When seeding a lawn or laying turf, the ground should be made as level as possible. Although it is not essential for the ground to be absolutely level, awkward bumps and hollows may cause problems when mowing. In gardens that have deep topsoil and only minor undulations, the site may be roughly levelled by raking soil from the high spots to fill the hollows, firming at intervals to consolidate the ground. In some instances, levelling by eye will be sufficient, although more accurate methods should be used when creating a perfectly level surface, such as a formal lawn.

Accurate Levelling Method

1. After cultivation, firm the site well, especially at the edges, by tamping with the back of a rake or by treading.
2. Start from a straight edge such as a path or patio or create a taut line with string and divide the area up into a grid of 2 m/6 ft 6 in squares.
3. Take a number of identical pegs and make a mark on each one at exactly the same distance from the top.
4. Drive the first row of pegs into the ground, so that the marked band is at the correct level of the lawn, or approximately 2 cm (3/4 in) below this if turfing.
5. Align the pegs using a straight edge and spirit level.
6. Add a second row of pegs and then further rows until the site is covered by a grid of pegs, checking each row is level before moving on to the next.
7. When all the pegs have been placed, use a spirit level to finally check that the pegs within the rows are all at the same height.
8. Tie garden string around the pegs at the level of the paint bands, dividing the area into squares.
9. Adjust the level of the ground to the height of the strings, adding topsoil to fill any hollows.
10. Once the ground is level, the pegs may be removed.