How to lay turf step by step

1. Check what’s underneath
2. Clear the site
3. Break up clay and fill, but never work wet clay
4. How deep should the underlay be?
5. Level, set falls, firm the base and add starter fertiliser
6. Lay the turf the day it arrives
7. Roll and water in
8. Water through the first four weeks
9. First mow and first feed

Key facts

What you need before you start

Laying itself usually takes a day or less for a typical yard. The real work is the ground, so prepare the base first, then book the turf for your laying morning. We cut every order fresh at our Woodford farm and deliver across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, or you can pick up from the farm (6am–4pm). Our turf delivery page covers pallets and access.

Tools and materials

• Spade, square-mouth shovel, landscape rake and a wheelbarrow
• A rotary hoe (hire) for clay or compacted fill, or a garden fork for small areas
• Turf underlay or a sandy loam blend, and gypsum if your clay tests sodic
• A sharp old bread knife or half-moon edger for cutting slabs
• A lawn roller (hire) and a hose with a sprinkler that covers the whole area

Measure the area

Measure length × width in metres to get square metres (m²). Break odd shapes into rectangles, triangles and circles, then add 5% for cutting in around beds and curves. Our guide on how to measure for turf walks through each shape. Then put the area into the turf calculator to see the turf cost, delivery and optional installation in one estimate.

Step 1: Check what’s underneath

Your soil decides how deep to loosen, whether gypsum is worth buying and how much underlay you need. Many South East Queensland yards, especially on new estates, are clay or builder’s fill, while sandy soils are common closer to the coast. Don’t guess: dig a few spade-deep test holes around the yard first.

The squeeze test and the cloudy-water test

For the squeeze test, wet a small handful of soil and work it between your thumb and forefinger. Sand feels gritty and falls apart. Clay feels smooth and sticky and pushes out into a long ribbon. The Queensland Government’s soil texture guide explains how to read the ribbon length.

Next, check whether the clay is sodic. Drop a pea-sized crumb of dry soil into a glass of rainwater and leave it undisturbed for a few hours. If a milky cloud spreads out from the crumb, the clay is dispersive, which usually means it is sodic. Cloudy puddles, a hard surface crust and a soapy feel when wet are other warning signs listed in the Queensland Government sodicity guide. Roughly 45% of Queensland’s soils are naturally sodic, so it is worth testing.

Spotting builder’s fill

On new estates the top layer is often not natural soil. Look for mixed colours, gravel, concrete, brick or tile fragments, and a hard layer just below the surface where machinery has driven. Rake out anything larger than a golf ball. If you hit a solid layer a spade deep, it needs breaking up (Step 3) before any underlay goes on. Choosing turf for a new house as well? See our guide to turf selection for new builds.

Laying turf on sand

Laying turf on sand is easier in some ways: sand drains well and levels easily. But it dries out fast and holds few nutrients. Skip gypsum and deep ripping, and use an underlay blend with organic matter to hold moisture while roots establish.

Step 2: Clear the site

Remove every bit of old grass, weeds, rocks, roots, rubble and building waste. Weeds with runners and bulbs, such as nutgrass, will push up through new turf, so dig them out or treat them and wait before you lay. If there’s an old lawn, don’t lay the new turf straight over it. Our guide on removing an old lawn before re-turfing explains why. Before you hire a rotary hoe, request free plans from Before You Dig Australia so you know where underground services run.

Step 3: Break up clay and fill, but never work wet clay

Compacted clay and fill stop roots growing down and water draining away. Loosen the whole area 100–150 mm deep with a rotary hoe, or a garden fork on small patches.

Timing matters more than the machine. If a squeezed handful smears and looks shiny, it’s too wet: working it now creates a dense layer that dries like brick. Wait until it crumbles, which can take days after SEQ summer storms.

Does gypsum work on Queensland clay?

Gypsum only helps if the clay is sodic, meaning it passed the cloudy-water test above. On sodic clay, the calcium in gypsum helps clay particles clump together, so water and roots can move through the soil more easily. On clay that isn’t sodic, gypsum does very little, and it never replaces physically loosening a compacted layer. There is no single rate that suits every soil, so follow the rate on the bag and rotary hoe it into the loosened clay rather than leaving it on the surface. Improvement is gradual, not overnight.

Step 4: How deep should the underlay be?

Most yards need 100–150 mm of turf underlay. Mix the bottom of the underlay into the loosened clay or fill rather than spreading a thin layer on top. A sharp line between two soils can hold water like a bathtub and stop roots from growing down.

