.


@Mightyquinn @anthonybilotta

Revising this thread as it is a topic I was looking for. I am needing to cut trenches across my bermuda lawn to bury downspout drains in two spots (probably 20 ft long). I was also thinking about installing a french drain at the same time in a section that pools a lot of water. My plan was going to be sod cut thick and reuse. Use a 6" trencher to dig the drain lines (need a 6" wide x 24" deep trench for the french drain).

My question is what do you do about pre-emergent with the thick sod? Do you treat these sections as new sod and would you have to use a non-root pruning pre-em or can I still use prodiamine? Will the pre-em layer stay intact? Likely going to do this in late February while still dormant and will have put down my first round in early Feb.


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## Mightyquinn (Jan 31, 2017)

If you plan on cutting the sod as thick as you can I don't think you really need to worry about what pre emergent you apply as it shouldn't affect the roots. That area should recover pretty fast once it warms up.


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## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

I have seen this done in order to do a french drain without much effect on the pre-em barrier. You might have some weeds come through the seams but it will be limited and you could probably just keep up with them by hand.


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## Jagermeister (May 18, 2021)

Thanks much! I was thinking that would be the case.


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