Lay Lawn Turf

Where to Start

Before you can lay your brand new lawn turf you will want to prepare the terrain, take the time here and laying your turf will likely be easy and quick.

Getting Rid Of The Rubbish

Your initial step will probably be to eliminate any kind of long grass and weeds, a string trimmer is better for this purpose, remember to always put on goggles and gloves when using any equipment. Try not to work with a weed killer unless it is really necessary, using them will normally hold off being able to lay your turf for some time.

If you’re renewing a preexisting lawn you might wish to get rid of the old lawn, having said that this is a lot of effort and provided the terrain is dug or rotovated well you may take away any clods from the current lawn when you’re leveling.

Digging or Rotovating

Next you need to dig or rotovate the ground, for large areas it will likely be best to hire a rotavator or cultivator, it is easy to hire these online. For smaller areas should you be feeling fit you could dig the area by hand.

When rotovating run the machine along the longest length up and down, when this is done run along the ends, normally its smart to go over the spot at least twice, til you have a fine tilth.

When digging the area, dig to a depth of approximately 6-8 inches, you’ll want to turn the earth over, trampling the soil will usually break down any large clods, plus clear away any major stones or rubbish as you proceed.

If you’re able to, allow the surface to settle for a few days.

Levelling

The next step is to level the ground, for this purpose you’ll need a rake as well as some string for the lines, begin by running a string line for any edges, place this line at the level you need your lawn to be, otherwise use the base of fence sections as a guide for your level. Should you be joining up to an existing lawn get started at the joining point if not start from a corner of the area, using your rake work your way over the area leaving a smooth level finish without humps or bumps, make sure you take out any significant stones, weeds and any lumps of turf from the existing lawn.

Rolling

You can roll the ground if you want, but you’ll have to re-level it afterwards, it is not essential however as you will firm the surface while laying your turf.

Buying Turf

All turf suppliers are not created the same. The majority are good but some are brilliant, these people take plenty of care to produce a quality product. Lawn turf suppliers online can be located using Search engines, look for suppliers that supply a full selection of turf types. It is no use deciding on a fine grass that would grace a bowling green should you have children and dogs tearing around all day. Lawn suppliers online know what they are doing, can generally deliver fast as well as provide you with the best advice if you can contact them by telephone.

Laying the Turf

As soon as all this is over you are ready to begin laying your lawn, for this you’ll need several planks (scaffolding boards are best) and a sharp knife.

Begin by laying your first line of turf, (a little suggestion is always to place the turf during the same direction as you will look at it from your window etc, not across it, this decreases the number of joints you have to look at for a few days).

As soon as your initial line is laid lay down your boards on top of it. Walk on the boards while you make the following line, this helps level and firm the surface, make sure to stagger the joints on every different line (like brickwork), and to butt the turf up tight together with no gap but not overlapping all of them. Use your knife to cut your turf to the correct length. Work along the ground constantly turning over your planks and walking on them to lay the next line. (an extra tip is to lay one line up along the line and the following line down this tends to give your new lawn a striped effect, however this can only last several days).

Never walk on the turf you’ve laid unless you use a board, as doing this may cause dimples within the lawn. When you get towards the end you’ll finish with a smallish strip to cut, in dry weather it is best never to set tiny strips on the edge of your lawn, they will dry out quicker on the outside, set an entire turf on the edge and the cut in from that.

Aftercare

The first days

When your lawn is laid it is very important to keep off of it for 2-3 weeks to allow it to settle. When it is dry you need to water the lawn every day, it will need a good soaking, as the turf starts to root you can provide less water, It is very easy to underwater and this can be a frequent problem, pick up the corner of a turf and make sure that the turf and ground it is on are wet, get yourself a good quality lanscape sprinkler you can tell when it is in short supply of water the grass will quickly drop it’s glossy appearance.

The First Mow

When you can step on the lawn without making any impression and you can get hold of a corner of turf and it will not easily come up you can give your lawn it’s first cut, if possible raise the mower for the first couple of cuts, frequent mowing and trimming is the answer to a perfect lawn.

Upkeep

Once your lawn is established, to maintain it looking good you need to feed it, do this a minimum of once a year ideally twice, if you are going to feed once the best time is in the Spring, if feeding twice it ought to be Spring and Fall, your local garden centers should certainly stock these, ensure you apply them at the suppliers given application rate.

Lay Lawn Turf