Turfin’ Time: Mastering the Art of Lawn Laying

Just like most things, planning before getting started laying your turf is essential…

1. Consider how much turf and topsoil you'll need and whether you'll need to hire a skip to remove any old turf.
2. Laying turf is a highly time-sensitive task, ensure your turf is being delivered when you have some free time to lay it straight away as during the spring/summer months the turf needs to be rolled out immediately.
3. Have you got all the tools you need to get the job done? You’ll need…

• Wheelbarrow
• Rake
• Long knife or old hand saw
• Spade or fork
• Some scaffolding planks
• Garden hose and sprinkler
• You may also need a rotovator and, if you’re replacing an existing lawn, a turf cutter or weed killer.

You can find many of these tools and more online today via our online shop. 

2. Nothing Good Ever Comes Without a Little Preparation

2. Evaluating the depth and quality of your topsoil: Make sure you have a topsoil depth of at least 100mm, preferably 150mm, that is levelled and raked to a fine tilth. If your soils in need of a helping hand, a soil improver can be used to enhance existing soil. If you need to purchase topsoil, find out how much you will need using Rolawn’s product calculator.
3. Levelling the ground: It’s important to put the extra effort in here before laying the turf, as this means your luscious lawn will be easier to maintain and mow in the future. The best way to identify bumps and dips is to walk across your lawn slowly, you’ll be able feel the irregularities underneath you in ways that machines cannot.

• Begin by digging over or rotovating the soil to loosen it up.
• Remove any surface stone, clods, other debris and perennial weeds.
• Once loosened the soil should be lightly compacted by walking over the whole area and then again at right angles to the first direction.
• Break up any heavily compacted areas using a fork and fill any dips, lightly compacting.
• Then rake the surface to a fine tilth and make sure that the surface is level.
• Do not use any heavy equipment on the prepared soil, such as roller, as this will compact the soil too much

Moisture is the key to success here. Water the soil a few days before the turf arrives. Make sure the soil is moist to a depth of 75mm, ready to provide water to the turf's roots. This also helps in the settling of the soil, which will need to be raked level again just before the turf arrives.

We would also recommend applying a pre-turfing fertiliser to the soil, incorporating it into the top 25mm of soil, this ensures your new turf is fed properly once it’s moved into its new garden home.

You’ve done all your prep work, let’s get laying:

LAY YOUR TURF AS SOON AS IT ARRIVES! This is very important!

• Start laying the turf, preferably along a straight edge, butting closely end to end.
• On subsequent rows stagger the joints in brickwork fashion.
• For circular lawns start in the middle and work your way out.
• Always unroll turf across a slope, not down it.
• Lightly firm down the turves with the head of a rake or piece of wood to ensure good contact between the underside of the turf and the soil.
• Any remaining cracks can be filled with a light soil (Turf & Lawn Seeding Topsoil is ideal) and tamped down.
• Trim the ends of the turf with a long knife, hand saw or cutting spade to shape around any trees, paths and beds.
• Finally, where the outer edges of the new turf are exposed, cover with a light soil to prevent them drying out. This can be removed after a few weeks, once the turf is more established.

Helpful hint:  Turf must not be allowed to dry out. If you’re laying turf in hot weather, try to start watering areas laid first prior to completing the whole area, then continue to water regularly!