Sod

If half or more of your lawn consists of dead grass or weeds, it’s better to start over with laying sod. Sod is also a better choice if you prefer instant curb appeal and a quick turnaround time. Additionally, if you’re starting a brand new yard and have nothing but bare soil, sod is a better choice than seed for creating a healthy lawn.

Unlike seeding your yard, which can be easily done for the majority of the time, laying sod is a complex process. 

Of course, the actual laying of the mat on the dirt isn’t so tricky, but the prep work is more intensive. If the sod isn't installed correctly, it can't root in the soil and will quickly turn brown and will die, costing more in the long run. For this type of installation, it's best to hire a professional sod installer to ensure you get the yard of your dreams. 

Depending on the method you choose to remove grass, it may or may not matter whether the grass is wet or dry when you perform the task. A dryer lawn will be easier to negotiate with a sod cutter, especially if you're not planning to reuse the turf. However, using a shovel by hand might be a little easier if the ground is slightly damp but not so much that it sticks to the tool.  

Sod is different from grass because it comes in thick layers of mature grass, roots, and soil for quick transportation and easy installation. This is different from seeding your lawn, which involves directly laying grass seeds into the ground. Grass seeds take approximately 30 days to begin germinating and up to 18 months to reach maturity, whereas sod comes ready to go.