Sod Installation Guide
STEP 1: PLANNING AHEAD
Start by making a layout of your yard and deciding where you would like to have sod, trees, and shrubs, and perhaps
wildflowers.
Your next step in planning your new landscape is to take a good look around your yard and determine
what you'd like to keep and what needs to be removed.
You should definitely install a below-ground sprinkler system; it is the best way to handle watering.
STEP 2: STEP-BY-STEP INSTALLATION
To assist you in successfully putting in your beautiful new lawn and landscaping, we have put together this
helpful step-by-step guide.
Things you will need
Gloves
Shovel
Rototiller
Fertilizer Spreader
Pump Sprayer
Garden Hose
Wheelbarrow
Sod Knife
Herbicide (Round Up, etc.)
Rake
Water filled Lawn roller
Broom
If you do not have an existing lawn, skip to the next step: Soil Prep!
The tools you'll need include:
Sod Cutter
Rake
Wheelbarrow
Sod Knife
Shovel
Dumpster
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Killing Your Existing lawn
Prior to the installation of sod, any existing lawn should be chemically killed and removed. Make sure that
the existing lawn is well watered and growing vigorously. Apply an herbicide such as RoundupTM, or a similar product, to
the entire lawn. Read and follow all label instructions. A second application about two weeks after the first will catch those
areas missed and generally insure a complete kill of turf and weeds. Should the existing lawn contain bermuda grass,
kikuyu grass, or other warm season grasses, chemical control will only be attained from April through mid-October. (Be
aware that RoundupTM does not control the seed of common bermuda grass, kikuyu grass, or any other weed seed.) For
information concerning the control of weed seed prior to sod installation, consult your local nurseryman for
recommendations.
Removing Your Existing Lawn
When the turf is dry, brown and dead, you can remove the lawn. Rent a sod cutter and cut the lawn into small sections.
Just cut short, thin strips! They are easier to move, and you only need to cut out the dead sod, not a thick layer of soil.
A sod cutter is about the size of a lawnmower, so you might want to arrange for help loading and unloading this piece of
equipment from your vehicle. If you already have a sprinkler system, use flags to mark the sprinkler heads so you don't
hit them!
Use a wheelbarrow to carry pieces away. Even when dry, the dead sod can be very heavy. Hauling live or dead
sod is not a task suitable for your car or truck. You'll need to have a dumpster delivered to haul off the dead lawn you're
removing. Check with local rental yards in advance to have a dumpster available. After removing the old sod, rake over
the soil to remove any debris. Water for a few days to see what grows back. You can put down another application of
herbicide to kill off any re-growth.
Soil Preparation
Time: About 2 days (depending on the size of your lawn)
What you'll need:
Soil Amendments
Rake
Wheelbarrow
Broom
Shovel
Garden Hose
1. Rototill the soil and add amendments
First, remove all rocks and debris, and then rototill the soil to a depth of four to six inches. This will help
eliminate drainage problems and prepare the soil. Spread a layer of soil amendments onto the area. Rototill the
amendments into the soil until thoroughly mixed into the soil. Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass lawns need to be
rototilled about 4 inches down.
A good soil foundation is the key to the success of your new lawn. Think of your yard as a pie with your soil as the crust. If
your crust is not prepared correctly, the pie won't turn out right!
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Soil types can range from sand to clay, so be sure to get the recommended soil amendments for your area.
The best kind of rototiller to rent is one with the cutting blade behind the wheels. Although it may be slightly more expensive
to rent, your results will be much better.
If the soil is dry and hard, wet the soil down and try rototilling once the water is absorbed. However, allow plenty of time for
drying!
What's a Rototiller?
Rototillers are machines that help break up and turn the soil, and can be rented at most any
equipment rental yard. Rototillers loosen the soil a few inches below the surface and can aerate the ground and
allow nutrients in the soil to be absorbed by the roots of new plants. A rototiller is about the size of a small
lawnmower, so you might want to arrange for help loading and unloading this piece of equipment from your
vehicle. It also helps mix fertilizers and amendments into the soil.
What are Soil Amendments?
Soil amendments are composted organic mulch and recycled wood fibers you add to the soil to prepare the dirt
for your planting needs or strengthen nutrient-poor soils. For example, sandy soils need to be enhanced with
organic mulch to nourish the sandy soil. Amending clay soils with organic mulch helps break up heavy clay. Soil
amendments can also be added to your entire yard to raise the level of the ground a few inches.
2. Install your sprinkler system
A sprinkler system is virtually a necessity for the survival of you lawn. A good landscape irrigation
and supply business is an excellent place to start for sprinkler system design information and help. Remember to
design separate systems for the lawn and your garden. Using an automatic timer to control on/off times and
length of watering is recommended.
