Laying turf and weed fabric

[stuffys]

Hi everyone

Does anyone know if you can lay a weed fabric membrane down before you lay turf on top of it?

We just moved into a new house which was empty for two years and to say weedfest is an understatement. 25 rubble bags of weeds! One of the weeds was the dreaded Marestail, which I have had the pleasure of meeting with at my allotment.

So would weed fabric under turf work?

Thanks in advance.

Mike.

[bario1]

I'm interested to hear some answers to this too... been considering the same question myself.

[vixylix]

We used weed membrane under artificial grass at our last house, but I don't know the implications of using live grass. You could always try a small area first and see how it takes? I suspect it would need sufficient soil on top for the roots to settle in

[roitelet]

I think that the turf will root down through the weed fabric so long as you can keep it damp enough for long enough for it to do so. But the mares tail and couch will come up through it.

[ESBkevin]

I'd go more traditional methods assuming this is all lawn and not food production.
Spray with glyposate the emerging weeds once they are 2-5" tall. 7 days later cultivate the surface then rake level and lay turf (it helps to spread sand under the turf to get an even flat surface since it runs earier than regular soil in most areas and forces the roots down looking for the water and nutrients).
Establish the turf and then treat to spring and autumn weed/feed fertilizer to maintain strong grass growth and (little or) no weeds.
Don't use a grass box for the first cut after weed and feed to allow the grass to mulch itself and avoid it contaminating your compost bin.