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Hi Community Members,
I have a newly built house and want to give a try building a backyard as a DIY project. The attached image shows the current state of the backyard. The area is 5m by 7m. I would like to build a raised garden bed of 400 mm around the fence and lay grass in rest of the part. The image shows the current state of the yard. I would like to understand the step I should follow in order to achieve the desired outcome.
1. I would prefer to have a garden bed with a wooden look from the front. I plan to paint the sleepers after installation. I am not sure if joining the sleepers with peg flat stake will be strong enough or should be using steel sleeper joiners ? If I use steel sleeper joiners, would I be able to paint them same as sleepers?
2. I plan to lay Kikuyu grass in the garden rather than Buffalo to have more dense look.
3. What steps i should follow to clean up the area? Should I remove the concrete left over or can just pour garden soil on top and then grass?
4. In the garden bed, should it be filled with garden soil or i can did some solid from the existing yard to make base and then top up with garden soil?
If there are articles that cover this, kindly direct me to it. Thanks
Hi @navmeh999
I would clean up the whole yard of building wastes to give you a clean slate to work in.
The ground is building rubble so you would be best to totally fill the new planter box with new organic soil,
If you place planter posts into the ground where the timber joins are and the corners and mid-way on a span. You won't need any steel joiners
Do buy H4 treated pine timbers for longer life. If you paint the posts and sleeper all-round the outsides they will last longer by 5 years as a rough estimate,
As a guide to building your first planter look at the following How to video etc
Enjoy your new yard 
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @navmeh999. It's wonderful to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about preparing a backyard for a lawn.
To ensure a sturdy and visually appealing outcome, I’d recommend using heavy-duty steel sleeper joiners rather than peg flat stakes, as the pegs are best suited for single sleepers. Steel joiners provide more stability and can be painted the same colour as the sleepers to maintain a uniform look.
For the yard preparation, it’s essential to remove all layers of soil until you reach clean, uncontaminated soil. The leftover building waste and debris should be completely removed to avoid long-term issues with plant health or grass growth. Once cleared, add fresh soil and level the area to prepare it for turf.
For the raised garden bed, it’s best to use fresh potting mix or a high-quality garden soil. The existing soil appears contaminated with building waste, which isn’t ideal for growing plants. Starting with clean, nutrient-rich soil will give your plants the best chance to thrive.
Choosing Kikuyu grass is a great idea for a dense and hardy lawn. Once the soil is prepared, lay the turf evenly and water thoroughly to help it establish. With these steps, your backyard will be well on its way to becoming a vibrant, functional space.
Here's a helpful step-by-step guide: How to lay turf.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
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