Rough Grading

• 1). Make sure the lawn slopes in the desired direction. The lawn should have a gradual slope away from stationary objects such as your house, sidewalks and pool. The lawn should be free of dips and valleys where water will collect and form a puddle.
  
  
• 2). Grade the lawn to have the desired slope. Lower high areas and raise lower areas. For really big jobs, a professional with a bulldozer is probably needed. For smaller jobs, break up the soil with a rototiller and then move around the dirt with a shovel.
  
  
• 3). Grade the lawn so that is 1 inch below sidewalks, driveways, patios and other fixed objects that will border the sod. The 1 inch is to allow for the depth of the sod.
  
  
• 4). Remove all rocks and debris with a garden rake. Use the rake to also break up clumps of grass.
  
  
• 5). Look at the lawn from all angles to make sure it now has the correct slope.
  
  

Fine Grading

• 1). Tamp down the dirt along the borders of the lawn with the straight edge of the garden rake.
  
  
• 2). Rake excess dirt away from the borders of the lawn with a steel rake. Distribute the dirt so the lawn is as even (or flat) as possible while maintaining the gradual slope.
  
  
• 3). Grade the lawn a final time with a lawn roller. A lawn roller will make the soil firm. It will also make it easier to identify any remaining small bumps or slight dips in the lawn.
  
  
• 4). Water the prepared lawn right before installing the sod.