As a rough guide, 10 m² at 100 mm deep takes 1 m³ of soil. For volumes, mixes and how to order, read our full guide to soil under turf.

Clay or builder’s fill? We’ll prep the base. If the job is bigger than a weekend, our team can loosen, condition and level it for you. See preparing ground for turf.

Step 5: Level, set falls, firm the base and add starter fertiliser

Rake the underlay smooth and finish the soil 25–30 mm below paths, driveways, edging and sprinkler heads so the turf sits flush once laid.

On clay, falls matter as much as the finish. Shape a gentle, even fall away from the house and toward a drain, kerb or garden bed, so heavy summer storms run off instead of pooling. If water already lies in one spot after rain, fix it now. Our guide to fixing a waterlogged lawn covers drains and regrading.

Firm it lightly with a roller, then water to settle it and show up low spots to fill. Just before laying, spread a starter fertiliser at the label rate and lightly dampen the soil.

Step 6: Lay the turf the day it arrives

Stacked turf heats up quickly on a warm day, so lay the whole order the day it arrives, starting early. If rolls must wait, keep the pallet shaded and lightly wet.

• Start along the longest straight edge, such as a path or driveway.
• Lay each slab tight against the last, with edges butted together but not overlapped or stretched.
• Stagger the joins like brickwork, so no two end joins line up.
• Cut around curves and beds with a sharp knife, and use off-cuts only in the middle, not on edges where they dry out.
• On slopes, lay slabs across the slope. On steep batters, pin them with turf pegs until they root.
• On hot or windy days, water each finished section before moving on.

A practised layer working straight from the pallet can lay roughly 50 m² an hour. Allow longer if you are wheelbarrowing rolls around the side of the house.

Laying Sir Walter buffalo, Empire Zoysia and Wintergreen couch

Laying Sir Walter buffalo is the same process as laying zoysia or couch, so the steps above suit any buffalo grass. The difference is where each variety grows best, so match it to your sun before you order. Wintergreen couch ($7.00/m²) needs full sun and recovers quickly from wear. Sir Walter buffalo ($15.50/m²) is a soft-leaf buffalo that copes with shade and sun. Empire Zoysia ($15.50/m²) is fine-leafed and low maintenance, and suits part shade. For side paths and yards shaded by a two-storey house, Sir Walter or Empire is usually the safer choice. Compare them side by side on our turf varieties page.

Order farm-fresh turf delivered the day you lay. All three are cut to order at Woodford and delivered across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Step 7: Roll and water in

Roll the whole lawn once to press the roots into contact with the soil. Then water deeply until it soaks into the underlay. Lift a corner to check: the soil underneath should be wet, not just the grass. On clay, stop when water starts to pool, then give it a second soak half an hour later.

Step 8: Water through the first four weeks

As a guide in warm weather, give light waterings 2–3 times a day in week 1, water once a day in week 2 and every second day in week 3, then switch to 2–3 deep soaks in week 4. Clay holds water longer than sand, so check before you water: if the soil under a lifted corner is still wet, skip that session. Always follow any water restrictions in your area. For winter timings, sandy soils and how long to run the sprinkler, see our watering new turf schedule.

Step 9: First mow and first feed

Mow when the turf can no longer be lifted at the corners, usually after 2–3 weeks. Use a high setting and sharp blades, and never take off more than a third of the leaf. Stay off the lawn as much as you can until then. Around weeks 4–6, give it a slow-release fertiliser and water it in. Our guide on when to mow new turf gives the heights for buffalo, zoysia and couch. If you’d rather hand the first months over to us, see our starter care maintenance plan.

7 mistakes that kill new turf on clay

• Working clay while it’s wet. It sets into a hard layer that roots and water can’t get through.
• Spreading a thin skim of soil over compacted fill. Roots stop at the hard layer, and the lawn browns off in the first dry spell.
• Buying gypsum you don’t need. If the cloudy-water test is clear, spend the money on loosening and underlay instead.
• No fall. Flat clay yards hold storm water, and turf sitting in water for days yellows and thins.
• Leaving turf on the pallet. A pallet left in the sun overnight can cook in the middle.
• Gaps and overlaps. Gaps dry out and let weeds in. Overlaps leave humps that scalp when you mow.
• Watering by the calendar instead of by the soil. Clay can stay wet for days. Constant watering drowns roots, and too little lets slabs shrink at the joins.

DIY or have us lay it?

