How to Lay Turf: A Step-by-Step Guide

Everything you need to lay a new lawn and get it established, from preparing the soil to the first feed. Written for South West soils and conditions by the team at Cowaramup Agencies.

Before you start The 8 steps Watering schedule Aftercare Products

The short version

Get your Water Corporation exemption sorted before the turf arrives.
Lay the turf the day it arrives, and water it straight away.
Keep people and pets off it for 2 to 3 weeks.
First mow at around 3 to 4 weeks, with the mower set high.
First feed at around 4 to 6 weeks, with a slow-release lawn fertiliser.

Before you start

What you will need

Tape measure, to work out how much turf to order
Spade or rotary hoe
Garden rake for levelling
Lawn roller, or a flat board to press the turf down
Sharp knife or turf cutter for trimming
Wheelbarrow for moving the rolls
Lawn starter fertiliser and a soil wetter (both in store)
A hose and sprinkler, or irrigation that is ready to go

When to lay turf

Spring and autumn: the best time

Mild weather and moist soil mean the roots take hold quickly.

Summer

It can be done, but it needs a lot more water in the first few weeks. Avoid laying on very hot days.

Winter

Fine in our mild South West climate. Growth is slower, but the roots will still establish.

Lay it the same day. Turf is a living product. The longer it sits rolled up, especially in the sun, the harder it is to establish.

Step-by-step laying guide

Clear and prepare the soil

Remove the old lawn, weeds, rocks and roots. Dig or rotary-hoe the soil to at least 75 mm deep and break up any clods. The better the soil preparation, the faster your new lawn will take.

On heavy or compacted clay, mix in gypsum or a soil conditioner to help it drain.

Sort out your reticulation

Install or fix any sprinklers now, before the turf goes down, because you will not be able to get to the pipes afterwards. Set the sprinkler heads to the height of the finished lawn.

Test the system and check every part of the lawn gets covered, so you can water as soon as the turf is laid.

Level the area

Rake the soil smooth and even, with a gentle fall away from the house so water drains away from buildings.

Leave the soil about 20 to 25 mm below paths and edging, so the finished lawn sits level with them. Lightly water to settle the soil, then fill any low spots.

Add starter fertiliser and soil wetter

Spread a lawn starter fertiliser evenly and rake it in lightly. This gives the new roots the nutrients they need to get going.

Most South West soils are sandy and water-repellent, so add a soil wetter such as Baileys Grosorb Turf Granules to help water soak in rather than run off.

Lay in a brickwork pattern

Start along a straight edge such as a path, fence or driveway. Lay each roll end to end, then start the next row half a roll along, like brickwork, so the joins do not line up.

Push the rolls tightly together. Never stretch turf to close a gap, as it shrinks back as it dries. Cut a piece to fit instead.

Press it down firmly

Go over the lawn with a roller, or walk a flat board across it, to press the turf into the soil. Air pockets underneath dry the roots out, so pay extra attention to joins and edges.

Kenda Kikuyu is a strong, vigorous rooter once it has good contact with the soil.

Sapphire Buffalo grows a deep root system, and firm contact early sets it up for the long term.

Trim the edges

Use a sharp knife or turf cutter to trim around garden beds, paths and trees. Press down firmly and cut from the top.

Neat, tight edges look better and stop the turf lifting or drying out at the borders.

Water straight away

Give the new lawn a deep soak as soon as it is laid. Lift a corner to check that the soil underneath is wet, not just the turf.

Kenda Kikuyu copes well with dry spells once established, but must not dry out in the first 2 to 3 weeks.

Sapphire Buffalo needs more water while it establishes. Water it 2 to 3 times a day in the first week, then daily in weeks 2 and 3.

See the full watering schedule below

Watering schedule

Water restrictions: sprinkler rosters apply across Perth and the South West. To water new turf on the schedules below, you need a garden establishment exemption from the Water Corporation. Apply and check the current rosters at watercorporation.com.au before your turf arrives.

Cooler months: 1 April to 30 September (35 days)

Garden establishment exemption required

Days	Water depth	How often	When
Days 1 to 14	4 mm	Twice a day	Before 9am and at 2pm
Days 15 to 28	7.5 mm	Once a day	Before 9am
Days 29 to 35	7.5 mm	Every second day	Before 9am

Warmer months: 1 October to 31 March (42 days)

Garden establishment exemption required

Days	Water depth	How often	When
Days 1 to 10	5 mm	Three times a day	Before 9am, at noon and at 3pm
Days 11 to 20	5 mm	Twice a day	Before 9am and at 3pm
Days 21 to 28	10 mm	Once a day	Before 9am
Days 29 to 42	20 mm	Every second day	Before 9am

Schedules are as recommended by True Blue Turf, who grow our turf. Use them as a guide: water more in hot, dry or windy weather and less after rain. Always check the current Water Corporation rosters and exemption conditions for your area. Not sure how many millimetres your sprinklers put out? Ask us in store and we can help you work it out.

Aftercare: the first six weeks

Watering

Follow the schedule above, and check the edges and joins, which dry out first.

Keep off it

Keep people and pets off for 2 to 3 weeks while the roots knit into the soil.

First mow

Usually 3 to 4 weeks after laying, once it holds firm. Set the mower high and just take the tips off.

First feed

At 4 to 6 weeks, apply a slow-release lawn fertiliser such as Ecogrowth Emerald.

We give free aftercare advice to all our turf customers. If you have questions about watering, mowing or feeding, call us on (08) 9755 5279 or send us an email.