[Znott]

I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?

[SteveBell]

Znott wrote in :

I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?

Sand

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

[ransley]

On Dec 1, 11:28*am, Znott wrote:
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. *Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?

Mix leaves or clippings with the clay and it will turn to good dirt,
mix clay and sand and get cement, maybe thats what you have now, a
clay sand.

[HeyBub[_3_]]

ransley wrote:
On Dec 1, 11:28 am, Znott wrote:
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the
sprinkler value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took
way too long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I
should replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for
any future repairs?

Mix leaves or clippings with the clay and it will turn to good dirt,
mix clay and sand and get cement, maybe thats what you have now, a
clay sand.

Add Gypsum (a lot of Gypsum) to the clay. It'll help keep it manageable.

[RickH]

On Dec 1, 11:28*am, Znott wrote:
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. *Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?

Consider widening the hole enough to put in a valve box with cover,
instead of re-burying the valves, with some gravel on the bottom of
the valve box.

[ransley]

On Dec 1, 12:21*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:
ransley wrote:
On Dec 1, 11:28 am, Znott wrote:
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the
sprinkler value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took
way too long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I
should replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for
any future repairs?

Mix leaves or clippings with the clay and it will turn to good dirt,
mix clay and sand and get cement, maybe thats what you have now, a
clay sand.

Add Gypsum (a lot of Gypsum) to the clay. It'll help keep it manageable.

Gypsum? thats what makes drywall and compound, a plaster alternative,
you are kidding right. The co USG, the G stands for Gypsum.

[Bob F]

"Znott" wrote in message
news
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?

Use course sand or small pea gravel, and you can suck it out later with a
shop-vac.

[RicodJour]

On Dec 2, 7:10*am, ransley wrote:
On Dec 1, 12:21*pm, "HeyBub" wrote:

ransley wrote:
On Dec 1, 11:28 am, Znott wrote:
I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the
sprinkler value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took
way too long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I
should replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for
any future repairs?

Mix leaves or clippings with the clay and it will turn to good dirt,
mix clay and sand and get cement, maybe thats what you have now, a
clay sand.

Add Gypsum (a lot of Gypsum) to the clay. It'll help keep it manageable..

Gypsum? thats what makes drywall and compound, *a plaster alternative,
you are kidding right. The co USG, the G stands for Gypsum.

No, he is not kidding. It's the calcium in the gypsum that is
providing the benefit. Adding gypsum won't create rock hard soil.
There are varying views on gypsum as an additive, and it's not a
complete solution - another poster mentioned adding organic material,
which will also help.

http://www.weedpatch.com/article_gypsum.htm

R

[Norminn]

Bob F wrote:

"Znott" wrote in message
news

I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler
value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too
long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I should
replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any
future repairs?



Use course sand or small pea gravel, and you can suck it out later with a
shop-vac.




Don't replace the soil. Put in valve boxes so you can take off the lid
and access the valves
right away.. Put 2-3" of pea gravel in the bottom of the hole first.