Lay new turf over the existing lawn: Easy Tips and Tricks

A small garden with some green grasses adds beauty to your house. Some people like to keep the way it is natural, but some may get extra excited about revamping those areas. So, this is where the thought of laying a turf comes into a person’s mind.

To address the nitty-gritty of laying turf and aspects related to it, we have come up with this blog.

What are turf and its types?

Turf is grass kept on the surface layer of Earth, held together by its roots. Usually, turfs are of small rectangular shape. One can go for either a seeded lawn or the turf one.

The seeded lawns include germinated seeds of grass at different stages, while instant lawn/ turf is one variety producing evenly growing grasses.

On the basis of luxury and appearance, there are two major turfs:

• Family lawn turf/ hard-wearing/ traditional

They are easy to maintain, durable, and budget-friendly.

• Fine/ Ornamental /Deluxe turf

Fine turf looks great and grows well in most conditions.

Qualities of Good Turf

As per research and experts in the laying turf industry, a turf is of good one if it possesses the following qualities:

• Nice even colour with no patches or splodges
• Velvety-textured, dark green coloured healthy grass
• Really tough and hard-wearing
• Reaches a defined standard of Turf rolls
• Simple and Easy to maintain
• Not too costly; affordable 

What are the instant Turfs?

Instant Turf is a newly grown lawn that has been pulled from the field, chopped into manageable-sized pieces, wrapped up, and transferred to its new location.

Types of Instant Turf

DNA CERTIFIED SIR WALTER

Used for residential yards used by children or pets and commercial situations. 

TIFTUF BERMUDA

TifTuf Bermuda has an impressive wear tolerance unlike any other, making it perfect for frequently used sporting fields or backyards.

RTF TALL FESCUE

RTF [ Rhizomatous Tall Fescue] is an advanced turf and is ideal for front lawns & shaded areas.

EUREKA KIKUYU 

It is a vigorous grower that stands up to a wide range of conditions and is used for both home lawns and larger spaces such as racecourses or parks.

NULLARBOR COUCH

They are the perfect turf for rest and play. They produce a manicured lawn with an attractive luscious green colour and fine leaf blades.

Things needed to lay instant turf

To have your instant turf set up, you will have mostly need:

• Some rolls of turf
• Manure
• Gravel or Grit
• Gardening gloves fertilizer 
• Gardening Fork
• Strings
• Measuring tape
• A cutting knife 
• some planks
• Wood a sprinkler

Ways to lay Turf

If you want to start a new lawn, you have two options:

•  plant grass seed

OR

•  buy and lay the turf.

[ In fact, you can add a turf on the existing one if you are not looking for a new lawn]

For an old lawn that has become particularly weedy, you must remove it, stack it, compost it, and treat the soil beneath it before laying turf. If there is a lot of weed on it, treat it with weed killer first and let it die. 

Basic Steps to Laying a Turf

• Prepare the surface area with topsoil and wetting agent to hold the moisture underneath the turf.
• Prepare the soil for laying the instant turf. You use your rake to spread out your topsoil and then level it out with your soil spreader.
• Put down the lawn builder or the startup fertiliser. Make sure when you do this, you follow the instructions on the packet.
•  Wet the fertiliser in to create a nice moist bed for the turf to lay on.
• Put your first roll of turf and keep it hard against both sides of the corner. Avoid kneeling on the turf or stretching it, as it needs to remain compact in the soil. Get help if needed!
• Lay the turf out next to the piece. Make sure that it’s butted up hard against the edge and then, with a pair of secateurs.
• Continue the same process. Cut off the extra things turfs.
• After completing laying the turfs, water the turf lightly, you need to keep the turf wet for the first four to six weeks, depending on your climate.
• After that, you can back off the watering a little bit to encourage deep rooting in.
• You should minimize the foot traffic to a minimum for the next four weeks, but that’s it.

Steps to lay turf over the existing lawn

“Can I lay turf over the existing one? “is this a big question lawn enthusiasts and garden lovers have in mind? Well, the answer is YES!!

You can lay a new turf over an existing lawn, but you must check your existing turf’s condition and needs for laying turf on top of the existing one.

However,  this method is not recommended by many experts. There are numerous reasons why you shouldn’t lay new turf on top. Some are:

• This can cause the roots not to grow well.
• It’s not a good fix to reduce weeds and diseases. In fact, the presence of disease on existing ones gives a trauma to your new turf.
•  The existing humps or hollow spots can worsen lawn health.
• The existing pests can attack the new turf; Laying your new turf on the existing one may also serve as feeding the pests and inviting the stress. Do you really want that?

But if you really are into adding a new turf on the existing one, we do have options. Start off with the best preparation. For that, preparing the ground for turf should be the main focus. It will be great if you add new turf to the existing one.

So, let’s see the steps to lay turf on the existing one.

• Level the ground, smoothen any bumps and fill up any holes.
• Cut the old grass somehow low and level out any holes or steeps.
• Apply the topsoil or compost mix and spread it evenly throughout the intended area. 

Tips and tricks to lay a new turf over an existing one?

• Keep the turf is of the same level as driveways, walkways, and ground-level other surfaces
• One needs to water your lawn on regular basis 
• Avoid walking on your new turf for the next 3-4 weeks to prevent the formation of air pockets underneath.
• Take the help of the tutorials and use only quality products.
• If in confusion, dial the laying turf experts like Jam Pool Removals.

How to lay turf in winter?

Laying turf isn’t a task for only one season; it can be laid at any time of the year, including in the winter.

In fact, there are several advantages to turfing in the winter. The first is staying fresh, i.e. the grass rolls will last longer in damp, chilly weather.

If you lay turf in the winter, it will have enough time to root and settle before the spring season. 

So, to lay turf in winter, you should first work out how much turf is needed; check for the area to be turfed, and any other unusual features in the to-be turfed area.

Now, prepare the ground without any clutter and clumps and then repeat the standard laying a turf practice.

Dos and  Don’ts of laying a turf

What about Laying Turf Cost in Australia in 2022?

The cost of Laying a turf price is determined by the area to be covered. Depending on turf type, laying a turf can cost anywhere between $6.50 and $12.50 per square meter. Turfs are more expensive to install than fake grass, but they are a more environmentally friendly alternative; thus, the cost is justified.

Why Choose Jam Pools Removals for Turf Laying? 

At Jam Pools Removal, along with pool removals service, offers turf laying service in Sydney. We are professionals in turf installation in Sydney.

We focus on delivering from quality suppliers while considering the season, soil, the weather condition in your location or lawn, need for watering and care. In fact, we also work to put instant and artificial turfs in your swimming pool area as well.

Contact us if you are looking for a professional Turf laying service in Sydney NSW Area? We are here for your Pool Removal and Turf Laying in Sydney.