How to Install New Sod the Right Way
April 18, 2026 The UNDER SOD™ Team 5 min read
Sod fails or thrives in the first 48 hours. Here's how to get it right.
Installing sod isn't complicated, but the details matter. Skip a step and you'll see it weeks later in thin, slow-rooting turf.
The Installation Process
- Prep the soil — clear debris, loosen the top 3–4 inches, and rake to a smooth final grade.
- Feed underneath — spread your under-sod fertilizer and rake it lightly into the topsoil where the new roots will land.
- Lay the sod — stagger the seams like brickwork, butt the edges tight, and avoid stretching the rolls.
- Roll it — use a lawn roller to press the sod into firm soil-to-soil contact and remove air pockets.
- Water deeply — apply about an inch the first day, then keep consistently moist for 2–3 weeks.
Get these five steps right and the rest takes care of itself.
Don't skip the underneath
What you put under the sod in step 2 determines how fast and deep it roots.
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