Thinking of Leveling Sand? Here’s 2022 Full Guide

Nothing is more annoying when mowing the lawn than having to maneuver over lumps and bumps.

Whether or not you have divots, ruts, or bumps in your lawn, it is unlikely to be completely full and level. With the appropriate leveling sand, you give your grass a new lease and help fill in any worn or worn patches.

In this Lawn Advisors guide, we will cover everything you need to know about leveling sand, its advantages, the best time to level sand and the best sand types to level your lawn.

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What Causes a Lawn to Be Uneven?

Your lawn might become uneven or bumpy for a variety of reasons, but some of the main ones are as follows:

– Animals

– Playing on the Lawn

– Nightcrawlers

– Waterlogging

– Soil Settlement

Should You Level a Lawn Using Sand?

Lawns are often leveled with sand, but doing so might cause problems. To level a lawn, you should never use pure sand. Clay is commonly found in lawns, which already makes growing grass difficult.

However, covering the clay with pure sand merely exacerbates the issue by making the soil more cement-like in consistency and worsening drainage abilities.

Sand dries out quickly in the summer as well, which damages any grass that may be growing due to the heat. Additionally, drought and cold damage are more likely to affect grass that is growing in sand.

Avoid putting sand on a lawn by itself. For leveling uneven areas, mixing dry topsoil and sand is considerably better than simply spreading sand on a lawn.

The Advantages of Leveling Sand

Leveling sand includes many benefits:

– Easier routine lawn maintenance.

– More fun and better safety for family play.

– Improved curb appeal for potential buyers.

– Fewer lawn diseases.

– Efficient use of water.

– Healthier Soil.

– Allowing more water to be absorbed into the soil and adding needed nutrients.

When to add sand to your lawn?

The best time of year to start your repairs is in the spring when the grass is actively growing and the frosts have passed. This will give the grass seed enough time to establish itself while also giving the soil enough moisture to settle. Leveling lawns is also popular in the early autumn.

It is best to wait for a time when the lawn’s soil is not damp and the grass is actively growing.

You also need to level sand in such cases:

– If Your Lawn has Shallow Dips.

– If Your Lawn has Deep Ruts.

– If Your Lawn has Mounds.

How to Choose the Right Sand When Leveling a Lawn?

There are some factors to take into account while choosing the best sand for leveling lawns:

– Deep Ruts and Low Spots

You shouldn’t only use sand to fill in potholes or ruts that are really deep in your yard. You should use a 50/50 mixture of topsoil and sand.

You’ll also need to fertilize the areas where the depressions were as well. Because of this, you’ll need soil in the mixture for the grass to root into and sand for the turf’s drainage and to assist avoid compaction. In this case, Mason sand is your best option.

– Sandy Soil

Already got sandy soil? You should avoid leveling your lawn with play sand. Because it’s so fine, you run the risk of choking out your grass or interfering with its ability to take root.

Your yard can look beautiful by applying a very light layer of mason sand to the area.

– Patchy Grass

You can actually use either fine grit sand when it comes to patchy grass. The idea is to level up the yard and improve the soil’s drainage at the same time. As you would with ruts or low spots, it’s a good idea to combine topsoil with the sand.

This will let you seed and fertilize and hopefully fill those patches in.

Tools Needed for Lawn Leveling

You may need different tools depending on the type of unevenness you are trying to tackle. You’ll need the following gardening tools for leveling sand:

– Carpenter’s Level and Stakes

– Dethatching Machine

– Lawnmower

– Lawn Roller, Rake and Shovel

– Topdressing Mix

Best Sand for Lawn Leveling

The best sand for leveling lawns is one with fine grit. Mason sand and play sand are two of the most popular fine grit sands. These are sands that have been carefully sifted to remove larger pieces of sand and gravel. Both of them will spread evenly and have really small grains.

1. Mason Sand

Mason sand, also known as mortar, masonry or brick sand, is frequently used to make mortar for laying bricks and leveling concrete. Sometimes it’s used to fill playgrounds and volleyball courts. This is because it’s one of the finest construction sands around.

Mason sand is effective for leveling lawns because the small grains may reach the turf canopy.

2. Play Sand

Play sand and mason sand have the same properties, however, play sand has a somewhat finer grit. This is because it’s slightly more processed. Play sand is dusty and soft, but it works just fine for leveling lawns and is easy to spread and work into the turf.

For larger areas of lawn, mason sand can be used. And for smaller areas, play sand will be the best choice.

How to Level Lawn with Sand?

Using sand alone to level your lawn is generally not a good idea. However, leveling a lawn with a mixture of sand, potting soil, and/or compost is a surprisingly easy way to fix damage from settling, erosion, and foot traffic.

There are two main approaches to leveling low sections of lawn:

1. Topdressing

The best method for leveling out a lawn that has a generally uneven surface is topdressing. You can top-dress the average lawn in the afternoon because it’s a relatively quick and simple process. To mix and transport your sand combination, a wheelbarrow is all you need. To spread the material, use a sturdy rake or hoe.

However, you shouldn’t apply the sand mixture in layers thicker than 12 inches at once. The grass blades should always be visible through the topdressing. As a result, leveling out a very uneven lawn can require several applications over the course of a summer.

2. Underfilling

You can use a process known as underfilling to level a lawn with sunken patches that are more than one inch below the rest of the ground. The same sand combination is used for underfilling as for topdressing. However, you won’t be laying the soil on top of the grass!

Underfilling, on the other hand, is removing the sod from the afflicted area to reveal the bare soil below. The mixed sand can then be added until the area is flush with the rest of the lawn.

Here’s a video below explaining how to level san properly.

Leveling Sand FAQ

What kind of sand should I use on my lawn?

Use fine screened sand such as masonry sand or play sand to prevent rocks and small pebbles. Beach sand is coarser and could include beach debris (pebbles, shell pieces, etc.).

How much sand do I need to level my lawn?

The area that needs to be covered length, width, and thickness should all be measured. To determine the approximate volume of leveling material needed, multiply these three measurements. Remember to account for any ruts or holes you intend to fill as well.
If potting soil or compost will be added to the sand before spreading, divide the total volume accordingly to determine how much sand you’ll need.
When topdressing a lawn, the thickness should be no more than ¼- to ½-inch. Consider this while calculating the amount of sand required for your specific leveling project.

Can you use sand to fix holes in a lawn?

Yes, you can fix large ruts or holes in your lawn using a similar procedure. The damaged area should only be filled in until it is flush with the surrounding ground.

Does lawn sand help with drainage?

Using small amounts of sand in your lawn can help break down the soil cods and further aerate the soil which helps with drainage.

To Wrap Up

Now you know how to level a lawn. With a little time and effort, you can fill uneven lawn ruts, halls and indentations in no time.

Regardless of the method you use, spring is the best time to level your lawn because the weather is mild and the grass has time to recover before the heat of summer.

If you still have any questions about leveling sand, drop them in Lawn Advisors comments box below.