With the base prepared properly, most people can lay their own turf. Here’s how the options compare, using the current figures in our turf calculator.

To have it done for you, see turf installation, or our front and backyard packages for a whole new-home yard. For what a full job includes, read our guide to turf installation cost in Brisbane. For the best month to lay, read the best time to lay turf in South East Queensland; September to November is peak laying season in SEQ.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to lay?

Once your base is ready, put your measurements into the turf calculator and choose a delivery date that matches your laying day. If you’d like us to look at a clay or builder’s-fill site first, or to prepare it and lay it for you, ask for a free measure and quote.

Prices were checked in September 2026 against our turf price calculator, which works out the same numbers for your own lawn size.

Key facts

Turf laying in Brisbane: what’s included and what isn’t

Most confusion about turf installation cost comes from quotes that bundle different things. Some “per m²” figures are turf only, some include laying, and a few include full site preparation. Before you compare prices, check which of these three you’re looking at.

Included when we lay your turf

• Fresh turf, harvested to order at our Woodford farm and delivered to your site.
• Laying the turf on your prepared ground with tight joins and full coverage.
• Rolling it for good soil contact and watering it in, as set out in our turf installation process.
• Aftercare advice on watering, mowing and feeding while the new lawn roots down. Our guide on when to mow new turf covers the first cut.

Quoted separately

• Removing an old lawn, weeds, rubble or builder’s rubbish.
• Supplying and spreading under-turf soil.
• Levelling, grading and drainage correction.
• Decompacting and conditioning hard or depleted soil.
• Waste removal and skip bins, where they’re needed.

These jobs are covered by our site and soil preparation service. Every block is different, so we price them after seeing the site. If your ground needs work, book a free measure and quote and we’ll price the prep and the turf together.

Why there’s a $440 minimum for laying

Every installation job has fixed costs before a single roll goes down. A crew and gear travel to your site, the turf is unloaded, and the job is set out and cleaned up. Those costs are much the same whether the lawn is 50 m² or 170 m², and the $440 minimum covers them.

In practice the minimum applies up to 176 m² ($440 ÷ $2.50). Above that you simply pay $2.50/m². That’s why the “$2.50/m²” laying rate on its own can mislead. On a 50 m² lawn, laying works out at $8.80/m². On 100 m² it’s $4.40/m², and it only drops to $2.50/m² from 176 m² up.

Worked examples: what 50–300 m² actually costs

Here’s the full supply-and-lay price for each variety at common lawn sizes. Each total is turf + laying (minimum $440) + the $200 delivery shown in our calculator. It doesn’t include site preparation. The effective rate is the total divided by the area, which is the number to compare with other quotes.

Sir Walter buffalo or Empire Zoysia ($15.50/m²)

Wintergreen couch ($7.00/m²)

The effective rate falls quickly up to about 200 m², as the laying minimum and delivery are spread over more turf. On a prepared site, the variety you choose makes a bigger difference than anything else. Delivery can vary with your suburb and the size of the order, so check your address in the turf calculator or ask us. Ask us to confirm GST on your written quote too. That way you’re comparing every quote on the same basis.

Turf cost per m² by variety

The turf is the biggest single line on most quotes, so pick the variety for your site first and the price follows.

• Wintergreen couch, $7.00/m². A hard-wearing, fast-recovering lawn for full sun and busy backyards. It’s the budget-friendly choice for large areas.
• Sir Walter buffalo, $15.50/m². A soft-leaf buffalo that copes better with part shade than couch. A popular all-rounder for family yards.
• Empire Zoysia, $15.50/m². A dense, slower-growing lawn that needs less mowing once established.

Buying cheaper turf for a spot it doesn’t suit usually costs more later in patching and re-turfing. If you’re torn between the two premium grasses, see Empire Zoysia vs Sir Walter buffalo. If part of your yard is shaded, read our guide to shade-tolerant turf for Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast before you choose. If water use is the worry, see drought-tolerant turf for Brisbane.

Site prep: the biggest variable in the total

Turf, laying and delivery are predictable. Preparation is where two quotes for the same-sized lawn can end up far apart, because it depends entirely on what’s in the ground now.

New homes and estates

On new estates around Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan and North Lakes, lawns often sit on compacted builder’s fill or heavy clay with little topsoil. Turf laid straight onto that struggles to root and drains poorly. Expect to need decompacting, a layer of quality under-turf soil and some levelling. Our guide to turf underlay soil explains how deep to go. If you’re turfing a whole new block, our front and backyard turf packages bundle the site assessment, turf, delivery and installation into one price.

