Does your lawn have more dead grass than living? Experts share whether you can simply lay turf over grass and start afresh

The temptation when you're looking at your patchy lawn is to want to cover it all up and start again by laying a fresh patch of turf.

Whilst the experts I spoke to say it's possible to do, it's not generally recommended if your lawn is to fully establish and thrive long-term.

"While it is possible to lay turf on existing grass it’s not recommended. The new turf will have a harder time rooting and becoming established. You may also experience weeds coming through onto the new lawn from the existing turf," explains Fiona Jenkins, gardening expert.

You can have success laying turf in patches or clearing the area first, but there are instances, which I'll go into, where this can't be done.

Laying turf over grass

"If you lay turf over an old lawn, the new grass will struggle to reach the soil underneath and root properly. The soil of your old lawn is also likely to be compacted, making it even more difficult for your new grass to root," explains Fiona Jenkins, garden expert at MyJobQuote.

Although it’s not recommended, if for your own reasons you decide to take your chances, it's essential that you cut the grass really short first and pull up any weeds.

Fiona advises you then aerate the ground with a garden fork to improve drainage and add a good layer of topsoil to give your turf something to root down into.

"This should be finely raked to ensure it’s level and free from clumps. Then, you should be able to lay your new turf. Once laid, keep the turf well-watered until it’s established," says Fiona.

However, she makes it clear to consider the cost of returfing a lawn, and therefore advises that the best method is to dig up and remove all the grass and weeds from your old lawn first.

Either using a sharp shovel or a tool like Nitoope Garden Shovel Multifunctional Garden Shovel at Amazon to neatly remove patches of old grass.

Next you should rotovate the compacted soil with an Electric Tiller Rotavator and Cultivator for Garden at Amazon or similar, and levelling it out first will also help it take root and look even.

Fiona Jenkins

A landscaper and gardening expert with over 25 years of experience in the industry. Currently she works for MyJobQuote as their resident expert on all things gardening. She is highly knowledgeable about different plant varieties.

When not to lay turf over grass

Aside from laying turf over grass not being the recommended method, there are instances where you absolutely should not attempt this method to fix dead grass.

Fiona Jenkins lists these circumstances below:

• If your old lawn has failed due to poor soil conditions, such as the ground being too wet or too dry, it’s not recommended that you lay turf directly over it.
• It’s also not advisable if your lawn has problems with perennial weed growth, as the lawn weeds will simply grow through your new turf and take over again.
• If pests or diseases have killed off your old lawn, it’s better to deal with this issue rather than try to turf over it.

Laying turf in patches

Instead of laying new turf over grass you could simply sort out the bare areas with patches of turf cut to size rather than covering the whole area.

"To do this, you need to prepare the ground in each section by digging out the weeds and loosening the soil. Then, all you need to do is cut your turf to fit the bare sections," says Fiona Jenkins.

FAQs

Do I need to remove old grass before laying new turf?

In order for new grass to properly take root and be successful, you should remove old grass and treat the soil before laying new turf.

If you don’t want to take up your old lawn, garden expert Fiona Jenkins suggest you could overseed it.

"The best time to do this is in spring or late summer. Rake over your lawn first to remove thatch and dead matter and pull up any weeds that remain. Then, aerate your lawn. If you don’t own an aerator, you can do this with a garden fork. Next, add some topdressing. You can buy this special mix of soil, sand and organic matter from your local garden centre or DIY store. Rake this over the lawn area, so it’s level, then scatter over your grass seed and water well."

Sometimes a lawn can look especially patchy after you've been over it with a rake to remove all the dead grass. We explain what to do after scarifying in our expert guide in order to help your lawn bounce back healthier than ever.