Stake Out The Area You Wish To Level
Now you want to outline your level. Stake out the area of the backyard that you intend to level. Depending on how large of an area you are planning to level, you may only need to level a certain area of the backyard rather than the entire area. It is important you create edges that will line the area you wish to level.
Step 7: Dig the Basement and Place the Forms Therein
Dig a six or eight foot hole downwards. This will serve as your basement. Place timbers in the hole to serve as your forms. If you have access to gravel or dirt, this is the time to fill your hole with soil. This will bring ground level up to par with the finished level of the backyard. It will also insure that the finished level will be somewhat even.
You can place forms in the hole as I mentioned in step 6. This is the reason that you want to dig your hole deep enough to hold forms and still have several inches of dirt on top.
After you have covered the bottom of the hole with several inches of soil, then you can place your forms on top. This will visibly help your finished finish grade of the backyard.
Step 8: Pour the Concrete and Smooth Slightly
Now pour the concrete into your forms. Fill them until you have roughly one and a half inches to two inches of concrete on top of the soil. Now that the concrete is in your forms you can level them out and smooth out the area with a trowel.
Step 9: When Can I Start Playing In My Backyard?
Step 10: Install Your Concrete Edging
Step 11: Clean Up and Enjoy
Slope Erosion Control Costs
Install sod, mulch, ground cover, a retaining wall, or an erosion control grid to prevent soil from shifting or running off the slope.
- Building a retaining wall costs$2,450 to $6,650 on average.
- A slope erosion control grid costs $1 to $2 per square foot and prevents erosion and soil migration.
- Planting shrubs, bushes, or ground cover costs $20 to $60 each and prevents soil erosion.
- Sod installation costs$0.90 to $1.80 per square foot and holds the soil in place to prevent erosion across the entire yard.
- Mulch costs$35 to $70 per yard and reduces soil runoff by holding soil in place.
Leveling An Unworkable Lawn Hiring The Pros Method
If your lawn is severely uneven, and the methods above arent going to cut it, you will have to bring heavy machinery in. It involves re-grading the entirety of the affected area.
While it is possible to do this yourself, its not recommended. You will have to be trained in how to use heavy machinery, hire it, and follow a whole host of trade secrets to get it right.
If your lawn is so bad that it requires re-grading, I recommend hiring a professional landscaping crew to come in and do the job right the first time.
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Water The Levelled Yard Evenly
If you are unsure about laying grass alone, call in the experts from AncoTurf to level and lay your new turf. The turf installation process can be a lot smoother with professional assistance. Grass installation cost can be a deterrent, but you may be surprised at the affordability of having your lawn professionally levelled and laid.
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What Time Of Year Should I Level My Yard
I recommend that you level your yard in the early fall, though you can have success leveling and seeding a yard in mid to late spring as well.
Fall is best in my view because the soil is warm enough for quick germination, but your new grass isnt stressed by the heat of summer and is allowed to establish strong roots before winter.
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Step : Even Out The Entire Lawn
Once you have filled the holes and divots, cover your entire lawn with about 1/4 to 1/2 inches of the mix.
Keep this layer thin. Err on the side of caution. Even if you think you need more than 1/2 inch. If you put too much down, you may choke your grass.
If you still think you need more, you can reapply in step 8.
Plant New Grass Seed Or Sod
After leveling the ground and laying topsoil, water deeply and allow for a day before planting your new seed, lay sod, or even make use of hydroseeding to grow your lawn.
Whichever option you choose will take varying time to get you your lawn, but with careful planning and execution, youll have a lush green yard in no time.
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Filling Up Gaps And Depressions
It is also possible that one may encounter sudden gaps and depressions along the yard. In order to fill them up, dig the gap or depression area into one single ditch and then fill it up with coarse rocks, gravel and then finer soil. Next level up the filled up area so that its upper surface merges properly with the remaining area.
You will have to use an Inclinometer, then re-level the entire area, plenty of times so that it becomes uniform and integrated with the remaining yard.
Things To Remember While Yard Leveling
For best results keep these tips in mind:
- The best time to level your yard is during the dry season. If done during a rainy season there is a good chance for soil erosion
- Proper backfill at the foundation is very important. If the soil is too close to the wall cladding then you risk termites getting into your house
- Any soil removed from the lawn can be reused while grading
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Till The Ground To Soften It Up
Tilling is the last step before you begin laying sod. You do it so that the grass will lay flat when you lay it out. To till your soil, you can either rent a tiller or till by hand with a shovel and hoe.
Spread compost over the soil and work it into the ground. When using a tiller, you can mix some peat moss with the compost for extra nutrition. Till the soil to a depth of 48 inches or deeper for grass that has a thick, sweet root system.