Re-turfing an existing lawn

If you’re replacing a tired lawn, the old grass has to come out first. In South East Queensland that’s usually couch or kikuyu, which will grow straight back through new turf. Removal and disposal add labour and waste costs. Read can you lay turf over existing grass? before you try to skip this step.

Drainage and levels

Low spots that hold water after summer storms, or slopes that shed water towards the house, need fixing before the turf goes down. It’s far cheaper to correct levels on bare soil than to lift a new lawn later. Our guide to fixing a waterlogged lawn explains the options.

Other things that affect your quote and timing

• Access. Turf arrives on pallets of about a tonne each, placed by forklift when there’s around 2.5 m of gate access. Narrow side paths, steps or no vehicle access affect where the pallets can go and how the job is planned, so mention them when you ask for a quote.
• Slope. Steep banks usually need more shaping and preparation before the turf goes down. That work is part of the site prep quote.
• Location. We grow at Woodford and deliver across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast. Delivery can vary by suburb, so see turf delivery and check your address when you order.
• Season. Demand peaks through the warmer months, so booking early helps you get the day you want. Warm weather also means new turf roots faster but needs more water in its first weeks.
• Variety and area. As the worked examples show, these two set most of the total once the site is ready.

Natural turf vs artificial grass: upfront cost

Some Brisbane searches for “turf installation cost” return synthetic grass prices, which aren’t comparable. The hipages turf cost guide, which uses national averages, puts synthetic grass at roughly $50–$100 per m² installed, against $18–$34 per m² for real turf laid. Natural turf is usually much cheaper to put down. It does need mowing, watering and feeding, while synthetic grass has its own upkeep and gets hot in full Queensland sun.

DIY vs professional installation

If you lay the turf yourself, you save the laying line: $440 on anything up to 176 m², or $2.50/m² above that. You still pay for the turf and delivery. DIY saves the most per square metre on small lawns. On a flat, well-prepared 50 m² area, the $440 minimum works out at $8.80/m², and the job is very manageable for a keen homeowner. Our step-by-step guide on how to lay turf walks you through it.

The sums change on bigger or harder sites. On 300 m², laying is $2.50/m², the lowest rate, but that’s several pallets of turf, each around a tonne, to shift and lay. Turf is a living product and should be laid on the day it arrives. On large lawns, slopes and awkward-access yards, professional laying is usually the better value for the work involved.

How to get an exact price

1. Measure each lawn area in metres (length × width), breaking odd shapes into rectangles.
2. Choose your variety based on sun, shade and wear.
3. Enter the figures in the turf calculator. It shows turf, laying and delivery, and you can order online.
4. If the ground isn’t ready (old lawn, fill, clay, drainage or levels), book a free measure and quote so the prep is priced properly.

Frequently asked questions

Get your exact price

We’ve grown turf at Woodford since 1994 and supply lawns across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, so we’d rather you know the real number up front. Measure your lawn, pick a variety and get your price in the turf calculator. If the site needs work first, book a free measure and quote and we’ll price the prep too.

Key facts: laying turf in SEQ, month by month

Temperatures and rainfall are Bureau of Meteorology averages for Brisbane (station 040913, 1999–2026) and Sunshine Coast Airport, formerly Maroochydore Airport (station 040861, 1994–2026). Ratings and watering are our guide for new turf.

Laying this month? Work out how many square metres you need and what it costs with the turf calculator, then follow our guide on how to lay turf.

The short answer

If you’re asking about the best time to lay turf in Brisbane or on the Sunshine Coast, there’s no bad month, only months that need different care. The warm-season grasses we grow at Woodford (Sir Walter buffalo, Empire Zoysia and Wintergreen couch) root fastest when the soil is warm and the days are mild. That’s why September, October and April get top marks. Summer brings the fastest growth but the highest water bill and the most risk of turf drying out. Winter is slower, but newly laid turf needs far less water and rarely scorches.

So the best time of year to lay turf is spring or early autumn, if you have the choice. If you don’t (a new-home handover, a sale, a renovation that has to finish), lay when you need to and adjust the watering to suit the season.

Why SEQ differs from Sydney and Melbourne advice

Much of the advice online is written for southern states, where cold winters stop warm-season grass almost completely and “don’t lay in winter” makes sense. South East Queensland is subtropical. Brisbane’s coolest month, July, still averages a 22 °C maximum and a 10.5 °C minimum, and the Sunshine Coast is similar. Warm-season turf slows down in those conditions but keeps rooting.

