|
Leveling The Ground
Water - The Great Equalizer
Sometimes leveling the ground is required before preparing a spot for a garden shed or when laying a patio. One of many purposes for which a level surface is needed is before planting a flat lawn.
$
Water is a superb measuring tool for leveling the ground because a continuous body of water always settles on a level surface. When the Egyptians built the pyramids they used a system of water filled trenches to help them measure a level base on which to erect those mighty structures. You may not have contemplated something quite so grandiose in your back yard, but some basic information on leveling the ground can save you lots of frustration, as well as getting the job completed with a minimum of fuss.
Tools for Leveling the Ground The only tools you need for leveling the ground are a couple of wooden stakes about 1.5m (5’) long, a measuring tape, water from a hose, and a length of clear plastic tube about 4 – 5m (13 – 16’) long. The later is quite inexpensive (just a few dollars) and can be purchased from hardware, pet or aquarium stores.
Procedure for Leveling the Ground Decide which point of the yard is at the level you want the whole area to be. Hammer one of the wooden stakes into the ground at this point, and another stake at any other point. Attach each end of the tube to the side of each of the stakes. Fill the tube with water by holding the hose over one end – keep running water through the tube until all air bubbles have been removed.
Measure the distance on the first stake from the top of the water to the soil surface. Go to the second stake and repeat the procedure. To make the soil around the second stake the same level as the soil around the first, you will need to either dig or fill in the soil around the second stake until the measurements there equals the measurement at the first stake.
|
|
