subject: Laying a Lawn - An Easy Step by Step Guide [print this page] Laying a Lawn - An Easy Step by Step Guide
Laying a lawn is a job that can be done at virtually any time of year, just try to avoid any extreme weather such as heavy rain, as you will just end up walking in a mud bath! Also avoid frost, not only will you not be able to work the ground but your lawn may not root properly if it is too cold.
Try and pick a time when the weather is settled and pleasant to work in. A good tip is to see if the worked soil sticks to your boots in clumps as you walk around, if it does then it is slightly too wet to prepare for laying a lawn.
Ideally, pick a time previous to a week that is forecasted rain! And remember, you will not be able to use your lawn for two weeks after you have laid it, it will need this time to settle in and get established.
Step One. Clear your area and mark out your lawn Get rid of any vegetation in the area to be laid to lawn and also get rid of large stones. Rake as much away as you can then using a garden fork, break up the entire surface soil to give a good tilth.
Step Two. Levelling the site You will now need to rake your prepared soil to the required levels and trample down gently with your feet as you go, rake any high spots down and fill any hollows too, using your eye will be sufficient enough to ensure a good finish level. Once you have been over the entire area once, repeat the process up to three times until you achieve an evenly compacted surface ready for your turf.
Step Three. Laying down your turf rolls Beginning at one edge, roll out your first couple of rows to give a straight line, make sure you overlap the edge by a couple of inches, this will be tidied up when cutting in your edges. Next, on the rolls you have laid, place wooden boards on top and work off of these to lay your next row. You must remember to stagger the butt ends from the previous row and also make sure to butt up tightly from one row to another. Continue this practice until your area is completely covered, ensuring a 2 inch overlap on the edges.
Step Four. Eliminate air pockets As you will have laid wooden boards down on top of the turfs as you worked, mostly all of any air pockets will have been eliminated, however it is a good idea to go around and check any turfs with trapped air underneath and tamp down with the back of your rake. At this point you could also distribute a little top dressing between the joints of turfs to maximise the finished effect, this is by no means critical!
Step Five. Cutting your edges Now you are ready to cut your edges to shape, if you have opted for straight edges anywhere, use your wooden board as a straight edge. Anywhere you want a curved edge then use either a piece of rope or hose pipe to create your curves. Simply use a decently sharp garden spade to now chop away your turfs to give you your edge, continue until you have the whole perimeter shaped as you wish.
That's it! If it is dry weather make sure to water the lawn lightly throughout the days to keep it damp, and don't walk on it or mow it either during the first two weeks.
Next, enjoy your lawn! I hope this guide has been of help to you, best of luck!
