How to Level Your Lawn Without Ripping It Up

Certain areas of your lawn may become uneven over time due to various reasons, including settling or poor drainage issues. Leveling your lawn has many benefits—and you don’t need to rip everything up to do it! In most cases, you can simply apply a layer of top dressing to your lawn to even out its surface.

How to Level Your Lawn

Step 1: Mow

Start by mowing your lawn at a short height, but not so short that it scalps. Avoid exposing the stems of the grass blades; they’ll dry out quickly. Mowing slightly shorter helps you identify uneven spots and determine how much topdressing to apply. Mow a little shorter than your grass’s recommended mowing height, which you can find here.

Step 2: Dethatch

Now that you’ve mowed your lawn pretty close to the ground, you can examine how much thatch has accumulated over time. Thatch is a layer of dead vegetation, soil and debris that builds up beneath your grass.

Up to half an inch of thatch is fine, but more than that blocks water, oxygen and nutrients.

If you decide you need to dethatch, remove it by running a thatch rake over the surface to pull it up. Check out Why Dethatching and Aeration Matter for more information.

Step 3: Broadcast Soil Mix

Spread the topsoil mix evenly over your lawn with a shovel. When you top dress a lawn, you will spread a mix of soil or soil compost and fine sand.

First, mix the topsoil and sand thoroughly to ensure a fully blended mixture. Good quality topsoil contains a rich mixture of nutrients that are necessary for your lawn’s health. Sand keeps the yard level because it doesn’t compact, while the soil and compost add nutrients to help your lawn thrive.

The applied organic material will eventually work its way into your soil profile/improve the quality of your soil. Learn more here.

Step 4: Evenly Spread Topsoil Mix

Rake the mix evenly across your soil. Apply no more than half an inch of mix to the low spots.

If you notice that you need more top dressing, repeat this process when your grass begins to grow over the top dressing or when the top dressing mix is no longer visible. Don’t fully cover the grass blades; they need sunlight to grow.

Step 5: Water Your Grass and Topsoil

After the ground has been sufficiently leveled with a topsoil mix, it is a good idea to irrigate the ground that same day. Many times, air pockets or unsettled areas remain unseen from above ground. Watering the lawn helps the soil settle. This lets you see how level your yard truly is.

Step 6: Check for Uneven Areas and Reapply as Needed

If the parts still appear uneven, add more topsoil or gently reposition the soil to smooth it out. Don’t over-irrigate to the point that your soil becomes muddy.

The Benefits of Applying Topsoil

Adding topsoil not only levels your lawn but also improves the health of your soil. When you add organic matter to your topsoil mix, it works to improve the soil’s health—especially if you have a clay-like soil.

It improves soil structure and water retention—especially useful for lawns with drainage issues. Drainage issues can sometimes be the reason for having an uneven lawn in the first place.

Organic matter supports soil microbes, strengthens structure, reduces stress, and helps release nutrients into the root zone. In fact, applying a bottle of Lawnifi®  Maintain (also included in the Lawnifi® Spring, Summer and Fall Fertilizer Boxes) to your newly laid topsoil will help soak the topsoil and nutrients into your lawn.

How to Level Your Lawn Without Ripping It Up – Frequently Asked Questions