What's the step to lay down turf?

More landscaping question.

New house in Melb, clay soil.

What's the step to DIY laying your own turf?
Just add top soil (any soil? what kind of soil?) then put turf on? I'm thinking either Buffalo or Zoysia

Area will be about 80-100sqm of grass at least but if DIY I can always do one part then the rest

 

Ask the turf farm/supplier.

IME your average landscaper will rip out any existing lawn, level & whack the new turf in.

If you want to keep it weed-free for longer it is a lot more time-consuming & labour intensive.

 

@EN710
Get the supplier to lay it as well.
It will be faster and save you money at the physio / chiro.

80-100sqm isn't big, but it isn't small either.
Rolling grass isn't hard, is the damn prepping.
(Just like painting - i hate prepping!)

 

Day 1 - roundup
Day 15 - tilling soil
Day 16 - 2" garden mix
Day 17 - roll out turf
Day 18 - Watering and well earned drink

 

We did this at a couple of our properties before selling them.

Hire a rotary hoe from Kennards etc to prep the ground.
Roll out the rectangles of lawn in like a brick like pattern, ie not all in line.
Use a bread knife to cut the pieces to create a straight boundary edge.
Needs lots of water the first few days so that it takes.
Mow strategically to encourage growth. For best result, sale/rent photography done after a couple of mows, as it makes it grow back a bit lusher.

 

Thank you guys!

That's a lot of days!
@neK I don't mind physical work, already going to osteo regularly due to sitting too much

With this Kennards thing, don't you need to know how to use them first?

 

You get 7 dwarfs to help...."I hoe, I hoe, it's off to work we go.... "

 

Would you be dwarf no 1? Based on user handle I assume... Grumpy?
I can pay in red or sparkling

 

My Tip - Hire a small bobcat dude and get them to rip it all up and level things and spread soil and place batches of turf. Then hand level / screed to get flat.

It will take them no time and remove most of the hard work. Rolling it out isnt hard. Dont wet grass once rolled out until rolled down either (it can turn to bog). Roll out flat and then water without walking on it !!

Just allow extra soil for filling gaps and light top dress after several weeks to fill

 

Ok, small bob cat dude as in landscaper... or is this a completely separate type of service?
I want a small bob cat dude if he's affordable.

 

Hoes on site can be a distraction

 

Many charge min fee and its like $300 etc . Best investment you can make even if it takes them 1 hr v's 5 of labour (thats what mine was like). You may have to ask him how tall he is.

 

Also, sprinkle washed sand (the kind you fill gaps in paving with) along the joints to prevent drying out at the edges and fill any slight uneven spaces).

It is vital to lay the grass quickly - on the day it’s delivered if possible - as it can die if left.

The grass 'tiles' are not light as the earth backing will be moist. You have to prepare the ground properly first.

Someone with a rental up the road from me got a company to lay turf in rolls. Looks fantastic. Will be interesting to see how it survives.

 

Join another forum
great info here Fu Manchu's Guide to Soil Prep & Laying Turf
Cheers
PP

 

Somehow blocked by from work, will check when I'm home

 

Use hedge shears, way easier

I do several lawns each year
As per @Scott No Mates, roundup everything, the following day or a few later I hoe over, dress with turf underlay and use a concrete screed to level and get the correct fall, roll out turf starting from the furthest point in lines to the longest boundary.
I often save some turf underlay to fill larger gaps
I always leave the area "low" as the grass thickens up the height increases.
Then 3-6 months later lightly top dress to fill low points and finish it off
If you are only just short of 100sqm, consider buying the 100 as most suppliers discount for 100sqm or more

 

Also, you can get a permit from council to water your new lawn
Should there be restrictions, coming into summer.
DO NOT FLOOD IT, it can rot.
Morning waterings are better
Or morning and mid afternoon on hot days

 

I got lazy...
I used timers, 1 to 4 tap splitter, multiple hoses connected to 5m soaker houses.
Beats standing there to water, especially for an IP - didn't want to have to drive there to water the grass. Worked a charm.

 

And the cost to get a landscaper to do the lot?

 

I quoted with all other stuff (concrete perimeter, site levelling) excluding retaining wall and it's at least 8k