Why Laying Your Own Sod Is Your Next Saturday Project

If you’ve watched a crew of landscapers tossing around sod rolls with astonishing synchronization, you may be intimidated by the thought of transforming your lawn by yourself.

However, laying sod is simply a step-by-step process that can be learned with ease. Trust me, you too can be unstacking a sod pallet like a pro within just a few minutes. We’ve laid out instructions below. 

See the details of proper sod installation technique in the short video above.

It’s Not Rocket Science

Here are the basics in 10 easy steps for installing sod in a weekend:

1. Test: As soon as possible, conduct a soil test on your lawn to determine if it needs additional nutrients. Send the test off to the lab and wait for results.
2. Spray: Kill off existing vegetation in your lawn with a kill-all herbicide. Don’t want to worry about those pesky weeds and grasses competing with your fresh new lawn! (Some weeds may take up to 10-14 days to die. Plan accordingly.)
3. Call: By Wednesday morning of installation week, call your nearest Super-Sod to place your order for sod and Soil³ organic compost. When you order, ask about Saturday delivery.
4. Till & Toss: Friday evening, till up your lawn. Then rake up and toss debris.
5. Delivery: On Saturday we’ll drop off your sod along with bags of Soil³ organic compost to help your soil. It's best to store your sod in a shady spot.
6. Spread: Spread the Soil³ across your lawn then rake or till it into the existing soil.
7. Lay: Start unstacking the sod and lay it in a brick-like pattern. Be sure to butt the edges tightly up against each other. 
8. Water: Water as you go so your sod doesn’t dry out.
9. Shape: Use a shovel or machete to slice edges and fill in gaps to achieve your desired lawn shape.
10. Water Some More: Water, water, water! Keep the sod moist until it’s established and rooted into the soil, then gradually cut back on the watering.

Think you'll need a reminder of these steps? We've got an infographic for that! Click this graphic to see the full size printable infographic for DIY Sod Installation.

Not Every Thing All at Once

Does that still sound like too big of a job? Sod your lawn in stages. We’ll be happy to deliver half of your pallets one Saturday and the other half the next.

Or, we can deliver the Soil³ compost one Saturday morning and deliver the sod a week later. 

Real World Example: If you have a 3,000 square foot lawn, that could mean installing 1,500 square feet of sod each weekend without stressing out about sod staying on the pallet too long.

Laying Sod is Great Exercise

Laying sod is real-world CrossFit! It will give you a good excuse to skip that Saturday morning workout with the satisfaction of a new lawn in the evening. 

Cure for a Couch Potato

If your kids have been binge watching TV this summer, there’s a good chance they need an energy release. Get the kids off the couch and working in the yard. From spreading compost with a shovel to lifting sod rolls to holding a water hose, there are jobs for kids of almost every age.

No kids in the house to help you out? Reach out to teenagers in your neighborhood who may need a little extra cash. Many hands make the job go so much more quickly.

Responding to Your SOS

Still unsure on some of the details? That’s what we’re here for! At Super-Sod, we only grow sod and make organic compost. Since it’s our specialty, we’re eager to offer advice on laying sod, watering while it gets established, and how to care for sod at every stage. We have several DIY online resources, but we love to hear from you, too!

Give us a call if you have any questions or reservations about laying your own sod.

Ready to get started on your project today? Request a free quote from your local Super-Sod or order your sod online.