Sod Installation & Watering Guide
Once your sod has been delivered, please follow our step-by-step guide to install your sod.
- Lay sod as soon as possible. Sod is a perishable product and must be laid in at most within 24 hours of delivery.
- Start at the longest straight edge.
The goal of the sod installation process is to trim as little as
possible. Following the longest
straight edge will make the sod installation process much more simple.
- Staggering. Installing sod is similar to laying bricks. To keep as straight of an edge as possible, lay your sod in a staggering pattern, as if it were a staircase. Lay one full roll of sod out on your first line. On your next line, cut one-third of the roll off and place it on the third line. Repeat the process for the duration of the installation.
- Butt edges together. The way sod binds together is through the topsoil. Sod should be butted together with minimal gaps and overlaps. If gaps and overlaps are left, your yard will cease to be level.
- Trim. Make sure to trim as tight as possible around the different yard decorations and obstacles. Here is Peak Turf Supply’s recommendation for trimming around different obstacles:
- Fence: trim edges as close as possible to fence edge. If possible, tuck sod underneath the fence line.
- Sidewalk/Concrete curbing: Lay sod over curbing, and use the edge of the concrete as a guide to cut the sod with.
- Trees/Shrubbery: Lay sod up to the trunk or roots, and fold the excess flap over the rest of the roll. Cut as close
as you can to the edges of the trunk or roots, and fold the
rest of the roll back over and remove the excess.
6. Watering. Water your sod as soon as it is installed. For the next two
weeks, water sod 3 times a day for 20 minutes each. The best way to tell if your sod is receiving enough water is if you lift up a flap of the sod and there is water underneath. After two weeks, your roots will be established enough to be able to pull back on watering and put it on a regular watering cycle.
