Do I have to remove old grass before turfing?

Yes — turf laid over old grass or weeds sits on a spongy, drying layer and establishes badly. Strip it with a spade or turf cutter, or kill it off a few weeks ahead. You want clean, firm soil.

How firm should the ground be before turf goes down?

Firm but not concrete. Walk the whole area on your heels — you want faint prints, not sinking. Then rake to a fine, level tilth so the turf sits flat with full soil contact; gaps underneath mean brown patches later.

How soon can I walk on new turf?

Keep off for the first two weeks while roots knit, light use from week three, and hold back the football for six to eight weeks. Tug a corner gently — if it resists, it's rooting; if it lifts, give it longer and more water.

Garden guide

How to Prepare Ground for Turf (and How Much Topsoil You Need)

Written with Paul. A full-time working gardener. After years in the City, Paul packed it all in, retrained at Writtle College, and has gardened for a living ever since. The “Paul” notes in this guide are his real advice from real jobs.

The short version

Turf needs 10–15cm of prepared topsoil to root into. Skimp on the preparation and the best turf in the world will still struggle.

Step 1 — clear and dig

Remove old grass, weeds, roots and rubble. Dig or rotavate to at least 15cm, breaking up compacted ground so roots and water can move freely.

Step 2 — add topsoil

If your soil is thin or poor, add screened topsoil to reach 10–15cm depth. To calculate it: area (m²) × depth (cm) × 10 = litres needed. Our topsoil calculator prices bulk and handy bags for you.

Calculate How Much Topsoil You Need

Step 3 — level and firm

Rake level, then tread the whole area with small overlapping steps. Rake again to a fine, crumbly tilth. The surface should be firm enough that your heel barely marks it.

Step 4 — lay and water

Lay turf within 24–48 hours of delivery, stagger the joints like brickwork, and water daily until established. Use the turf calculator for roll quantities — it adds 5% for cuts automatically.

Paul's note

The heel test never lies. If Paul's boot sinks more than a few millimetres, he treads and rakes the whole area again. Every bump you leave in the base prints through the turf within a month — and no amount of mowing hides it.

Open the turf calculator

Common questions

For a new lawn on poor ground, 10–15cm of good topsoil; for levelling decent existing soil, a 50mm skim is enough. Measure the area and let the topsoil calculator convert depth into litres or bags.