Sod job site checklist

Tick items as you go. Checks and job details are saved in this browser only; nothing is sent to Soddesk. Print a copy for the crew.

Sod job checklist

Job name (optional)

Job address (optional)

Delivery date (optional)

On-site contact and phone (optional)

0 of 45 done.

2. Site prep complete

Old turf, construction trash, roots, and rock removed from the surface.Graded so water moves away from buildings; low spots filled. OSU: at least about a 1% slope away from buildings. AgriLife: about 6 inches of fall over 40 to 50 feet.Lime, fertilizer, and organic matter worked into the top 4 to 6 inches only as the soil test says. AgriLife SCSC-PU-079 and OSU HLA-6419.Tilled about 4 to 6 inches where possible (or core aerated where tilling is not possible). The Lawn Institute; OSU.Irrigation installed, trenches settled, and heads set for sod. AgriLife: heads about 1/2 to 3/4 inch above final grade when sodding.Bed firm enough to walk on; footprints no deeper than about 1/2 inch. OSU HLA-6419.Final grade set so the finished sod will meet walks and drives without a lip.Bed watered a few days ahead so it is moist, not soupy. Never lay sod on dry soil. OSU: water the seedbed 5 to 6 inches deep several days before sodding.

3. Delivery-day logistics

Truck route and parking spot confirmed; ground firm enough for the truck.Offload equipment confirmed with the grower: who brings the forklift or roll handler, and who runs it.Staging area picked: firm, close to the work, off the finished grade, shaded if possible.Gate width and clearances measured against the offload and laying equipment.On-site contact name and phone given to the grower and driver.Weather checked: heat (sod heats faster on the pallet), rain (soft ground, ruts), and freezes (do not water in freezing weather).Delivery ticket checked for harvest date and time.Sod inspected on arrival. Yellow or mildewed leaves mean the sod has heated; AgriLife says do not plant it. In winter, check that it is dormant, not dead.Crew, knives, roller, stakes or staples, and water ready to start as the first pallet comes off.

4. Install day

Raked lightly; first row laid along a straight edge or string line. AgriLife SCSC-PU-125.Started at the point farthest from the entrance; rows run across the slope. The Lawn Institute.Seams staggered like brickwork, pushed tight, not stretched, not overlapped.Pieces that can slide on slopes pinned with stakes or staples, driven flush.Big rolls laid in the grower’s laying direction.Each section rolled for soil contact.Each section watered as soon as it was down until the soil is wet about 4 inches; lifted several pieces to check. AgriLife SCSC-PU-125.Unlaid sod kept shaded in hot weather and laid the same day. The Lawn Institute.Traffic and equipment kept off the new sod; wheelbarrows run on plywood so they do not rut the bed. AgriLife SCSC-PU-125.

5. First 2 weeks after install

Lifting corners to check moisture, especially corners, edges, and full sun. The Lawn Institute.Watering every 2 to 3 days or often enough that the top 3 to 4 inches stay moist, not soggy; daily above about 80°F until rooted. AgriLife SCSC-PU-125.Not leaving the site saturated for days.Heavy use kept off until it has firmly rooted and been mowed at least two or three times. The Lawn Institute.Tug test: the sod resists a gentle pull at a corner before you stretch out watering.First mow only after it is rooted and firm enough to hold the mower; no more than about one-third of the leaf removed.Variance end date noted; back on the provider’s schedule after it.Dormant or cold-weather install: keeping the top 1 to 2 inches moist, not saturated; no water in freezing weather. AggieTurf, Dormant Sodding.Holding heavy nitrogen until the sod is rooting and the soil test calls for it.

Related

Sod calculator · Watering rules lookup · Site prep · Installing sod · First 30 days

Sources

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, How to Select and Install Sod (SCSC-PU-125) — 36 hours from harvest; straight first row; wheelbarrows on plywood; roll; water to about 4 inches and check; every 2–3 days, daily above about 80°F; small waste allowance.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Turfgrass Establishment for Texas (SCSC-PU-079) — soil test results in 2–4 weeks; fertilizer and organic matter into the top 4–6 inches; 6 inches of fall over 40–50 feet; irrigation heads 1/2–3/4 inch above final grade for sod; yellow or mildewed sod has heated.
Oklahoma State University Extension, Establishing a Lawn in Oklahoma (HLA-6419) — 1% slope away from buildings; till 4–6 inches or more; firm bed with footprints no deeper than 1/2 inch; water 5–6 inches deep several days before; never sod into dry soil.
The Lawn Institute, Proper Planting — soil tests take days or weeks; till 4–6 inches; start at the far side; brick pattern, no overlap; check corners; keep heavy use off until firmly rooted and mowed at least 2–3 times; shade unlaid pallets in hot weather.
AggieTurf, Dormant Sodding (SCS-2020-14) — keep the top 1–2 inches moist, not saturated; do not water in freezing temperatures; dead sod may not show until green-up.

General guidance, not a site-specific recommendation. The grower's instructions and the job's spec govern. Pallet and roll sizes are our partner grower's and vary by grower.