Sod Installation in Toronto

Sod installation in Toronto is the shortcut that actually works: where a weed-choked lawn would take two seasons of rehabilitation to maybe recover, stripping it and laying fresh sod gets you a finished lawn by dinner. The catch is that sod only performs on prepared ground, and preparation is exactly the step the cheap quotes skip.

How we install

• Old turf cut out and hauled away, never sod over a dead lawn
• Grade corrected, low spots filled, slopes directed away from the foundation
• 2–3 inches of fresh triple-mix spread and raked
• #1 Kentucky bluegrass sod from Ontario farms, laid tight, joints staggered
• Rolled for soil contact, watered in, care schedule left at the door

Clay is the enemy; soil is the fix

Most failed sod in Scarborough and East York died the same death: rolled out over compacted clay with no new soil. Roots had nowhere to go. The triple-mix layer is not an upsell, on east-end clay it is the difference between a lawn and an expensive green carpet that dies in July.

Sod, seed, or turf

Seed is cheaper per square foot and slower by a season; sod is instant and predictable; artificial turf wins narrow shaded side yards and dog runs where grass keeps losing. We quote what fits the space, including telling you when seed is simply the better value, which on large open areas it sometimes is.

Frequently asked questions

How much does sod installation cost in Toronto?

Full replacement, strip, soil, sod, typically runs $2.50 to $4.50 per square foot installed. A typical 1,000 sq ft city front-and-back combination lands between $2,500 and $4,500. Sod-only over prepared ground prices lower; the quote is fixed from a measure.

When can sod be installed?

Any time the farms are cutting, roughly late April through November. Spring and early fall are ideal; summer installs work fine with disciplined watering. Fall sod roots quietly all autumn and wakes up ahead of everything seeded in spring.

How do I water new sod?

Daily soakings for the first two weeks, the sod should squish underfoot, then taper to every two or three days as it roots. First mow at about two weeks, high. We leave a one-page schedule, and the difference between great and patchy sod is whether it gets followed.

Why did my last sod fail?

Almost always laid on hard, unprepared ground. Sod on compacted clay roots an inch deep and dies in the first hot week. We strip the old surface, loosen, and lay fresh triple-mix so roots have somewhere to go, that preparation is most of what you are paying for.