Premium Sod Installation

Most sod fails for one reason: it gets laid on top of bad ground. Hard clay, thin rocky soil or leftover construction fill can't give new roots anywhere to go, so the lawn looks great for a month and then starts to thin, brown and fill with weeds.

Our sod installation is built around the soil first. We remove what's there, rebuild the top layer with compost or an enriched topsoil blend, grade and roll it smooth, and only then lay the sod. It's more work up front, and it's the difference between a lawn that roots in and one you're replacing in two years.

A recent sod install, start to finish

These are from one of our recent jobs. The old, worn-out lawn came out, the soil was tilled and amended, and new sod went down over the prepared ground.

The sod we install

Bermuda

Best for full sun. Bermuda handles heat, drought and heavy foot traffic, and it recovers quickly from wear. It's a strong choice for open yards, kids and dogs. It does not do well in shade.

St. Augustine

The classic Central Texas lawn. St. Augustine has wide blades, a deep green color, and handles partial shade better than Bermuda. It needs more water than Bermuda and does best with regular fertilizing and insect monitoring.

Zoysia

A premium, dense turf with a soft, carpet-like feel. Zoysia tolerates both sun and moderate shade, crowds out weeds once it's established, and holds its color well. It grows more slowly, so it costs more up front and takes longer to recover from damage.

Our installation process

1. Remove the existing surface. We strip out the old grass, weeds and surface vegetation so the new sod isn't competing with what was there before.
2. Till the soil. We till the top layer to break up compaction so water, air and new roots can move down instead of sideways.
3. Amend the soil. Depending on what your yard needs, we either till in 100% compost to improve the soil you already have, or add a layer of enriched topsoil, a blend that includes screened hardwood and manure compost. This is the step most installers skip, and it's the one that matters most.
4. Grade, smooth and roll. We smooth the surface and lightly roll it to create a flat, even base with no low spots for water to pond or high spots to scalp when you mow.
5. Lay the sod. We lay the sod carefully, with tight seams and staggered joints so there are no gaps for weeds to find.
6. Roll, cut in and finish. We roll the sod so the roots make good contact with the soil, cut it in cleanly along beds, walks and around every irrigation head, then roll the whole lawn again.
7. Check irrigation coverage. Before we leave, we run your irrigation system zone by zone to make sure the new sod is getting even coverage, and we point out anything that needs adjusting.

Compost or enriched topsoil: which does your yard need?

If you already have a reasonable depth of native soil, tilling in 100% compost improves it from within. Compost loosens clay, helps sandy soil hold water, and feeds the biology that keeps a lawn healthy.

If your soil is thin, rocky, or mostly construction fill, we add a layer of enriched topsoil, a blend that includes screened hardwood and manure compost, to give the sod real root depth. We'll look at your yard and recommend one or the other when we quote the job.

After installation

New sod needs frequent, lighter watering for the first couple of weeks while roots grow into the soil, then less frequent, deeper watering. We'll give you a watering plan for your grass and time of year when we finish.

Watering rules across Central Texas change with drought stages. Before you schedule new sod, check your water provider's current rules. Some providers make allowances for new landscapes, and we can help you plan the timing. You'll find a link to your provider on each of our city pages.

Stay off the new lawn as much as possible for the first couple of weeks, and wait to mow until the sod has rooted and resists a gentle tug.

Related services

• Lawn Leveling
• Top Dressing
• Lawn Fertilization
• Weed Control