How to lay turf
Updated July 2026
Dig over and level the ground, add topsoil where it is poor, then lay the turf within 24 hours of delivery with staggered joints and water it in heavily. The prep matters more than the turf itself.
Laying turf gives you a finished lawn in an afternoon, but the result lives or dies on the prep underneath. Get the ground right and cheap garden turf will root and settle in fine. Skip it and even the best turf will go patchy, yellow and lumpy within a few weeks.
When to lay turf
Spring and autumn are the easiest times. From roughly March to May and September to November the soil is warm and damp, and the rain does a lot of the watering for you while the roots take hold.
You can lay turf almost any time of year as long as the ground is not frozen, waterlogged or baked hard in a heatwave. Summer laying works, but you have to commit to watering it heavily every single day until it roots, or it will shrink and brown off at the joints.
How much turf and topsoil you need
Measure the area in metres, length times width, and that is your square metres. Add about 5% on top for cutting in around curves, borders and paths. Lawn turf is sold and cut to order per m2, and TopTurf sells one grade: premium hard-wearing lawn turf at £4 per m2.
If the existing ground is poor, stony or needs raising, spread a layer of topsoil first. A 50mm to 100mm layer is normal. A bulk bag is around 0.7 m3 and covers roughly 14 m2 at 50mm or 7 m2 at 100mm, and topsoil weighs about 1.5 tonnes per m3, so plan for the weight if you are barrowing it.
Screened topsoil rakes level easily and is the usual choice under turf, and TopTurf sells it at £70 a bulk bag. Cheap unscreened fill, where yards sell it, is only for building up levels lower down, not for the top layer the grass roots into.
Preparing the ground
This is the part that decides how your lawn turns out, so do not rush it. Clear or kill off the old grass and weeds first. Do not lay fresh turf straight on top of an existing lawn, it will not root properly and the old grass rots underneath.
Dig or rotavate the ground over to a depth of 100mm to 150mm and pull out stones, roots and rubble. Add and spread topsoil if you are improving or raising the level, then firm the whole area by treading it heel to heel or with a roller. Loose ground sinks and leaves dips once the turf is down.
Finish by raking it to a fine, crumbly tilth and knock out any high and low spots. Aim to leave the soil surface a little below the height of any paths or patio so the finished turf sits flush and the mower wheels run level.
Laying the turf
Lay turf within 24 hours of delivery. It is a living, perishable product and rolled turf heats up and yellows fast on the pallet, especially in warm weather.
Start along a straight edge such as a path, fence line or patio and work outwards. Butt the rolls up tight against each other, do not stretch them or they will shrink back and open gaps. Stagger the joints row to row like brickwork so the seams do not line up.
Work from scaffold boards or planks laid across the turf you have already put down, never straight on the soil or fresh turf, so you spread your weight and avoid footprints and dips. Trim the edges and cut around curves with an old bread knife or a half-moon edging iron.
Watering and aftercare
Water the new turf heavily as soon as it is down, and get the water right through to the soil underneath, not just the surface. This first soak is the most important one. Peel back a corner and check the ground below is wet.
Keep the turf damp for the first two to three weeks and water daily in dry or windy spells. Stay off it as much as you can while it roots. To test it, lift a corner gently: if it grips and resists, the roots have taken.
Leave the first mow until it is rooted, then just top it on a high setting to take the ends off. Do not scalp a new lawn.
Getting it delivered or laid
TopTurf cuts lawn turf to order in Leigh for next-day delivery, and you can order by phone on 0161 399 8706 or by email. Delivery starts at £20, worked out from your postcode and the size of the order.
If you would rather not do the digging and laying, the supply-and-lay work goes to Barrow Landscaping, so the ground prep, topsoil and turf can all come from one place. Order the turf on its own for a DIY job, or have the whole lawn done.
Step by step
Measure and order
Measure the lawn in metres, length times width, and add about 5% for cutting in. Order your turf per m2 and enough topsoil to cover any poor ground at 50mm to 100mm.
Clear the ground
Strip off old grass and weeds. Do not lay over an existing lawn. Dig or rotavate to 100mm to 150mm and remove stones, roots and rubble.
Add topsoil and level
Spread screened topsoil where the ground is poor or needs raising, then rake it roughly level, filling any dips.
Firm and rake to a tilth
Tread the soil down heel to heel or roll it to firm it, then rake to a fine, crumbly surface sitting just below path and patio level.
Lay the first row
Start along a straight edge such as a path or patio. Butt the first row of rolls up tight without stretching them.
Lay the rest with staggered joints
Work off boards laid over the turf, staggering the joints like brickwork and pushing each roll tight to the last. Trim edges with a knife or half-moon edger.
Firm down
Once it is all down, firm the turf into the soil with a light roll or by treading over the boards so it makes good contact underneath.
Water in and keep off
Soak it thoroughly so the water reaches the soil below, keep it damp for two to three weeks, and stay off it until it has rooted.
Questions
How much turf do I need?
Measure the area in metres, multiply length by width for your square metres, then add roughly 5% for cutting in around curves and borders. Turf is sold and cut to order per m2, so order the total in one go to keep it from the same batch.
How soon do I need to lay turf after it is delivered?
Within 24 hours. Turf is alive and rolled turf heats up on the pallet, so it starts to yellow and deteriorate quickly. Book delivery for a day when your ground is already prepared and you are ready to lay straight away.
Do I need topsoil before laying turf?
Only if the existing ground is poor, stony, or needs its level raised. A 50mm to 100mm layer of screened topsoil gives the roots something good to grow into. A bulk bag covers about 14 m2 at 50mm or 7 m2 at 100mm. If your soil is already decent, cultivating and levelling it may be enough.
How long before I can walk on or mow new turf?
Keep off it for two to three weeks while it roots, other than laying boards to work from. Lift a corner to check: if it grips and resists, it has rooted. Leave the first mow until then, and only top it lightly on a high setting.
Need the materials?
We supply lawn turf and topsoil across Leigh and Greater Manchester. Order by phone or email. Want it laid? Barrow Landscaping can prep the ground and lay it.