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What are the benefits of laying Sod?

Turf grass creates one of the best surfaces for your yard that nature can provide. It’s clean & soft, and also one of the safest surfaces for sport play, children and pets. The advantage of sodding is that it’s the fastest, easiest and best way to quickly establish a lawn because the sod grass is already mature and durable. Sod is easy to work with and an average size yard can be installed in just a few hours at a very affordable cost. Seeding, though initially less expensive, is very vulnerable to erosion, wind, rain washout, birds & squirrels, and other factors which can ruin the outcome. Our sod will take root in your yard, sports field or park in about two weeks, and will be ready for rough play and traffic within a few weeks. It can be installed any time that the ground is not frozen. Mature sod will immediately control erosion once installed, and will help stabilize steep hills and slopes. 

In the heat of summer, a sod lawn will typically be about 30 degrees cooler than asphalt & rock, and 15 degrees cooler than bare soil. This will help cool your yard so you can enjoy it more, and will help with home cooling costs as well. On average the front lawns of 7-8 homes have the cooling effect of about 75 tons of air conditioning in hot weather. 

Another great reason for using sod is its natural filtration ability. Turf grass actually filters dust, dirt and other particles from your environment. It also helps eliminate mud from being tracked into your home. Turf lawn will absorb carbon dioxide, release fresh oxygen, and filter/muffle noise. 

Turf grass also adds value to your home. A well landscaped yard can add as much as 10% to the re-sale value of your home.

Planning Your Yard

Create your unique landscape plan by taking into consideration the things you love most. Sod works well with xeriscaping, rock, mulch, flower beds, trees, and fences. Plan your process so that you can access areas to be sodded easily, leave out fence panels where possible to allow forklift access for the sod. Forklifts will need about 10 ft access for placing pallets of sod in your yard.

Installing a Sprinkler System

Classic Turf can recommend several professional sprinkler companies to help with this step. A well designed sprinkler system conserves water, and saves you time & money – also adding value to your home.
Here are some of the benefits of a sprinkler system:
Good sprinkler systems apply water in a uniform, consistent and efficient manner. It allows you to water at optimal times: late in the evening, at night & early in the morning. When there is less evaporation and the water can soak in. It waters in multiple cycles to prevent any run-off, encouraging deep rooting for your Sod. Set the sprinkler to water when you are on vacation or away from home.

Measuring For Sod

Measuring the amount of Sod you will need is really quite easy using the guidelines that we have provided below. These methods will give you the total amount needed in square feet. All of our sod is sold by the square foot (sq.ft.) so this will allow you to order just the right amount.

Step One:
On a piece of paper, draw a rough sketch of the areas to be sodded. Measure the areas and simply write down your measurements on the drawing. You can then break up the areas into the shapes below and figure out the square footage of each area. Then simply add up the measurements from the different shapes, and you will have the grand total of Sod that you will need.
*Note: Please remember that we can’t take back sod once it has left our farm or been delivered to you. In the event that you do run out, we always have more Sod. This guide will help you measure and order accurately. Please check your numbers twice. Classic Turf cannot take responsibility for footage figures unless we measure it ourselves. If you need help determining measurements on an unusually shaped or especially large project, let us know.

Square or Rectangle
This is the easiest shape to measure. Simply measure the Length & Width in square feet and multiply, as in the example below.
Length (24) x Width (12)
12 x 24 = 288 sq.ft. = 288 square feet is the Total Area to be Sodded

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Right Triangle Shape
A Right Triangle shape has one 90º corner. To determine the amount of Sod needed, multiply the two sides that contact the right angle and then divide by 2, as in the example below.
Length (24) x Width (12)
12 x 24 = 288 sq.ft. divided by 2 = 144 sq.ft. is the Total Area to be Sodded

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Circle Shape
To measure the area of a circle, first measure the radius of the circle (the radius is the distance from the center of the circle to the outside edge). Then multiply the radius times the radius, and then multiply that number by 3.14, as in the example below.
(Radius x Radius) x 3.14 = Area
6 x 6 = 36 x 3.14 = 113 sq.ft. is the Total Area to be Sodded

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Irregular or Unusual Area Shapes
The measurement for irregular areas is simple to determine using a combination of the methods already described. Firstly, break the total space into smaller shapes, as illustrated below. Then determine the square footage of each of the smaller shapes. In the example below, the circle is cut in half, there’s a rectangle, and a triangle. Finally, add up all of the smaller areas for a grand total in sq.ft. (The sq.ft. for the circle is divided in 2 in the example below).
288 + 144 + 56.5 = 488.5 sq.ft. is the Total Area to be Sodded

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Surface Grading (leveling)

Grading is an important step of preparing for sod. Creating the correct grade make sure that water drains away from the house, and removes any low lying areas which may collect water. Contact us for more information on grading, and to find a grading specialist in your area.

Initial ground preparation

A key step in ensuring the success of your new sod.

Spray weeds with RoundUp® or a glyphosate product, and let sit 1 week. Repeat if necessary Remove existing weeds, rock and debris from the area. Spread three cubic yards per thousand square feet of surface with compost Roto-till the compost to a minimum of four inches deep Rake the installation site until it is smooth and level Smooth out the grade on any hills or slopes to be sodded. 

Grade areas next to driveways and sidewalks to 1.5 inches below top of concrete. Use a roller, wheel pack, or water to firm up & compact the freshly tilled ground. Rolling the yard is not necessary but can help the sod to have good contact with the soil. It can smooth out minor imperfections, and can be repeated a week or two later to create ultra smooth sod areas. 

Rainfall and snow also will settle the tilled ground naturally. Good soil preparation can help you use up to 30% less water on your yard. Have all hoses & sprinklers on site & ready for the initial watering. Check to make sure all underground sprinkler systems are operational.

Watering your newly installed Sod

Watering is the single most important step in maintaining a healthy lawn. Begin watering your new lawn within 30 minutes after the installation is completed. A new lawn should be watered for about ½ inch once a day for two weeks. You may want to lift a corner of the sod and make sure the water is penetrating into the soil several inches. Make sure your new lawn has enough water to survive hot, dry or windy days. 

Over the next two weeks, you can slowly begin transitioning to a schedule of 1 time every 2-3 days. Watch the sod for signs of stress and adjust your watering times as needed. A good time to water is during the morning hours when there is less evaporation.

Fertilizing your new Sod

One of the many advantages from buying sod direct from the farm is the ongoing care and feeding that we do prior to you getting it from us. We regularly fertilize with high quality mixes and also spray pre-emergents onto our turf: that prevents weeds from sprouting here and when you get it home.
Once your new lawn is installed, you should fertilize it about three times per year. Consult with us or with your favorite garden center for advice on a good commercial fertilizer; we’ll advise you based on the time of year you installed your sod and how to proceed with fertilization. Be sure to read and follow label directions for application methods and water in after the fertilizer is applied.