How to Lay Sod

After you find the right grass, order it. The grass will be shipped directly from a sod farm to your lawn, and our sod vendor will call you to schedule a drop-off time.

Prepare the area where you intend to lay sod before it arrives. You'll need to kill or remove the existing grass since sod needs to be installed directly on the dirt.

There are several methods you can use to kill the existing grass:

• Smother it with compost.
• Apply nonselective herbicide.
• Cover it with plastic sheeting.
• Remove the grass with a sod cutter.

Killing the lawn with compost is the option that most benefits the future lawn since it adds valuable microorganisms to the soil. If you use a sod cutter, you can rent one. As an alternative, you can use a tiller. Dead grass and dirt can be composted.

For more detailed information about how to kill or remove existing grass, see our grass removal guide.

After removing the grass, prepare the area where you’re going to install sod by making the soil as healthy as possible.

First, remove rocks, then till the dirt six inches deep, being sure that the surface of the soil is about an inch below the surrounding surfaces, which will keep the lawn level. Use a garden rake to break up the soil, then test the soil and incorporate soil amendments as needed. Rake out the tilled soil and amendments to smooth it, sloping it gently away from buildings or structures.

Finally, thoroughly wet the soil.

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Once the sod arrives, start unrolling it along a straight edge on your lawn. Unroll one piece at a time, end to end, and avoid walking on pieces of sod as you're laying new ones down. Pack the sod into place and make sure there aren't air pockets between the sod and soil, which will prevent the sod from taking root. Make sure the edges are tightly butted up against each other, avoiding any gaps or overlaps. You can stretch the sod slightly.

After you finish with the first row, go back to the first piece of sod you put down. Using an edger or shovel, cut a piece of sod in half lengthwise and start the second row. This will stagger the joints like bricks, which makes your sod lawn look more natural and prevents water from running off down the seams. Make all cuts as clean as possible to prevent the sod from drying out. Continue laying out pieces of sod.

If you have gaps between the end of your row and the edge of your lawn, cut pieces to fit. If you have curved sections, lay out the curve with a garden hose and cut along the hose.

After you finish laying the sod, fill in all the seams with topsoil or potting soil.

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In a grid pattern, roll over the sod using a lawn roller, which you can rent.

Water the sod thoroughly. Continue to water the sod daily for the first week unless it rains. During the second week, water your lawn every other day, and during the third week, water it twice. By the fourth week, make sure your lawn gets an inch of water through irrigation or rainfall.

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Mow your lawn when your grass is three inches tall and at least 10 days have passed since it was laid. Use a lawnmower with sharp blades to cut the grass.

Sod laid in shady areas may need a little extra boost because most sod is grown using seed meant for full sun exposure. Overseed shady areas with grass seed that can handle partial shade.

Review our guide on planting grass to master the basics.

To help your new grass thrive, be sure to limit walking and other activity on it — other than mowing, watering and overseeding — for about a month. This will allow the new roots to grow strong and prevent soil compaction.

If you have excess sod, you'll need to dispose of it. You can compost it, or yard waste removal services can pick up large amounts of excess sod.

After a month, the sod should have sturdy roots to keep it healthy. Be sure to water deeply (but not too frequently), aerate once a year and fertilize it.

Discover more ways to keep your new lawn healthy and beautiful with our lawn maintenance guide.