How to Lay Turf: The Ultimate Guide

Prefer a more visual guide to turf laying?

Take a look at our Turf Laying Guide Infographic. It’s a step-by-step guide that visually takes you through ground preparation and raking, ordering and laying your turf, and watering and mowing it.

When Can You Lay Turf?

You can lay turf at any time of the year, as long as the weather and soil conditions are right.  The soil shouldn’t be too dry or waterlogged, and the temperature should be warm enough to stop the ground from freezing. If the soil is frozen, grass roots won’t be able to grow into the ground properly, which will stop the turf from establishing.

As well as this, avoid laying turf in extreme heat, such as during a heatwave. Hot weather can cause the turf to dry out quickly, both before and after it is laid. This can lead to the roots not being able to grow properly, making the turf weaker, yellower or patchier. When we harvest the turf in the first place, some of its roots are cut, meaning it has a smaller root system to absorb water and nutrients to begin with, so you must make sure to water it straight away.

For these reasons, many people choose to lay turf in spring or autumn, when the soil is cool and soft, and regular rainfall helps keep the new grass hydrated. This helps the roots establish in time for summer growth or before winter frost sets in. If it’s the winter months and you simply cannot wait to have turf, you can find tips on how to prepare your lawn with our guide to laying turf in the winter.

Preparing your soil is key to helping your new lawn grow strong and healthy. If the ground is not prepared properly, you will not get the best results, so it is worth spending some extra time on this step.

1. Whenever possible, choose a dry day and prepare the soil. Apart from extreme cases, the weather should help you - preparing the soil in the dry means it is easy to work with, and in wet conditions, reducing how much water you need to prevent the turf from drying out.

2. If needed, remove the existing lawn by cutting under it with a spade. For large areas, you may want to hire a turf cutter from a local tool hire shop.

3. Turn over the soil to a depth of 15cm using a spade or a powered cultivator.

4. Remove any stones, weeds, old grass, and other debris.

5. Rake the soil in different directions until it is smooth and level. Shallow dips and rises are fine, but steep ones will make mowing difficult.

6. Lightly and slowly walk heel-to-toe over the area to spot any soft patches, then rake them level. Keep doing this until the soil feels firm but not compacted.

7. Let the soil settle for a few days after digging, removing any new weeds that appear.

Now that the hard work of preparing the ground is done, it is time to lay down your new turf. Use turfing boards or planks to walk on and work from to avoid stepping directly on the new lawn.

1. Before you begin, know that we at Online Turf apply a liquid-based fertiliser to the turf before the harvesting process, so there is no need to worry about fertilising.

2. Start by unrolling one strip of turf around the edge of the lawn. Avoid using small pieces at the edges, as they can dry out. Make sure the turf is in full contact with the soil below.

3. Lay the next strip widthways along the longest straight edge, then continue working across the lawn. It is important to stagger successive rows so that the short edges do not line up (they should alternate like the vertical joints in brickwork).

4. Place the turf strips close together, making sure the edges and ends touch, but don’t stretch the turf.

5. Continue until the area is covered. Once finished, cut down any overlapping pieces and ends of rows neatly using a sharp knife or a half-moon lawn edger.

How Often Should I Water New Turf?

Get your turf off to the best start by watering your new lawn well immediately after laying, using a hose pipe or sprinkler. Continue until the water has soaked through to the soil beneath the turf layer. The amount of watering your turf needs depends on the time of year, with much more water needed during the summer months. Read our guide to watering in the spring if you need.

For the following week to two weeks, water your lawn well every evening (unless the rain does it for you - result!). The hotter, drier and windier the weather, the more water will be needed.

If you spot signs of your turf drying out, such as gaps, lifting, browning or curling, water immediately and profusely.

Mowing Your New Turf Lawn

The other side to turf lawn aftercare is mowing it, and the timing of that all-important first mow can vary depending on the time of year you lay your lawn.

Generally, the turf should be ready for its first mowing around two weeks following laying. You should wait until your new lawn has rooted before mowing, which you can check by gently lifting a corner of the turf to see if the roots are attached to the soil.

For the first mow, set your lawn mower to the highest setting to avoid putting too much stress on the grass. Mow regularly, but never remove more than one-third of the grass height in one go. Once the lawn is fully established, gradually reduce the cutting height to between 15mm and 35mm, avoiding too much cutting in one mowing, which can damage the grass.

For more mowing advice, see our mowing guide to help care for your lawn throughout the year.