Many questions arise when it comes to sanding lawns. We clarify the most important ones and have further tips ready so that nothing goes wrong when sanding.
After scarifying and aerating comes the sanding of the lawn. When scarifying, thatch is removed, and the grass is stimulated to grow denser by slightly damaging the roots. In addition, unwanted moss is briefly removed by scarifying and the soil is open and ready for fertilization and other care measures. Various devices are used when aerating the lawn, all of which aim to work the soil more deeply. This is how you improve its air and water flow. Sanding can be used independently of scarifying and aerating, but it can also be used sensibly after these maintenance measures. It is a very important method to improve the growth conditions of the lawn, especially in compacted, clayey soil under lawn areas.
Why do you sand the lawn?
Sanding the lawn has various beneficial effects, which also depend on the pre-treatment - i.e. scarifying or aerating - as well as on the existing soil, the sand used and the amount used. Even the distribution device used affects the effect.
The goals of sanding are:
- Improved air flow to promote root growth of the grass
- Improving drainage and water drainage from the lawn and preventing waterlogging
- Increased resilience, especially when walking and driving on
- Increased shear strength of the soil, especially on lawns used for sports
- Improving the wettability of the subsoil and quick drying of the lawn, which prevents the appearance of moss
- Sanding the lawn can also level out bumps if evenly distributed with a trawl net or lawn brush
Basically, more sand is used when the soil has to be changed and improved over the long term in the course of a single operation because of specific problems that severely affect lawn growth. But also regular sandingwith small amounts supports the growth of the lawn in the long term and significantly increases its resilience.
Tip: Naturally very sandy soils are not additionally sanded. Because of the large gaps in the soil structure, there are no problems with waterlogging or critical compaction.
When will the lawn be sanded?
Sand as a chemically inert, i.e. non-reactive, material can actually always be used. However, because the application is best done on a lawn that has been mowed at least deeply - better in conjunction with scarifying or aerating - the usual time of year is spring. The lawn can also be limed or fertilized at the same time - however, lime and fertilizer should not be applied at the same time, otherwise undesirable chemical reactions can occur.
Should you aerate or aerate the lawn before sanding? Small amounts of sand can also be spread without first aerating or aerating. If an aeration device with hollow cone tools, so-called hollow spoons, has worked out a lot of soil material, there is more sand per square meter. The previous processing of the surface is therefore not absolutely necessary, but makes it possible to bring in larger quantities and thus a greater effect.
Which sand is suitable for lawns?
Different sand grain sizes and qualities can be used for lawn sanding. Dried sand is pourable, while washed sand is cleaned of very fine or particularly coarse particles. It is best to use sharply washed, pure quartz sand with a grain size of 0.06 to 2 mm for your home garden.
Can you use play sand for the lawn?
Play sand usually has a grain size of 0 to 2 mm or 1 to 2 mm. It usually contains a small amount of clay so that it holds together when baking sand cakes. This is not only superfluous when sanding the lawn, it is also a nuisance because it causes poor flowability. It is therefore better not to use play sand to sand the lawn.
Sanding the lawn: The right amount per square meterHow much sand you need to sand your lawn depends on what you plan to do:
The sand is only brushed in to even out unevenness and this process is repeated annually, as on sports fieldsusually, 0.5 to 1 liter of sand per square meter is sufficient.
After scarifying, on the other hand, 2 to 3 liters of sand are distributed per square meter.
After aerating with slot knives, 3 to 5 liters of sand per Square meters spread,
on aerators with hollow cone tools, sanding should follow at 4 to 6 liters per square meter.
The actual amount on the respective scale also depends on your soil type. Sanding is generally not necessary on soils that are already very sandy. The more compacted or clayey a soil becomes, the more sand you should use to improve the situation. If you are not quite sure about soil types, you can read everything you need to know in our practical article.
Step-by-step instructions
The sanding itself is not rocket science:
- Use a suitable spreader or simply use a wheelbarrow to distribute the amount previously calculated for the area in heaps on the lawn.
- Now the piles can be spread with the back of the rake and then with the tines.
- The fine distribution is then completed with a coarse street broom.
If bumps in the lawn are to be evened out, you need a dragnet that is pulled over the area several times - this can also be done manually with small nets. Although there are special lawn brushes that distribute the sand evenly, these are unfortunately only suitable for larger towing devices and cannot be used in private areas.
Important: If the sand is evenly distributed, the tips of the stalks should stick out of the sand everywhere.
Should turf be sanded? Once the turf has grown in and has been standing for a year at the latest, it is in no way different from a seeded lawn. You can also sand turf. However, the first processing of this magnitude should only take place one year after laying. Of course, before laying the rolled turf, it may be necessary to distribute sand to make the turf base layer more stable, shear-resistant and looser.
Sanding, overseeding and fertilizing the lawn
Fertilizer and sand can be applied together because the sand does not react with the fertilizer in any way. For example, use a primarily organic lawn fertilizer like oursPlantura organic lawn fertilizer to improve growth in the year after treatment. The fertilizer based on recycled leftovers from the food and luxury food industry is nitrogen-rich to support rapid regeneration. Because nitrogen as the "engine of vegetative growth" is essential for the development of fresh stalks. 70 to 100 g organic lawn fertilizer per square meter can be spread before sanding.
You can overseed immediately after aerating and scarifying. However, the two measures also stimulate the branching of the existing grasses, so it will grow denser after scarifying anyway. Sowing more seeds increases the risk of a fungal disease on the lawn.
Therefore, only overseed if the undergrowth was already clearly decimated before scarifying - i.e. if you could see a lot of soil between the stalks. If the lawn appears light, overseeding with a Lolium perenne mixture is the right choice. The vigorous and regenerative grass ensures a dense look. If, on the other hand, the lawn is completely missing in places, it is better to use a lawn repair mixture. This contains both fast-germinating and competitive grasses and occupies the gap until the hole has grown back from the sides.
Level out unevenness in the lawn with sand
Sand can also be used to even out small bumps. However, the useful usability is limited: deep cavities should not be filled with pure sand, but with a mixture of garden soil and some sand. If the lawn is just a little uneven everywhere, the sand is distributed evenly over a large area with a dragnet - this creates a much more even surface than trying to model a flat surface with a broom by eye.
The right care after sanding the lawn
Immediately after scarifying or aerating, the lawn should preferably not be walked on again until the next lawn cut after about a week, but it should be thoroughly watered. If the lawn has only been sanded with a little sand and without prior tillage, it can be used normally again immediately after extensive watering. Plenty of water from above ensures that the sand is washed in a little, settles in the existing soil and is soon worked into the soil structure by soil life and the roots. In addition, the fertilizer used, if anysoftened or dissolved so that nutrients are released or mineralized by soil life - now the lawn can begin its improved growth.
In addition to sanding, fertilizing is also an important care measure for the lawn. Find out everything you need to know about lawn fertilization in our special article.