The exception is frost. Inland and hinterland areas, such as the Lockyer Valley and the ranges behind Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast, can get frost on clear, still winter nights, and low-lying pockets are colder than the averages suggest. Turf laid there in June or July will root more slowly, and couch can brown off after a frost. It usually recovers when the weather warms.

Can you lay turf in winter in Queensland?

Yes. Laying turf in winter in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast works well, as long as you expect slower rooting and don’t overwater.

The upside of winter laying

• Far less watering. Cool, still days mean the turf dries out slowly, so once a day in week 1 is often enough.
• Little risk of heat stress. There are no 35 °C days to scorch the edges of new slabs.
• A head start on spring. Turf laid in winter is settled and ready to grow when the soil warms up.

What to expect

Winter-laid turf takes noticeably longer to root than turf laid in spring or summer, and longer again in shade or frost-prone spots. The leaf won’t grow much, so you may barely mow until spring. Some off-colour is normal for warm-season grass in winter and isn’t a sign it has failed.

Winter laying checklist

• Lay in the morning and water in straight away.
• Water early in the day so the turf isn’t sitting wet through a cold night.
• Check the soil under a slab before each watering. If it’s still wet, skip it.
• Keep foot traffic off until it’s rooted, and hold off on fertiliser until growth picks up.

Laying Sir Walter on the Sunshine Coast this winter? It’s a forgiving choice in the cool months. We cut turf to order at our Woodford farm and supply both the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane. Check prices and order on the turf calculator.

Laying turf in summer: heat, storms and watering

You can lay turf in summer in Queensland, and it roots quickly, but it’s the least forgiving season. A hot, windy afternoon can dry out new slabs within hours, so the job is all about water:

• Lay in the early morning and water each section as soon as it’s down, not when the whole job is finished.
• Expect to water two to three times a day in week 1, with extra attention to edges next to paths, driveways and walls.
• Storm season (roughly October to March) brings heavy downpours. Don’t lay on waterlogged soil, and don’t count a quick shower as a watering.

Our watering schedule for new turf gives the week-by-week amounts for summer and winter.

Autumn vs spring: which is better?

Both are excellent, and in SEQ there’s little between them. Spring has the edge for fast growth: the soil is warming and the lawn has a whole growing season ahead. The catch is that September is usually the driest month of the year, so you’ll be doing the watering, not the weather.

Early autumn (March and April) still has warm soil, cooler days and often some rain, which makes watering easier. Turf laid by April has time to root before winter. By late May, rooting slows, so treat it as winter laying.

Best time to lay each variety

Sir Walter is a forgiving choice in any season. If you’re laying into a shady side yard in winter, expect it to take longer to knit down. Empire Zoysia establishes best from spring to autumn and grows slowly in winter, so a winter-laid Empire lawn needs patience. Wintergreen couch roots fast in warm weather and needs full sun. It slows right down in winter and can brown off after frost before greening up again in spring.

More important than the month: soil prep and fresh turf

A well-prepared site in July will beat a rushed job in October. The two things that decide how fast turf roots in any season are:

• The soil underneath. Remove weeds and old grass, level the area and spread 100–150 mm of quality under-turf soil. Read how much soil to put under turf and whether you can lay turf over existing grass, or let us handle site and soil preparation.
• Freshly cut turf, laid the same day. We cut to order at Woodford, so turf reaches Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast fresh. Rolled turf on a pallet heats up and deteriorates, especially in summer, so have the site ready before it arrives.

How to tell when new turf has rooted

Turf roots fastest in the warm months and noticeably slower in winter. Shade, soil and watering all change the timing, so check the turf rather than the calendar. Gently lift the corner of a slab: if it resists and you can see white roots going into the soil, it has rooted. Until then, keep walking to a minimum.

Our guide to when to mow new turf covers the first cut, and the starter care and maintenance plan sets out the first few months of care.

Planning around a new-home handover

If you’re moving into a new build, the handover date usually decides the month, not the weather. That’s fine. Book the turf for as soon as the landscaping and soil are finished, and plan the watering around the season: daily attention in summer, much less in winter. If you’ll be moving boxes across the yard, lay a board path so you’re not walking on the new slabs.

Our front and backyard turf packages cover the whole lot, from site assessment to delivery and installation, so the lawn is done in one go.

Frequently asked questions

Ready when you are, in any season

Whatever month you’re planning for, fresh turf and good soil prep matter more than the calendar. Use the turf calculator to price Sir Walter, Empire Zoysia or Wintergreen for your yard, or if you’d rather have it prepared and laid for you, ask for a free measure and quote for turf installation.

