I think it might be the psychology of creating and instant effect that leads gardeners to overlook proper soil preparation ahead of laying turf, as opposed to preparing a seed bed for grass seed.
I have witnessed shoddy preparation on many occasions over the years and I believe that the appeal of one minute having a dark brown look and the next a bright emerald sheen, tends to make customers ignore proper preparation.
It is fair to say that you will get a cowboy element of any trade in any walk of life and sadly the landscaping industry is no exception.
The popularity of TV gardening programs has led to an array of celebrities giving out advice on subjects that quite honestly they have no real knowledge.
The preparation of a lawn for turfing needs to be carried out in the same meticulous way as you would to prepare a seed bed.
If you have a small area then double dig your plot and incorporate some organic matter to give the soil some body. If you are in a heavy clay soil area this task may be exhausting but it will surely benefit your lawn as it develops.
Incorporate some sharp sand as you go making sure it is ameliorated into the full depth of the worked soil so that the fine particles of clay are interrupted evenly by the large grainy gritty sand [be sure of your source - any material that is excavated in coastal areas will contain salt and can contaminate your soil. Salt causes ex osmosis in plants which is exactly the opposite of your requirements].
Clay, whilst a great medium to grow into, is also a poor conductor of water and heavy rain will quickly clog the closely packed tiny air spaces causing water logging. Capillary action pulls water tightly against the soil particles making drainage (hydraulic conductivity) difficult.
If you have a sandy soil then the opposite is the case and the introduction of some heavier top soil or organic matter like a renewable peat substitute will help to retain beneficial moisture.
If you have a large plot then turning to a rotovator may be required. A necessary evil but on a clay soil the paddles of the machine may cause smearing or polishing of the clay as it rotates. In doing so this could lead to an impermeable layer below the surface adding to poor drainage so be careful that you do not overdo it and make sure that the plot is dry enough before you start.
Your soil is best left to weather for a little while to naturally break down but if time is not on your side then begin breaking down the clods. A fork with large times or a rough rake will do. Repeat this process until the soil has broken down and remove any stones larger than 10mm and any grass that comes to the surface.
Levels can be hard to get right but a little diligence here will bring satisfying results. If you already have a hard edge like a pathway then you are well on the way, if you do not have a hard reference then using simple pegs and string is the easiest way.
Rake the soil out so that the tops of your pegs are level with the soil surface. Once you are content that this is right then it is time to tread the soil. It is best to where a pair of sturdy boots with a defined flat heel. Walk across the soil but do so on the heels only. This will ensure compression of the soil and help break down the soil even further. Do not stamp but firm only and make sure that the process is continuous and you do not leave space ensuring good coverage.
Now we are onto the nitty gritty. I favoured a hay rake with wooden dowelled tines (even better if slightly rounded at the tips). The head of this rake is about 60 cm wide and it helps to keep the levels right. Too narrow and the head digs in. It also takes longer.
Use long drawn out sweeps. Imagine a rower with good timing. Rake out to a fine tilth until you are happy with the results. Ensure you work backwards so that you exit your plot without standing on the prepared soil.
Apply a base dressing fertiliser. A growmore 7-7-7 artificial is good but if you want organic you need to use an alternative product.
Source good quality turf to give your lawn the best start.
Lay a single row of turf out to form your border. This gives the shape but also creates an edge to cut to which is much more economical than throwing away the ends.
Once the turf is rolled out in your first row, use a scaffold board to act as a walkway. It serves two purposes. Firstly it will give something to walk along and also act as a tamper without excessive compression.
The new turf needs a combination or air and soil in which to establish without too much resistance. The board will leave the conditions below ideal.
Use a sharp half moon to edging iron (this is often erroneously labelled as a turfing iron. A turfing iron is a different tool altogether and was/is used for lifting turf before the invention of machinery and is still used today to lift small areas when repairing a golf green for example.
Do not be wasteful. Cutting turf at an angle to your border will often mean the leftover part will turn around and start your next row as described in the illustration.
Click on illustrations to enlarge.
You might find this post interesting - Preparing your soil for turf or seed
Ive been gardening on my own now for approx. 3 years. I have been working from my volvo estate, with a trailer. However, space on the drive is tight, and was wondering if any insite could be offered to the best choice of van, pick up to suit general garden maintainence, and small landscaping jobs. can you help?
Posted by: Andrew Davies | Jun 26, 2008 at 06:40 PM
Im considering laying turf in my rear garden. The garden has been excavated down about 15cm. The current base is a mixture of soil and loose rubble etc. The turf will need to be laid at the pre-excavation level, ie 15 cm higher than the current garden base. I am condsidering using fine/loose rubble and sand to bring up the level as much as possible and then placing soil on top to act as a base for the turf. How much soil would the turf need underneath it?
Posted by: Andy | Dec 01, 2008 at 05:47 PM
I would avoid replacing loose rubble with loose rubble Andy.
If you can afford it, add top soil to the full 15cm consolidating (treading) in 5cm layers.
You can use an 'as dug' soil as the base later (remove any larger stones) with 7.5cm-10cm of graded top soil as the top root zone.
It will cost a bit more but a better start to your new lawn.
Posted by: Philip Voice | Dec 01, 2008 at 08:54 PM
hi andrew,I started 9 years ago with similar conditions. I think you know the answer. Spend as much as you can afford. Bestest vehicle for the job would be a tipping crewcab diesel. ie del of topsoil shingle would add income. secure space in crewcab for stuff. pre new shape transits are reputedly better, but watch out for rust,dependant on year. LDVs I think have a poor reliability record, but fitted with a ford engine etc, good value. good luck. ian
Posted by: Ian | Oct 21, 2010 at 05:19 PM
Hi there - if you have a terrible lawn which is painful to walk on in Summer (hard clay) or dangerous to walk on in Winter (slippery clay!) would you recommend rotavating sharp sand into it? I have done in my beds and it's been good. But how deep and how much sand please before top soil?
many many thanks
Pip H
Posted by: Pip Hancock | Jul 21, 2015 at 12:16 AM
I agree with you, lawn laying isn't as easy as TV shows make it look like. There are a lot of things you need to know about turfing, soil preparation and proper lawn care. You gave pretty detailed and easy to understand explanations, but sometimes it's better to rely on the help of lawn laying experts. I've had to fix a lot of lawns because of overly enthusiastic DIY-ers.
Posted by: Tiffany @ Lawn Laying London | Feb 29, 2016 at 09:17 AM
Great article, and i agree with Tiffany, there is so much to note when you lay a new lawn, drainage issues, soil condition, sun light movement. And TV shows do make this look more easy than what it is, making our job as landscaping gardeners very difficult when we provide quotations and client's think it is expensive as they don't see the work that really goes in to making a garden lawn perfect
Posted by: Landscaping Company Enfield | Mar 11, 2016 at 10:38 AM
Great tips! As someone working as a gardener, I absolutely agree with you. Laying a new lawn is hard work and more expensive than sowing seed, but it gives an instant, lush looking lawn as soon as you've finished.
Posted by: handygardeners | Mar 23, 2016 at 09:59 AM
Thank you very much this helped me so much along with this topsoil calculator uk! Hard work but I eventually got the job done.
Posted by: ellie hancock | Jun 03, 2016 at 11:04 AM
I should say that taking care of a garden is a talent and much work. It can't be done from anyone. I found a company for my backyard and they are almost done now. I like what they did with my backyard but I must admit I can't do this even that from here it looks so easy.
Posted by: Aimee Howard | Jun 28, 2016 at 09:17 AM