Whether it would be any easier to smother the existing lawn as opposed to removal is up for some discussion. Smothering is not a fast process nor is it necessarily a guarantee that what's left will be weed-free soil. Are you prepared for a large expanse of lawn to be covered in cardboard and mulch for 6 months or so? Are your neighbors? No HOA to deal with? I also would suggest using something other than straw to cover - compost, leaves, wood chips, even topsoil - using straw is an invitation to having a hay field come spring! With the smothering method, the remnants of the material you used to smother the weeds/lawn need to be incorporated into the soil so there will be work that needs to be done to the area after smothering but before you are able to plant or seed. I doubt you want to till in or manually remove the piles of straw or the new hay that will grow from the seed that will inevitably be present (ask me how I know!).

We are about to enter prime lawn renovation time so I would suggest consider using a faster and more efficient alternative to the smothering.....either using the sod cutter to remove the existing stuff or a herbicide application (or 2) to kill off the weeds. Whatever grass is remaining, dead or alive, can be left in place. After that, you can start the normal lawn renovation process - aeration, spreading of OM or soil to level and grade, rolling, seeding, rolling again and then keeping the seed bed moist until germination, about 10-14 days. Or just laying new sod - that will certainly be the fastest (but most expensive method) of creating a new lawn.

Make sure that adjacent neighbor's lawns are not actively producing seed (weeds, unwanted grass varieties, etc) during your renovation.

@gardengal that seems to be the advise that I'm getting and finding online. I will try to kill the weeds and plant a new lawn. My neighbors won't be affected with the mulch but my kids would benefit more and enjoy a lawn. Thanks a lot

Kill the lawn with Glysophate and then cover it with purchased topsoil and plant. No need to dig the lawn up or sheet compost.

The majority of the lawn gets sun , I will get the soil tested to see what amendments it needs and get ready to plant a new lawn soon.

I want to do the same this year and I was wondering if you did it and how it worked out .... my idea is to cover it with cardboard some topsoil and fertilizer on top and seed it.

The cardboard might give you uneven settling of the topsoil.

If the lawn area is already at the desired height you won't be able to built it up with added soil. Or amendments.

You can always add soil and amendments to a lawn. Just give it a crown or increase the existing crown. Most lawns are too flat.

HU-897040282 Did you ever do your idea?: ' idea is to cover it with cardboard some topsoil and fertilizer on top and seed it. '

I have so many weeds in my lawn and cannot use chemical weed killers to try to restore it, so thinking your idea could work.

Marina Gerges I am curious what you ended up doing for your weedy lawn. Did you simply add soil and amendments and seed? Did the new lawn choke out the weeds? Thank you.

I was thinking about doing this as well. So many weeds in my front lawn and it drives me crazy. I am trying to embrace some weeds due to bumblebees but it is really hard