Spread fertilizer over the soil and work it in. Follow the instructions on the fertilizer package, and if youre using organic fertilizer, only use 1/4 the recommended rate.
Cover the soil with a 38 inch thick layer of straw to help keep the topsoil in place.
Step 6: Lay the Sod on the Ground
When laying sod, you want to start in one corner of the desired planting area so you have a place to end up. This will help you avoid ending up with any pieces of sod here and there.
Unroll the first row of sod from the top of your wheelbarrow so that its parallel to the edge of the yard.
Snap the sod in place with your foot so that its securely in position.
Lay down the sod, starting at one end.
To keep the ends of the rows straight, use a straight 24 and set it along the edge of the yard.
Shove the sod in place or use a flat bar to pound the end of the row straight with the end of the straight 24.
Remove the straight 24 and lay down the next piece of sod.
Step 8: Trim the Edges
First, shave off the excess sod with a sharp shovel.
How To Regrade A Yard
If you’re thinking of installing a swimming pool, you’ll need to regrade your yard first. Before grabbing a shovel, you want to find and mark the location of any underground utility lines. You may think youre only removing the top layer of grass, but its better to be safe before unearthing a power or gas line.
You should also check with your local municipality to see if you need any permits for this job. Blythe Yost, landscape architect and CEO of Tilly , an online landscape design company, says that ‘most municipalities have a soil movement permit requirement,’ depending on the extent of the job. For example, if youre changing the grade enough to require a retaining wall, you probably need a permit.
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What Does Grading A Yard Mean
Grading a yard is a form of yard leveling that creates a mild incline. In other words, its the process of correcting the slope of your yard so that rainwater and other precipitation flow away from the foundation of your home. Ideally, your lawn around your house would have a slope of about 5%. That means that the surface of the ground 10 feet away from your house would be about 6 inches lower than the ground right next to your foundation.
However, grades between 3% and 25% are usually considered acceptable. If the grade of your yard is less than that, or if its current grade isnt directing runoff away from the home, your yard may need regrading. A slope greater than 25% can cause erosion and often calls for a different process called landscape grading.
Properly Grade Your Backyard
Before you get into the leveling process, you want to be sure your yard is properly graded, so you dont have to repeat the leveling process sooner than necessary.
Lawn grading can be essential to your lawns health and the foundation of your home.
Although the ultimate goal is to level your lawn, you dont want it to be completely flat. Your lawn should slope about 2 to 3 inches for every 10 feet away from your foundation. This will ensure water drains away from your home and prevents water from pooling in various spots around your yard.
Additionally, a proper slope keeps excessive amounts of water away from your homes foundation, preventing significant water damage that could be costly to repair.
However, you also dont want your slope any greater than twelve inches for every four feet. This will cause water to pool at the end of the slope and inhibits your ability to use your lawn for structures and activities.
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Is It Possible To Level A Backyard
Lawn leveling may prevent major problems, although it isnt the most glamorous of tasks. It is possible to level a backyard, so long as you make sure no water ends up running toward your homes foundations.
Because of the water issues, you need to understand whats involved and why you may need to carry out this task.
Smart Tips For Leveling Your Backyard
A beautiful landscape, colorful flowers, and well-pruned trees make the perfect exterior décor for your home. As you work on your flowers and trees, trimming them to avoid overgrowth, you also need to pay attention to the yard ground and soil by leveling and grading at periodic intervals.
According to Home & Gardens Country, the cost of perfectly landscaping your yard ranges between $2,500 to $10,000 and could be more depending on various factors. Sometimes, the high cost of hiring a professional could discourage you from properly leveling your yard, thereby increasing the risks of accidents and mosquito breeding in yard holes. We know you’ve got bills to pay that’s why we’re bringing DIY methods for filling up the annoying holes in your yard.
In our article today, we’re discussing the effective tips to help you fill up your yard quickly. With our creative skills, we have compiled five tips for you, giving you more than enough to get rid of that problem in your garden.
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Leveling A Yard For A Patio Deck Fence Or Playset
Leveling a yard to install a patio, deck, or playset costs $500 to $1,000, depending on the area’s size and current slope. An average patio or deck is 300 to 400 square feet.
- Installing a concrete patio costs$4 to $12 per square foot or $1,200 to $4,300 on average, not including grading.
- Installing a paver patio costs$10 to $17 per square foot or $1,900 to $6,800 on average, not including grading.
- Building a deck costs$15 to $30 per square foot or $4,400 to $10,100 on average, not including grading.
- Patios or decks installed within 10 feet of a foundation must slope away from the house at least 1/4″ per foot.
- A concrete patio requires a stable subbase of sand or crushed stone on top of a level dirt pad.
