Lawn Leveling: Fixing Low Spots and Ruts the Right Way

A neighbor's new bermuda sod was laid in March. By May, a checkerboard of weeds filled 1-inch gaps between poorly butted sod pieces. Tire ruts from installation added to the problem. Lumps and low spots plague new and established lawns alike – even kids' bikes on wet grass create lasting ruts.

When to Level

Best time: during vigorous growth. Fescue → fall before seeding. Bermuda, zoysia, centipede, St. Augustine → May.

Don't Use Pure Sand

Golf courses use sand because their soil is already sandy. Normal lawns are clay-based. Adding pure sand on clay creates disjointed drainage/growth characteristics. Grass in sand suffers drought and cold injury; internal drainage worsens.

Make Your Own 1:1 Mix

Mix sand and planting soil 1:1 in a wheelbarrow. Some retailers sell this pre-mixed for lawn leveling.

Team Approach

1. One drives wheelbarrow, one shovels, one brooms soil into low spots.
2. Apply only ½ inch at a time, leaving most green blades visible.
3. Let grass grow through for at least a month.
4. After leveling, fertilize lightly (except fescue in summer) and water thoroughly.
5. Four weeks later, add another ½ inch to remaining low spots.
6. Limit: raise soil 1 inch max per year.

Deeper Depressions (>1 inch)

Lift remaining grass, fill with soil mix, replace grass. Water and fertilize as above.

Commercial Services

Some companies offer leveling: sand application + aeration to mix, or proprietary techniques. Before hiring, ask for recent properties, visit them, and verify results match your expectations.

Don't let low spots make maintenance harder. Fill with matching soil mix and finish the season with a smoother lawn.