Sunken sidewalk?

Question

Does anyone know if you can cover a sunken side walk up against a house with dirt and grass? It causes water drainage problems....Thanks

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Answer 1

You can, but there are problems.

If the concrete is a source of drainage problems covering it up will not make the problem go away. Whether on top of ground or underground, the concrete will hold or stop water. Best to remove the concrete. Also, depending on how deep the concrete is you may not get anything to grow on top of it. If its just a few inches or so, grass may not even grow there. If you ever wanted to plant shrubs the concrete would need to be deep, like nearly 3'-0" deep.

I think you can cover it up, but know your potential problems. The concrete will still hold or direct water under ground. This could cause planting problems, soil problems, and structural problems with your home. I believe it best to remove the concrete.

Answer 2

You probably could. I always see sidewalks over grown as I walk down the street so it should be okay. It might take a while. But if you're having drainage problems it might be better to break up the side walk and get it out of there.

Answer 3

it may be expensive, but your best bet is to remove the side walk or pave a new one over the existing one. Unless grass can get a soil root zone of at least 6 inches, it will not survive most seasons without alot of water and care.