I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

Thanks.

Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

Digging, raking and compacting with a roller or compactor, probably.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

Probably easier to leave the ground as is and pad the frame where necessary

Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

Depends how badly out of level it is. Rotavator first, then rake/shovel.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

Depending how far out it is, just build the frame over it. Ideally you
don't want the decking frame in contact with the ground, better supported on
posts.

One of the benefits of building a deck is that it turns an unlevel surface
into a level one.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

As Dave says, build the frame on posts above ground level, having first
laid weed control fabric and covered it with a layer of gravel.

I am just about to build a couple of frames, but without the decking, as
bases for garden sheds.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

4.5M x 3M? Unless it's clay, you could probably do that easily enough
with a spade.

stuart noble wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

4.5M x 3M? Unless it's clay, you could probably do that easily enough
with a spade.

The digger still involves least effort.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

As Dave says, build the frame on posts above ground level, having first
laid weed control fabric and covered it with a layer of gravel.


waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except mushrooms.


I am just about to build a couple of frames, but without the decking, as
bases for garden sheds.

Colin Bignell

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

As Dave says, build the frame on posts above ground level, having
first laid weed control fabric and covered it with a layer of gravel.


waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

It is still recommended practice.

Colin Bignell

Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

As Dave says, build the frame on posts above ground level, having
first laid weed control fabric and covered it with a layer of gravel.


waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

It is still recommended practice.


By whom? manufacturers of weed mesh presumably.
Colin Bignell

The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Nightjar "cpb"@ insertmysurnamehere wrote:
Paul wrote:
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

IME a mini digger with a levelling bucket involves least effort.

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be
screwed.

As Dave says, build the frame on posts above ground level, having
first laid weed control fabric and covered it with a layer of gravel.


waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

Oh yes it does! You need a good 30cm overlap on the fabric to stop things
growing through.

I don't use gravel BTW, I use plastic pegs to pin the fabric down.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Huge wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

The usual incorrect claptrap from TNP.


usual ad hominem attack from someone who prefers prejudice to experience.

Huge wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

The usual incorrect claptrap from TNP.



I tend to agree that nothing much grows in the dark, but a glimmer of
light between the planks and the usual suspects will be on parade.

stuart noble wrote:
Huge wrote:
The Natural Philosopher wrote:

waste of time. Nothing grows under a light excluding deck except
mushrooms.

The usual incorrect claptrap from TNP.



I tend to agree that nothing much grows in the dark, but a glimmer of
light between the planks and the usual suspects will be on parade.

You need around an 8mm gap depending on the moisture content of the boards &
time of year. Expansion, airflow, drainage. 8mm lets enough light through
for weed growth.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

"Paul" wrote in message
...
I want to level a small area of ground about 4.5m x 3m.

What's the easiest way to do make it flat and level please?

I will be laying down a bearer frame to which decking will be screwed.

Thanks.


Peg each corner ... bash in until the tops of all pegs are level and about
150mm or so above ground level use a spirit level on long boards ...
measure from one peg out ... always going back to same one as a reference

i.e. if you had 4 corner pegs a,b,c,d level a-b, a-c, a-d

Then scrape off the ground to a common distance down form the top of the
pegs ... which is now your datum.

Typically chose a peg where ground is middle way between highest point and
lowest point, and then crape level to that.
Using long boards you can check L to R and front to back as you proceed.

On May 9, 8:45*am, "Rick Hughes"
wrote:

Peg each corner ... bash in until the tops of all pegs are level and about
150mm or so above ground level use a spirit level on long boards *...
measure from one peg out ... always going back to same one as a reference

i.e. if you had 4 corner pegs * a,b,c,d * level * *a-b, * a-c, *a-d

Then scrape off the ground to a common distance down form the top of the
pegs ... which is now your datum.

Typically chose a peg where ground is middle way between highest point and
lowest point, and then crape level to that.
Using long boards you can check L to R and front to back as you proceed.

Yes, this seems a good idea - thanks.

By the way, I would have preferred to get the bearers right off the
ground, but I don't have the depth. I could remove a few inches of top
spoil of course, but I think once the ground is level, I will cover
with a membrane, put a thin layer of pea shingle down for drainage,
and the bearers will be on top of that.