The Golden State: Where & How to Live, Secure, Visit, Enjoy and Thrive in California

Small Home Landscaping

Grading and Construction

Learn hotv to increase your garden's charm and livability.

GRADING includes anything from raking the surface to make it even for a lawn or leveling up a slight slope to make a terrace to the larger operations where a bulldozer carves the earth and moves tons of soil.

The home owner may be concerned with one or more aspects of a grading problem. Usually, one of these is control of water flow. A lawn area so level that water collects and lies for some time should be pitched (graded) to some point for surface drainage. This is less critical if the soil is sandy. If there is no possibility of grading it in one direction, the area could be graded to a slight drop either towards the center and where a catch basin connects with a sewer—or another outlet, perhaps near a path or drive. Failing this, a dry well is dug. This is a hole three to four feet deep and equally wide. Large stones or rocks are thrown on the bottom, smaller stones on top, then gravel, several inches of tamped cinders or ashes and finally soil.

A line, string level or a carpenter's level, set on the straight edge of a piece of lumber is used to determine the necessary pitch. Allow a drop of one-eighth inch for every foot of run. In twenty-five feet, this would be a drop of three and one-eighth inches from the level. Establish levels at various distances and drive in wooden pegs at the high and low points. Each peg is marked to indicate the finished surface or grade.

A slope which drops away from the house and was not remedied during construction presents a problem. This can be uncomfortable for getting around if the area is much used. Only a terrace or leveled-up area near the house can remedy the fault. Extent of the operation will naturally depend upon the site and its slope. A level area six to ten feet wide could be established, then graded down to meet the original grade. A ground cover or low shrubs may suffice to hold it. More often, a retaining wall will be needed to support the terrace or leveled area.