Key facts

What is turf underlay?

Turf underlay soil is a soil blend made for new lawns. It’s usually a sandy loam: mostly sand, which keeps it free-draining, with enough loam or composted organic matter to hold water and nutrients while new roots grow. Landscape yards sell it under names like “turf underlay”, “under-turf soil” or “80/20” and “70/30” mixes. The numbers are a ratio, but yards don’t all mean the same thing by them, so ask what each percentage actually is (for example, sand to soil, or sand to compost).

People often confuse two other products with it:

• Top dressing is a fine, mostly sandy material. You spread it thinly over an established lawn to fill hollows. It goes on top of grass, not under it.
• Synthetic turf underlay (the shockpad under artificial grass) is a different product altogether. This guide is only about soil for real turf.

Do you need turf underlay?

New turf roots into the top 100–150 mm of soil first. If that layer is hard clay, rubble or pure sand, the lawn struggles for years. Here’s how we’d decide:

When you can skip it

You can skip underlay if you can push a spade in easily, the soil is dark and crumbly, and it drains within a few hours after heavy rain. Dig out the old grass and weeds, loosen the top 100 mm, rake it level and lay. If you’re replacing an old lawn, read whether you can lay turf over existing grass first.

When you need it

• Heavy clay, common in parts of Ipswich and Logan. The Queensland Government notes that many Queensland soils are sodic. Sodic clay disperses when wet, then crusts and seals, so water can’t soak in and roots can’t get through.
• New estates, such as North Lakes and Mango Hill. Builders often leave compacted fill with concrete, gravel and very little topsoil.
• Sunshine Coast sand. Sand drains fast and holds few nutrients, so new turf dries out and yellows unless you add a loam or organic layer.
• Any compacted site, for example after excavators, a pool build or years of foot traffic.

Can I just lay turf over dirt?

Only if that “dirt” is good loam. Turf laid straight on hard clay or fill usually roots shallowly. It then dries out quickly in summer and goes patchy in the first hot spell.

How deep should turf underlay be in Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast?

We recommend 100–150 mm of under-turf soil for most Brisbane and Sunshine Coast sites, the same range given in our turf FAQs. For comparison, Brisbane City Council’s turfing spec for its cricket-pitch surrounds (standard drawing BSD-10212) calls for the existing subgrade to be cultivated to 100 mm, then 100 mm of topsoil (to AS 4419) spread before turfing. Adjust the depth to your soil:

Is 50 mm enough?

50 mm is enough as a top-up over soil that’s already good and has been cultivated. It isn’t enough over clay or fill. A thin layer dries out quickly, and roots hit the hard layer underneath and spread sideways instead of down.

Blend it with clay, don’t layer it on top

Sandy underlay tipped straight onto smooth, compacted clay can act like a bathtub. Water runs through the sand, sits on the clay and leaves roots waterlogged. Rip or rotary-hoe the clay surface first, then work the first part of the underlay into it so there’s no sharp line between the layers. If the site already holds water, sort out drainage before the soil goes down: see fixing a waterlogged lawn. Drainage correction is also part of our site and soil preparation service.

How much turf underlay do I need?

Multiply your lawn area in m² by the depth in metres (100 mm = 0.1 m). If you haven’t measured yet, our guide on how to measure for turf covers odd shapes. Here’s a worked example: an 8 m × 12.5 m backyard is 100 m². At 100 mm that’s 100 × 0.1 = 10 m³, and with 10% extra, order about 11 m³.

Turf underlay calculator table (m³, before the 10% allowance)

Cubic metres vs tonnes: check the docket

Some yards sell by the cubic metre and others by the tonne. A cubic metre of damp sandy loam weighs more than a tonne, so 10 tonnes isn’t 10 m³. Ask the yard for their conversion figure, and check which unit the price and the delivery docket use.

Bags vs bulka bags vs loose

• Bags from hardware stores like Bunnings are handy for patch repairs. But 1 m³ is 1,000 litres, which is about 40 bags of 25 litres, so bags get expensive and heavy for a whole lawn.
• Bulka bags suit small jobs and tight access, because they can be dropped on the kerb.
• Loose bulk delivery is usually the best value for a full lawn. Book it close to your turf delivery, and cover the pile if rain is forecast.

Which underlay mix is best?

