dunsborough and south west wa

Top Dressing

Level your lawn and improve soil quality.

TOP DRESSING

THE FINISHING TOUCH FOR A PERFECT LEVEL

Have you ever walked on a golf course green or a high-end sports oval and wondered why it feels so firm and smooth? The answer is top dressing. In the residential landscape, top dressing is often the missing link between a "backyard patch of grass" and a "feature lawn."

The Master Grass provides professional top dressing services in Dunsborough. Top dressing serves two distinct purposes: correcting levels (smoothing out bumps and hollows) and improving soil structure. We apply the right material, at the right depth, using the right techniques to ensure your lawn isn’t smothered but enhanced.

WHY TOP DRESS?

Levelling (The "Ankle Breaker" Fix)

Over time, all lawns settle. Dogs dig, ants build nests, tree roots push up, and soil compacts unevenly. The result is a bumpy surface.

Soil Amelioration

By top dressing with a quality soil mix (containing organics), we can slowly improve the soil profile beneath the grass. The new material works its way down, feeding the microbes and improving moisture retention.

Thatch Management

Top dressing helps to dilute the thatch layer. It encourages the breakdown of dead organic matter by keeping it in contact with soil microbes.

Recovery Protection

After renovations like aeration or verti-mowing, top dressing protects the exposed runners and crowns, keeping them moist while they regenerate.

THE MATERIALS WE USE

We will select the material based on your lawn’s current health and soil type.

Washed River Sand / White Sand

Used primarily for levelling. It is free-draining and heavy, so it sinks into the canopy well. It contains no nutrients, so it must be paired with fertiliser.

Lawn Mix / Top Dressing Soil

A blend of sand and organic compost (usually finely screened). We use this when the goal is to feed the lawn and improve poor sandy soil. The organics hold water and nutrients.

Rich Loam

Sometimes used for Buffalo lawns to give them a nutrient boost.

THE PROCESS

Top dressing is an art. If you dump too much sand on, you will suffocate the grass and kill it.

1. Prep

We mow the lawn short. This allows the sand to reach the soil surface rather than sitting on the leaf tips. Ideally, we aerate or scarify first to create space for the new material.

2. Spreading

We use specialised spreaders or shovel-spread techniques to distribute the material evenly across the lawn.

3. Rubbing In (The Lute)

We use a tool called a "level lawn" or "lute." This is a large, flat frame that we drag over the surface. It cuts the sand off the high spots and drops it into the low spots. This is how we achieve a true level.

4. The Golden Rule

We ensure the tips of the grass leaf are still poking through. The plant needs sunlight to photosynthesise. If you bury it completely, it will rot.

5. Watering In

We water the lawn heavily to wash the sand down into the thatch layer and settle it.

WHEN TO TOP DRESS

Like all renovation work, top dressing should be done when the lawn is growing. Spring and Summer are ideal.

Correction: If you have deep holes (e.g., from a dog digging), we can fill those anytime, but full-lawn leveling is a warm-season job.

OTHER SERVICES

Core

Aeration

Verti-Mowing

Scarifying

Fertilising Program

Lawn

Mowing

FAQ'S

Will it kill my lawn?

Not if done correctly. Smothering is the risk, which is why we apply thin layers (5-10mm max per application). If you need to raise the level significantly (e.g., 50mm), we do it in stages over several months.

My lawn is mostly weeds. Should I top dress?

No. Fix the weeds first. Top dressing will just feed the weeds or bury them briefly before they push back through. Get the turf healthy, then level it.

How long until it looks good again?

The lawn will look sandy for 1-2 weeks. As the grass grows through and you mow it, the sand disappears into the profile.

Areas We Serve

We operate from Dunsborough and work across the South West—Busselton through to Margaret River, including Yallingup and Cowaramup. If you're outside that core (Dunsborough East, Siesta Park, Metricup), send your location and we'll check the drive.

Service Areas

  • Dunsborough

  • Busselton

  • Margaret River

  • Yallingup

  • Cowaramup

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