- Playsets require 6 feet of open, level space on all sides.
- Installing a new fence costs$13 to $25 per linear foot and does not require a level yard. A stepped or racked fence follows the contour of the existing slope.
How Can I Level My Yard Cheaply
You can level your yard yourself on a budget, for next to nothing, using a rake, play sand and some soil from your yard. Firstly, level any small bumps with your feet, making sure the ground is moist when you step on them. Any animal holes can be leveled by filling the soil back in with soil from your yard and then topping up with topsoil if theyre small the existing grass should grow over them, for any larger holes you can sprinkle some grass seed if you have it and water.
For mildly uneven areas that require more work, topdressing is easiest. Once youve mowed the lawn, mix together some fine sand with some compost from your yard and apply it to the low areas evenly. Rake even if you have one and run a household broom over it to work it into the grass, water and monitor progress. Repeat if needed.
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How To Level Ground With Retaining Solutions
The following ideas on how to level ground will require a retaining solution of some kind. Furthermore, depending on the height and functionality of your retaining wall, there may be additional requirements, such as site-specific engineering or council approval. Therefore, its best to contact your local council for any specific requirements for your project.
Topsoil After Flattening Lawn
After flattening, topsoil is the organic nutrient-rich top layer of soil for flower beds, gardens, and lawns. Topsoil costs $10 to $50 per cubic yard, depending on the type and quality. One yard of topsoil covers 81 square feet at 4″ deep. Many grading contractors charge separately for fill dirt and topsoil.
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Final Finish To The Leveling
In the final process of leveling the yard, you will need to add the finishing touches to the final surface of the yard. In this case, you can use, spades, snow shovels and rakes. Though using a rake is patience-testing, it makes the slope as even as possible and the leveling itself becomes very even. You may also add thin layer of organically rich soil while doing the final leveling.
You will need to use the Inclinometer constantly for conforming the elevation. Also, make sure that the leveling is foolproof as once you plant and set the turf, you cannot re-do the surface, you will need to uproot the entire turf again. Hence, make it a point to take your time and keep on adding the finishing touches till you are satisfied and then proceed to plant the turf. Some people also bring in a road-roller for a couple of days to make sure that the yard is finished properly.
Cost To Level Yard For Pool
Leveling a yard for an above-ground pool costs $200 to $850, depending on the pool size and yard slope. Installing a pool on uneven ground weakens the pool’s structure and results in uneven water levels, causing problems for the skimmer.
- For maximum stability, experts recommend cutting down the high areas to match the height of the lowest area instead of adding dirt to raise the low area.
- After grading, adding a layer of sand creates a level subbase and ensures no small rocks will puncture the pool’s bottom liner.
- Installing an above-ground pool costs$1,850 to $5,000 for the pool and labor.
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Why My Backyard Is Uneven
The unevenness of a backyard may occur due to natural reasons or by accident.
For instance, the water level could have caused this type of problem in the first place before human intervention occurred.
If this is so, dont worry as there are ways to even your uneven starting from manually leveling up other areas to using machine power.
In this article, we will talk about:
How you can even or fix uneven backyard using:
Do I Need A Permit To Level My Yard
A grading permit costs$50 to $400, depending on the project size and location. Most cities require a grading permit for any excavation, fill, or land disturbance. Projects that affect sensitive areas like creeks, shorelines, or other natural resources may encounter additional fees.
Some cities also require homeowners to purchase a grading surety bond to ensure the contractor follows local building codes.
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How Do I Know If There Is A Landscape Grading Problem
The most simple way to look if you have yard leveling problems is to look for standing water. If you dont have proper drainage, you know that you have a problem.
If you want to be more precise with your landscape grading, you can measure your yards slope. To do this you will need the following tools:
The ground around your home should slope away approximately 1/4-inch down for every foot away from your home. This comes to around 2 ft. per 100 ft. So at 100 feet from your house, the ground should be 2 ft. lower than at the base of your home.
To accurately measure the slope of your yards landscape grading grab a 3 ft. long wood stake. Drive it 1 ft. deep in the dirt at the bottom of your house. Then measure a 100 ft distance away from your house. At that spot drive a second 3 ft. long stake into the soil.
At ground level on the stake by the house attach a string. Run the string to the second stake. Attach it to the stake with the string level. Use a carpenters level to achieve this.
With the string attached to both stakes, measure the distance from the ground to the string on the far stake.
If you measure a drop from 3 inches to 2 feet, you may be able to do the leveling yourself. However, if the drop is greater than that, or it slopes upward, it is recommended that you hire a professional to grade the yard.
For very steep slopes you may consider planting ground covers or building terraces.