How to lay turf – ‘TIY’ – Turf it yourself!

Instant Greenscene is a North Brisbane based landscaping service specialising in structural and soft landscaping, automated irrigation and drainage. We also offer a landscape design and DIY consultation service which has been specifically designed to provide our customers with advice and inspiration, allowing you to draw on the wealth of knowledge and experience we have gained in all facets of landscape design and construction. We have been proudly landscaping Brisbane North to the Sunshine Coast since 1998.

Landscaping – Turf Talk

A luscious green lawn is one of the most popular outdoor ground cover choices for landscaping design projects in SE QLD. It is cost effective, practical and adds an aesthetic element to your garden. However, achieving a successful and sustainable lawn is not as simple as it looks!

Before you decide to leap into action and tackle your own turf…… take a look at our ‘TIY – Turf It Yourself’ video and step by step guide to assist the enthusiastic DIY landscaper in achieving a professional looking lawn.

Turf Selection

Choosing the correct turf can be influenced by numerous factors. These may include ground conditions, light tolerance and expected foot traffic. Personal preferences for a buffalo or couch lawn may also be a consideration. There is plenty of choice on the market, but we strongly recommend choosing a high quality turf such as Sir Walter DNA Certified or Tiftuf .

The secret of a successful lawn is a combination of 4 key elements:

PREPARATION
INSTALLATION
ESTABLISHMENT
ANNUAL LAWN CARE

Time needed: 2 days

North Brisbane Landscapers – DIY turf installation advice by Instant Greenscene

Treat existing growth
Pre spray existing area – if you already have lawn or weeds then use a suitable weed killer to pre spray the area approximately two weeks prior to excavating
Remove existing surface
Excavate and remove the existing surface, taking into consideration, the required finish height of the new lawn
Install sub surface irrigation and drainage if required
Install irrigation and landscape drainage systems at this stage if required. Automated irrigation is an excellent way to manage the watering schedule of your lawn with ease and efficiency. See our range of irrigation solutions
Lay top soil
Laying new under-turf soil – Generally a sandy loam soil is ideal for an under-turf soil. 70mm is an ideal amount of under-turf soil, however anywhere between 50-100ml will be sufficient
Prepare and level under turf soil
Screed and level the area ready for turf. Light compaction of the soil may be required
Lay under turf fertiliser if required
Lay and spread a good quality under-turf fertiliser such as lawn launcher by Lawn Solutions Australia. Please note that not all turfs require fertiliser at this stage. Please follow the specific turf care guide
Lay turf
Laying the turf – The turf should be laid on the day of delivery to avoid the turf sheets drying out. Lay the turf by placing sheets of turf in a brick work style so the sheets do not line up. For areas with a slope or embankment, lay the sheets across the slope rather than in the direction of the fall to minimise the turf sheets slipping
Water the turf
Water the sheets in well to the point where the turf and the first inch of the under-turf soil are wet
Roll the turf
Roll the turf with a water filled roller in 2 directions. Roller north to south and then east to west. Roller 3 passes in each direction or until the lawn appears flat and smooth. This helps to minimise air gaps between roots and prepared soil surface as well as making the lawn as flat as possible for the aesthetics and practicality
Ongoing watering
Watering – Generally you want to maintain keeping the turf and first inch of soil moist for the first 4 weeks. Watering a new lawn in South East QLD during summertime requires watering twice a day for 2 weeks (early morning and late afternoon), followed by once a day for 2 weeks. After 4 weeks general ongoing watering requirements should be sufficient *These are watering guides only and should be adjusted accordingly to site conditions and turf selection
Ongoing turf care
Follow annual lawn care guide as recommended for your turf species