MyHammer Newsroom UK

Having a luxurious lawn in front of your house makes a big statement, whereas in the back garden it can be the best way to make the most of your outside space, giving you a natural place to relax and for your kids to play. If you’re going to have a go at laying your own turf then we’ve outlined a few tips below. As ever though, if you have no experience you can save yourself time and hassle by finding a professional through MyHammer.

Ground preparation

The best time to lay turf is in autumn or spring, but before you even purchase the turf you need to thoroughly prepare the ground. A common mistake that hobby gardeners and landscapers make when it comes to laying turf is that they buy the rolls of turf first and then rush the ground preparation because the turf starts to dry up.

Step 1 – The ground needs to be cleared of all existing plant life, including weeds and grass. You can use a spade to slice off a thin layer of earth containing the existing grass and then use a rake to completely remove all the weeds. A biodegradable weed killer can be used at this stage for best results but you then have to wait several weeks until you lay the turf.

Step 2 – For a simple and flat lawn, the surface has to be even before laying out the new turf. This can be done by using a landscape rake. After that, the surface must be compacted to avoid unevenness later. A simple way to do this is to walk up and down the garden using small steps or, for an even better result, try to get hold of a roller. You then need to gently rake it again to loosen the top soil. This makes it easier for the new roots to attach themselves to your nice and even ground.

Laying the turf

Step 3 - Now that preparation is complete, you can measure the surface area and then purchase the turf. We recommend buying five per cent more turf than necessary as the excess will be lost when the turf is laid and trimmed.

Step 4 - You should start laying it in one corner in a brick fashion. Leave a border between the turf and any walls or fences because it will be difficult to cut the lawn there in future. The edges have to be close together to avoid the grass drying out. Do not try to stretch the turf because it naturally shrinks a bit after a few days and this will result in horrible gaps. Do not walk on the newly laid grass as you could damage it; instead, use a plank to spread your weight evenly and then lay the next row of turf. At the end the edges should be trimmed and neatened with a small spade.

Almost there

Step 5 – Once you’ve finished you need to water the area carefully and repeat this constantly during the first weeks. Do not walk on the grass before the roots are established and the grass grows. You can cut the grass for the first time after about two weeks but try not to cut more than a quarter of the length the first time around in order to avoid killing the roots.
Laying turf isn’t that complicated but it is fairly physical labour that also involves digging up, disposing of the old lawn and depending on the supplier, transporting the new turf. If you feel like you’re not able to do parts of the job, for instance if you don’t have a suitable vehicle, post a job on www.MyHammer.co.uk and let quality tradesmen, rated by previous customers, give you a quote on those aspects of the job that you don’t want to do yourself. Alternatively, let them do it all whilst you relax.

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Tags: lawn, turf

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