Grading and Rolling
Time: About 2 hours (depending on the size of your yard)
The tools you'll need include: Rake and Lawn Roller
Clear the surface where the sod will go of all debris, including rocks and root segments that rototilling may
have turned up. Rake to level the area, making sure that the soil level is about 1" below the level of sidewalks, patios and
driveways and tops of sprinkler heads. Using a water-filled lawn roller, roll the area in two opposite directions to minimize
excessive settling that might lower the top of the lawn below the level of driveways or patios. Level any low or high spots
and fine-grade the area with a rake and roll again. This is especially important if installing bermudagrass or Sunclipse St.
Augustine sod. The soil surface must be level to have a level grass surface! Check once again for low spots and settling.
Re-grade and roll the area if necessary.
If you have installed sprinkler lines, install the sprinkler heads after the final grading is done. Remember to compensate
for the thickness of the sod and recommended mowing heights of your sod variety.
Several days prior to delivery and installation of your new sod, the area should be watered to help the new sod establish
itself. This is the best time to check your sprinkler system. To avoid dry patches and promote even growth, water
coverage should overlap from sprinkler head to sprinkler head.
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Measuring for Sod
Time: 30-60 minutes (depending on size and shape of yard)
The tools you'll need include: Measuring tape, Pencil and graph paper, calculator
To figure square footage, determine the general shape of the lawn and try the following methods.
Always round up or add about 10 percent extra to make sure you have enough for angles and cuts!
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Is your lawn a square or rectangle?
Multiply Length x Width = square footage
Is your lawn curved or an unusual shape?
Measure the longest and widest points of the lawn and then multiply Length x Width = square footage
*This will probably give you some extra square footage, especially if your lawn is an irregular shape.
Is your lawn a triangle?
Multiply the base of the triangle and the height of the triangle, and then divide the result by 2.
B x H / 2 = square footage.
If you have more than one area, add the totals together. Be sure to measure carefully! Better to have a few extra square
feet of sod than to run out before you finish the yard!
Useful information:
If sod pieces are 15" x 48" = 5 square feet; Each 5 square foot piece weighs about 25 pounds.
If roll size is 18" x 72" = 9 square feet; Each 9 square foot piece weighs about 45 pounds.
If sod pieces are 2' x 4' = 8 square feet; Each 8 square foot piece weighs about 30 pounds.
If sod pieces are pieces are 17" x 34" = 4 square feet. Each 4 square foot piece weighs about 16 pounds.
There are approximately 500 square feet on one pallet. Loaded pallets weigh between 2500 and 3000 pounds! A
pallet is approximately a four-foot cube: 4' wide x 4' long x 4' high.
Laying Your Sod
Time: 1 day (depending on the size of your lawn)
Items you'll need:
Sod
Sod Knife
Garden Hose
Wheelbarrow
Starter Fertilizer
Lawn Roller
Rake
Fertilizer Spreader
1. Apply Starter Fertilizer
Before laying any sod, apply Starter Fertilizer to the entire surface to be covered with sod. This gives the new
grass food to nourish it in the first few weeks. And because you need to keep the sod wet for the first 10 days,
existing nutrients in the soil will be watered down. Slow-release starter fertilizer will provide the root system with
what it needs to establish itself and continue healthy growth. The sod can then be laid directly on the fertilized
soil.
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2. Lay Your Sod
Start from the back of your property line to front along the longest straight-line boundary. Work away
from the line so you're not stepping on the fresh sod. Butt edges and ends to fit tightly together. Stagger sod slabs
(like laying bricks) to offset seams. Should your area be irregular in shape, run a string between stakes in a
straight line through the area and begin laying sod along this line. Make sure each piece of sod has good contact
with the soil, because air pockets prevent proper rooting. If laying sod on a steep slope, use wooden pegs or sod
staples to temporarily keep the sod in place.
3. Trim
Trim edges with your sod knife to fit around curves and leave clean, trimmed edges around
sprinkler heads, driveways, etc. Avoid cutting sod into short or narrow strips because smaller pieces tend to dry
out and fail to root properly.
4. Keep Sod Moist
After you have laid about 200 square feet of sod, mist it with a garden hose before you finish the whole job to
prevent the new sod from drying out. Hot summer temperatures can wilt fresh sod, so it's important to keep
it moist as you lay it down!
After the sod is laid, use a roller to ensure good contact between the sod and the soil. Just fill the
roller half-way for the final rolling. Do not use the lawn until rooting has started and the lawn is growing vigorously.
Water your sod as much as necessary to keep it squishy wet for 10 days. The sod needs this water to re-establish
itself with new root growth. Avoid watering at night. After 10 days of frequent watering, you can return to your
normal schedule. Be sure to allow the soil to firm up to give you an opportunity to mow your lawn. A new sod lawn
should be mowed two weeks after installation.
Congratulations! You now know how to install a new lawn!
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