Turf ground preparation – build the right base and install the rolls

Check the ground and water route

Remove old vegetation, weeds, roots and large stones from the area. After rain, look for standing water and runoff towards a building. Deal with soft patches and compacted layers before adding growing medium.

A new layer of soil and turf will not resolve an underlying drainage or ground problem. Identify and address the cause before finishing the surface.

Prepare the growing layer and final levels

Usable existing soil can form part of the lawn's rooting zone. Decide how much new soil is needed to reach the planned level; the full rooting depth is not automatically the depth of an imported layer.

Level the surface with the intended water route, allowing for paths, edges and the thickness of the turf. Follow the soil product's preparation instructions rather than applying an aggregate-base compaction requirement to growing soil.

Quantity example: if 40 m² needs a completely new 20 cm finished soil layer, 40 m² × 0.20 m = 8 m³, or 8,000 litres. This depth is an arithmetic assumption, not a universal lawn specification. If suitable soil is retained, calculate the new portion separately.

Ask the supplier how the selected soil settles and how its delivery quantity relates to the finished layer. Finished geometric volume and a loose order are not necessarily the same.

Coordinate delivery with laying

Measure the lawn area and check the product's actual coverage per roll. If one roll covers 1 m², 40 m² needs 40 rolls before allowance for cutting and the supplier's ordering conditions. Roll sizes vary; use the selected product.

Before delivery, levels and the water route should be resolved, hollows and soft patches dealt with, and tools and watering ready. Arrange laying so that the turf does not wait while groundwork continues.

Lay tightly and stagger the joins

Start at the far end of the working route. Lay the rolls tightly without overlaps or gaps, and stagger the end joins rather than running them in one continuous line.

Cut edges cleanly and do not stretch rolls to fill a space. Light rolling may help contact with the ground if the turf supplier recommends it; it is not the same operation as compacting a structural aggregate layer.

Water immediately and follow establishment

Water as soon as the turf is laid and keep it moist while it establishes. Check moisture in the turf and the soil beneath, not only how green the surface looks. Standing water is not automatically a reason to add more.

Adjust watering to the weather, soil and supplier's instructions rather than a fixed calendar. A smooth finished surface does not prove that roots have established.

Make the first cut when growth has started and the product's rooting and mowing instructions allow it. Follow the supplier's guidance for normal use as well. If establishment is uncertain, resolve that before putting the new lawn into regular use.