How to Lay Sprinklers on a Lawn Before Sod

Plan where you want your sprinklers to go. Sprinkler pipe is usually laid around the perimeter of the yard. Lay a piece of string along the ground to mark the path of the pipe. Start at the sprinkler manifold and make your way around the lawn.

Set the trenching machine to a depth of at least 9 inches. This will accommodate the pipe and sprinkler heads up to 6 inches.

Start the trenching machine and move it alongside the string that you laid down. Follow the path until you've completed the loop around the yard. Dirt will be flying from the machine, so use eye protection.

Lay the PVC pipe in the bottom of the trench, end to end, throughout the entire trench. This is to position the pipes and make sure you have enough pipe to complete the loop around the yard.

Apply a layer of PVC primer to the inside of a PVC coupler. Wait 30 seconds and then apply a thin layer of PVC glue to the inside of the coupler. Press the glued end on the end of the first pipe near the sprinkler manifold.

Connect the first pipe to the second pipe by repeating the primer and glue procedure on the other end of the coupler and then pressing the second pipe into it. This will bond the pipes together.

Repeat the coupling procedure until you reach a point between two pipes where you want to install a sprinkler head. Instead of installing a coupler, install a PVC riser fitting between the pipes. Swab the inside of the pipe connections with primer and glue before inserting the two pipes into either end. Make sure the riser connection, which has pipe threads for the sprinkler, is pointing straight up before the glue sets. Expect to use up to 15 of these fittings per sprinkler zone.

Cap the end of the PVC pipe at the end of the system. Swap the outside of a PVC cap with primer and glue and press it into the end of the pipe. This will seal the pipe.

Screw in 2-inch plastic risers into each of the riser fittings. Tighten by hand.

Screw sprinkler heads onto each of the risers, turning the body clockwise by hand until tight. Turn the nozzle on top of the sprinklers toward where the grass will be located.