For most SEQ lawns, choose a sandy loam turf underlay with modest organic content. Very high-compost mixes shrink and sink as the organic matter breaks down, which leaves hollows. Pure sand holds too little water. Our grower notes by variety:

• Sir Walter buffalo ($15.50/m²): the standard sandy loam blend at 100–150 mm.
• Empire Zoysia ($15.50/m²): it’s slower to establish, so a well-levelled, free-draining base matters. Take the time to get the finish right.
• Wintergreen couch ($7.00/m²): it copes with sandier blends in full sun, but it still benefits from some loam to hold moisture through summer.

Underlay vs topsoil vs top dressing

“Topsoil” is a broad term, and it can mean anything from a quality loam to a heavy, weedy fill. Turf underlay is a topsoil blended specifically for turf: free-draining, fine enough to level, and low in weed seed. Top dressing is for after the lawn is established, spread thinly to smooth out bumps. Our guide to topdressing and levelling a bumpy lawn explains how.

How to spread and level turf underlay

1. Clear the old grass, weeds, rubble and roots.
2. Rip or cultivate the existing ground to about 100 mm. On dispersive clay, gypsum worked in at this stage can help.
3. Shape the base so water runs away from the house and paths.
4. Spread the underlay in two passes, working the first into the ripped surface.
5. Rake it level. Aim for about one turf-slab thickness below paths, edges and sprinkler heads.
6. Water it lightly and roll it or walk it firm, then fill any low spots that appear.
7. Spread a starter fertiliser and lay the turf while the underlay is moist. Our starter care and maintenance plan covers the first weeks after laying.

What not to do

• Don’t spread sandy underlay over smooth, unripped clay.
• Don’t bury rubble, concrete washout or old turf under the underlay.
• Don’t finish the soil flush with paths. The turf will then sit proud, and the mower will scalp the edges.
• Don’t work clay when it’s saturated, because it smears and seals.
• Don’t leave prepared underlay bare for weeks. It washes out in storms and weeds move in.

Cost of underlay in SEQ vs having it done

Underlay prices vary between landscape yards and suburbs, and delivery is often charged separately. Get a delivered price per m³ from two or three local yards. Then compare the whole DIY job against a professional prep: soil, delivery, machine hire and your weekends. For turf itself, our prices are $7.00/m² for Wintergreen couch and $15.50/m² for Sir Walter buffalo and Empire Zoysia. For example, 100 m² of Sir Walter is $1,550 of turf before delivery.

If you’d rather not barrow 11 m³ of soil, our site and soil preparation team can level, decompact and condition the ground, and our turf installation service lays the lawn for you. For a whole front or back yard, see our front and backyard packages.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to plan your new lawn?

Measure once and use the same area for both jobs. Enter it in the turf calculator for your turf estimate, then multiply the same m² by your underlay depth. We harvest fresh at our Woodford farm and deliver across Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

Key facts

What happens if you lay turf over existing grass?

Stripping a lawn is hard work, so laying straight over it looks like a shortcut. We’ve grown turf at Woodford since 1994, and for a full re-turf our answer is still no. Here’s why.

The new roots can’t reach the soil

New turf needs firm contact with loose soil. Laid over an existing lawn, it sits on a cushion of leaves and thatch, so its roots grow into that layer instead, dry out fast in Queensland sun and never anchor properly.

The old lawn rots, sinks and goes lumpy

Cut off from light, the grass underneath dies and decomposes unevenly, leaving air pockets, soft spots and dips. A lawn that looked flat on day one turns lumpy, with low spots where water sits.

Couch, kikuyu and weeds grow straight through

Much of the “just lay over it” advice online comes from cooler climates. SEQ lawns are mostly warm-season runner grasses: couch and kikuyu spread by stolons above ground and rhizomes below, and new turf won’t stop them. They push up through the joins, leaving a buffalo or zoysia lawn with a patchwork of two grasses that’s very hard to fix. Weeds with deep roots or tubers do the same. If kikuyu is the grass you are replacing, kikuyu vs buffalo compares it with a soft-leaf buffalo.

The exception: patching and top-dressing

If most of your lawn is healthy with a few dead patches, cut those areas back to bare soil, loosen and level them, and patch with the same variety. If the lawn is healthy but thin or uneven, top-dress instead.

How to remove an old lawn: methods compared

There are four practical ways to remove an old lawn. The right one depends on the area, the grass and how much time you have.

By hand with a spade or mattock

A sharp flat spade or mattock works for small areas. Cut the lawn into squares, slide the spade under each one just below the root zone, and lift it out. Take the runners with it: any couch or kikuyu stolons you leave behind will regrow. In dry Brisbane clay, water lightly the day before.

