Grading and Sod Installation in Oregon City, OR

There’s a unique kind of mess that comes with a construction project, a land clearing job, or even just a long-neglected yard: hard, compacted dirt, ruts from equipment, and a sea of mud every time it rains. It feels a long way from the lush, green carpet of lawn you dream about.
At Oregon City Tree Services, we specialize in the final, transformative stage of landscaping: grading and sod installation. This is where we turn that rough, uneven ground into a smooth, perfect canvas and then roll out your brand-new, instant lawn. It’s one of the most satisfying jobs we do, because the results are immediate and dramatic.

The Foundation: Why Proper Grading is Everything

You can’t just lay sod on bumpy, poorly drained ground. It would be like laying carpet over a floor covered in rocks. The key to a healthy, long-lasting lawn is what’s underneath.

Creating the Perfect Slope: We use heavy equipment to carefully shape the soil, ensuring water flows away from your home’s foundation and toward appropriate drainage areas. This is crucial with our heavy Oregon winter rains to prevent puddling and soil erosion.

Soil Preparation: Our heavy Oregon City clay needs help. We often till in a layer of compost or sandy loam to improve drainage and give the new grass roots a soft, nutrient-rich medium to explode into. The feel of that dark, crumbly soil is the feel of life ready to happen.

Final Grade: With a laser level and a skilled hand, we create a perfectly smooth, firm surface. You’ll see the clean, straight lines we create, knowing they are the secret to a lawn that looks like a golf course.

The Magic of Sod: Instant Gratification

Seeding has its place, but for a guaranteed, usable lawn in weeks, not months, sod installation is the answer.

The Delivery: There’s something exciting about the arrival of a pallet of fresh, vibrant sod. You can smell the rich soil and healthy grass. We work quickly to get it off the pallet and onto your prepared ground.

The Installation: Our crew works like a well-oiled machine, laying the rolls in a staggered brick pattern, ensuring tight seams without overlapping. The sound of the sod knife slicing through the mats is sharp and precise. We roll the entire area to ensure perfect soil-to-root contact.

The First Watering: The final step is a deep, generous watering. The sight of water soaking into that fresh, green carpet and the smell of wet earth and grass is the official start of your new lawn.

Your Role in a Successful Start

We’ll give you simple, clear instructions for watering—the most critical part of the first few weeks. You’ll need to keep the sod consistently moist, and the reward will be seeing the roots knit into the soil beneath until, one day, you can’t even tell it wasn’t always there.

Stop dreaming about a lawn and start walking on one. Call Oregon City Tree Services at 503-683-8286 and let’s talk about transforming your muddy patch into the backyard oasis you deserve.