How to Sod a Yard

Ever look at the neighbor's yard and ask yourself, why don't I have a lush green lawn like theirs? Sometimes all it takes to have a beautiful lawn is some new sod. After a hard day's work and about a month of watering, you'll have an immaculate patch of grass that will make you the envy of the neighborhood.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Determine the amount of sod you'll need and the type of grass that would work best in your area.

2. Till your yard to a depth of about 6 inches or at least 1 inch below the sidewalk or sprinkler heads. You may want to spray weeds and existing grass with weed killer

3. Level out some of the areas with a rake. This also creates loose dirt for the roots of your new grass.

4. Begin by laying your sod against a straight line, such as a driveway or sidewalk. Take into account the areas around trees and other obstacles.

5. Rent a lawn roller at a home-improvement center. This helps the roots to make contact with the soil.

6. Water your new lawn regularly for several days, tapering off after the first week.

7. Plug in the cracks with dirt and they will eventually fill in with grass.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a carpet knife to cut shapes in your sod for rounding trees.
• Install the sod promptly after it's delivered or else it will dry out.
• Don't walk on the sod until after you've compressed it with a lawn roller.
• Don't cut your sod too short, or it will dry out.

Resources

• Find a tutorial here for installing sod.