Turf cutter: is it worth hiring one?

A turf cutter slices under the lawn with a vibrating blade and lifts it in strips you can roll up. Most hire machines have an adjustable depth: set it just deep enough to take the crown and the main root and runner layer, and check the range with the hire company.

• Worth it: on open, reasonably flat lawns where a spade would take days.
• Less useful: on steep slopes, bumpy or rocky ground, tree roots and irrigation lines. The blade rides over high spots and misses the dips, so you’ll finish those by hand.
• Remember: the machine is heavy to trailer, and you still have to lift and dispose of every roll.

Spray, then strip

For couch, kikuyu or a weedy lawn, kill the grass before removing it. Use a non-selective herbicide registered for the job and follow the label exactly, including how long to wait before disturbing the soil or replanting. Runner grasses often need a follow-up application. Once it’s dead, strip it as above.

Let an installer strip it

Professional turf installation covers removing the old grass, weeds and debris, then levelling and conditioning the soil before the new turf goes down. No cutter hire, no tip runs. For a whole property, our front and backyard turf packages bundle site assessment, turf selection, delivery and installation.

Rather skip the turf cutter and the tip run? Tell us about your site and we’ll recommend the best way to get the old lawn out and fresh-cut turf from our Woodford farm down. Ask us for a free quote.

The hardest grasses to get rid of in Queensland

• Couch: spreads by surface runners and underground rhizomes. Pieces left in the soil regrow, and once it gets into a buffalo lawn it’s very hard to remove.
• Kikuyu: vigorous, thick runners above and below ground. Common in older Brisbane and Sunshine Coast yards, it climbs through new turf quickly.
• Nutgrass: a sedge rather than a grass. It spreads by small underground tubers (“nuts”) that survive when the leaves are pulled or dug. It usually needs repeat treatment with a product labelled for nutgrass. More on problem weeds in our grubs, diseases and weeds guide.

Step by step: from old lawn to new turf

1. Measure the area. Measure length by width in metres for each section and add an extra 5–10% for trimming and cutting in. Our guide to measuring for turf covers odd shapes.
2. Kill and remove the old lawn. Use the method that suits your grass and area. Take the runners, not just the leaves.
3. Dispose of the waste. Old sods are mostly soil: stripping 50 m² at 40 mm deep produces around 2 m³ of material. Check what your council’s green-waste bins and resource recovery centres accept before loading the trailer.
4. Loosen, level and add underlay. Loosen the soil, remove rocks and roots, and fix low spots. Spread 100–150 mm of quality under-turf soil, levelled so the finished turf sits flush with paths. Heavy Brisbane clay needs loosening underneath, and sandy Sunshine Coast soils need an underlay that holds some moisture. If the site needs levelling or drainage work, see site and soil preparation.
5. Choose your variety. Match the turf to your sun, shade and wear. Sir Walter buffalo and Empire Zoysia are $15.50/m², and Wintergreen couch is $7.00/m². Not sure which suits your yard? Read how to choose the right turf.
6. Lay the turf. Time delivery for when the ground is ready and lay it straight away, starting along the longest straight edge with staggered, tight joins. Roll and water it in well. Our turf delivery page explains how to time it, and our guide on how to lay turf covers each step on clay and builder’s fill.

Best time to re-turf in South East Queensland

Warm-season grasses root fastest when they’re actively growing, so spring through to early autumn is the easiest time to re-turf in SEQ. It can be laid in the cooler months too, but roots more slowly. Plan around the wet season: waterlogged clay is hard to strip and level, so aim for a few dry days.

DIY vs professional removal and installation

DIY makes sense for a small, flat, easy-access lawn with no couch or kikuyu to fight, when you have the time and a way to get rid of the waste.

A professional strip-and-lay is worth pricing for larger lawns, heavy clay, sloping or awkward blocks, stubborn runner grasses, or when you need the job done in a day or two. Every site is different, so we price re-turfing once we know the area, access and soil. For what drives the price, see turf installation cost in Brisbane. Our front and backyard packages cover the whole job, from site assessment to installation.

Frequently asked questions

Ready to replace your old lawn?

If you’re doing it yourself, start with the turf calculator to work out how much turf you need, then order fresh-cut turf for the day your ground is ready. To hand over the stripping, prep and laying, request a free quote and we’ll talk you through it. We supply Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast from our farm at Woodford.