How Does a Lawn Roller Work?

Lawn rollers are a relatively new addition to lawn care, however, they have been used in agriculture for some time. Their use in agriculture is the same as for their use on lawns, and they are very effective tools in either application. Lawn rollers work in two ways due to their heavy weight.

Breaking Up Disturbed Soil

The lawn roller is used in preparing for a new lawn where the soil has been disturbed recently, such as in new home construction. In this case, soil gets disturbed during excavation and rock and tree removal in construction site preparation: The roller levels off and smoothes the surface. This is part of preparing the topsoil for a new lawn and cleaning up the worksite once excavation is complete, which is a common practice in new subdivisions and residential and commercial developments. Fertilizers are worked into the topsoil, then the soil is smoothed over with the lawn roller, seeded and a layer of straw is placed over the seed to encourage seed germination.

Soil Compaction

The lawn roller is the most effective way of not only breaking up large clumps of tough soil, but aids in compaction in the process. Freshly disturbed soil is inherently fluffed up when it is disturbed. The consequence is that it settles over time. This is most apparent around the foundation of a new home. The soil may take years to settle fully, leaving a low area around the perimeter of the foundation. The lawn roller forces compaction of the soil so that more topsoil can be added, thereby reducing the amount the soil settles over time. For established lawns, the lawn roller smoothes the natural heaving of topsoil due to seasonal changes.