Estimate sod, grass seed, and lawn materials needed for your project.
Sod vs Seed: Sod gives instant lawn (expensive, $0.50-0.80/sq ft). Seed takes 6-8 weeks to establish (cheap, $0.05-0.10/sq ft). Choose sod for high-traffic areas, seed for large lawns.
Best Time to Lay Sod: Spring or fall when temperatures are 60-75°F. Avoid summer heat (wilts quickly) and winter frost.
Soil Preparation: Rototill 4-6 inches deep, remove rocks/weeds, level with a rake. Add 2-3 inches of compost for better drainage and nutrition.
Watering: New sod needs daily watering for 2 weeks (1 inch water total). Then reduce to 2-3x/week. New seed needs 2x/day watering (light mist) until germinated.
Measure length × width of your lawn area. A 50×30 ft lawn = 1,500 sq ft. Add 10% waste = 1,650 sq ft. Standard sod pieces are 1 sq ft each, so you need 1,650 pieces (33 rolls of 50 pieces).
Spring or fall when temperatures are 60-75°F. Avoid summer (wilts quickly in heat) and winter (frost kills new sod). Overcast days are ideal — less water stress on new sod.
First 2 weeks: Water daily (1 inch total per day, split into 2-3 sessions). Week 3-4: Water every other day. After 4 weeks: Water 2-3x/week. Always keep soil moist but not soggy.
Sod = instant lawn (expensive, $0.50-0.80/sq ft). Seed = cheap but slow (6-8 weeks to establish, $0.05-0.10/sq ft). Choose sod for high-traffic areas, seed for large lawns or budget projects.
Rototill 4-6 inches deep, remove rocks/weeds, level with a rake. Add 2-3 inches of compost for better drainage and nutrition. Soil pH should be 6.0-7.0 (test with kit). Lay sod within 24 hours of delivery.