Sod provides for a new lawn much quicker than new seed, but at much greater expense. Before laying sod, it is important to prepare the soil properly so that the sod will take root. As with seeding a new lawn, any existing weed problem needs to be eliminated, manually or with herbicide. The soil needs to be thoroughly worked with tiller and rake down to six inches or more. Debris and rocks need to be removed and clumps and clods of dirt broken up. Construction materials (if the lawn is for new construction) should not be buried. The sod is placed and unrolled in a staggered pattern. As it is often time consuming to lay out the entire lawn, each section of laid sod needs to be watered as the task proceeds. Allowing the sod to dry will most likely kill the turf grass. Once laid out, a lawn roller is rolled over it to press the sod against the soil allowing for the turf grass to root.