Updated/Fact-Chacked on August 14, 2021 by John
Good preparation guarantees an excellent final result. This rule applies to everything, including laying a new turf over your lawn. So, you must take your time in preparing the soil without rushing.
SourceBelow, you’ll find some essential steps to follow to ensure you do this right and with no unnecessary hassle.
6 Steps to Lay Turf Successfully:
1. Clean the Area
The first step to take is to clean the soil from everything, such as grass, leaves, roots, plants, etc. You can easily do this using a garden spade if the area is small or a mechanical turf cutter if the area is too large.
2. Remove the Existing Turf
It’s necessary to remove the existing turf before laying a new one; otherwise, the new turf won’t root well. It would also be best if you detect the cause that damaged the old turf to prevent any future damage to your new one.
There are two methods by which you can remove the old turf, and they entail lifting the old one or killing the weed. The former process requires you to hire or buy a turf cutter. If you go for it, you can use the removed turf to make compost.
If you want to go for the latter method, buy a non-selective weed killer and spread it on the lawn. I prefer this because it guarantees that no weed or weed grass would come up through your new turf. Just leave it for about 14 days, so it becomes fully effective.
3. Dig and Improve
After you’ve removed the existing lawn and cleaned the soil from grass and weed, now is the time to dig it. Use a garden fork or a mechanical rotavator to dig the soil and remove stones, bricks, rubble, etc.
You need at least 15 cm of loose soil under your lawn. If you don’t have this much, check for a supplier and buy some.
4. Buy Some Organic Matter
You can buy some organic matter that attracts beneficial worms, which aerate the soil for you. This will help with drainage issues if your soil is too sticky. In case it’s too sandy and doesn’t absorb enough water, add some organic elements, such as compost or high-quality manure.
Source5. Level the Soil
Levelling the soil is a crucial step because it facilitates mowing and maintaining the lawn later. Even if the lawn looks level to the eye, ensure that it’s truly as such by walking over it because your feet are more sensitive to bumps and lumps. You can invite your friends to walk with you over the lawn or even dance until you make sure that the area is truly level.
6. Lay the Turf
Water the soil two days before you lay the turf, and make sure that it’s moist down to 75mm. Lay the turf slowly along a straight edge. If the lawn is circular, start in the middle and work your way out to the edges.
SourceMake sure that the turf is in good contact with the soil by laying a piece of wood over it. Finally, cover the turf’s exposed outer edges with light soil to prevent them from drying and remove them after a few weeks.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now have a good idea of how to lay your new turf easily. You need to make sure the soil is clean, moist, and level, and you’re good to go. For further information, check out our guide to improving your existing lawn.
Mary shares a passion for gardening with her husband John, though she is more focused on growing veg on their allotment at St. Margaret’s Allotments, Durham. Mary also works in the lawn care industry and manages the lawns for the Durham University campus.