How To Lay Down Sod Over Existing Lawn. Renting a sod stripper was not needed in our situation, as we had a good lawn underneath the 6 inches of quality soil we put down. After you remove the top layer,you'll need to bring in topsoil and grade.
Rake your footprints out of the next patch of dirt and unroll the next sod roll. If you decide to have a new lawn, it is best to remove first the existing lawn before installing the fresh sod. Bring in a top soil/ compost mix and spread it evenly through the yard.
After you remove the top layer,you'll need to bring in topsoil and grade.
To install sod on an existing lawn, cut any existing grass low, and level out any holes or step dips in the yard. If you leave any solid clumps, it could kill the grass beneath it. Remove and dispose of the existing sod. If you install sod on top of your existing lawn, the existing grass forms a layer between your sod and the soil beneath.