How to lay turf

Once you've emptied all your bags of soil on the turf area, it's time to work it in. Start with a rake, then use a spreader – these nifty contraptions are available to purchase from Bunnings. A spreader will make sure your topsoil is evenly and smoothly distributed across the lawn area.

This stuff is vital if you want to make sure your turf has the best chance of growing. Simply sprinkle your wetting agent evenly over the top of your soil, then smooth down with your spreader.

Once you've sprinkled on your wetting agent, open a bag of starter fertiliser and sprinkle over the area – this will help encourage your new lawn to grow. Make sure you follow the instructions on the bag so you know how much to add.

Grab a hose and give your soil a good wetting so it's nice and ready for the turf.

This is the fun bit! Lay your first piece of turf, making sure you butt it up nice and firm against the corners – it's important not to kneel on the turf or stretch it. Lay each piece hard up against the last to avoid air pockets and any drying out. So as not to have lines, lay your turf in a brick pattern.

Use shears to trim your turf pieces to the correct size. Remember: don't throw any off-cuts away – you may need them to fill any gaps down the track. Once all the turf is fitted, walk over it to smooth over any bumps – if you have a larger area, you'll probably need to use a lawn roller. Once it's all in, use your hose to give it a good water – this will encourage root growth.

How great does your new patch of turf look? Remember to water your lawn every day for the first four to six weeks to make sure it stays moist at all times. After that, you only need to water every two days as this will encourage deeper root growth.