Yard Leveling: How to Level a Yard in 6 Steps

There are several reasons why it’s important to level a yard. Among them are:

• Damage: Leveling a yard prevents serious damage to your home. Lawns must slope away from your home to prevent rainwater from pooling around and weakening the foundation of your home. Flooding may result if rainwater leaks into your home; excess moisture also causes rot in wooden floor joists, which puts the entire structure of your home at risk.
• Drainage: Uneven lawns create drainage issues when low areas fill with rainwater. These low spots promote lawn disease and also breed pests like mosquitos.
• Environmental changes: Yards become uneven for many reasons. Home improvement projects, like the installation of a new sewer or additions like a swimming pool, can result in a bumpy lawn. Root growth from trees, and the removal of trees, also impact lawn areas.
• Lawn care: A level lawn looks attractive and is easier to maintain. Piloting a lawnmower over uneven areas or raised areas cuts grass at different heights and makes mowing itself challenging.
• Safety: An uneven lawn is not just an eyesore for homeowners. Depressions and sunken areas turn a level yard—a perfect place for adults and kids to play and enjoy being outdoors—into a potential hazard.

Here is a list of garden tools that you’ll need for your leveling project:

1. 1. Carpenter’s level and stakes: Mark a square or rectangular section of the lawn with four stakes, and tie string to the end of each stake. Match the line level to the string level to determine which part of the lawn needs leveling.
2. 2. Dethatching machine: Thatch is decaying grass and other organic ground cover that grows at the turf, or surface level, of the lawn. More than a half-inch of thatch means that your lawn isn’t getting enough water; a thatch rake or dethatching machine removes the excess thatch.
3. 3. Lawnmower: Every DIY yard leveling project begins with mowing the lawn. Cut it short, but not so short that the stems of grass blades are visible; cutting too short puts the grass at risk of drying out.
4. 4. Lawn roller, rake, and shovel: Use the shovel to dig into low spots and expose the dirt beneath the grass. Fill the divots with topdressing mix, then use the rake or lawn roller to level the lawn. If the uneven areas are large enough, use a tiller to dig them up.
5. 5. Topdressing mix: Topdressing mix is a mix of sand, compost, and topsoil used to fill in depressions and unevenness throughout the entire yard. The sand keeps the lawn level, while the soil and compost add nutrients to the grass.

Learn how to level your own yard with this step-by-step breakdown.

1. 1. Determine your leveling plan. Mow and dethatch your lawn, then examine the entire yard for raised areas, depressions, and ridges. Mark the square feet of these areas with the stakes and strings.
2. 2. Prepare your topdressing. Create a soil mix of two parts topsoil, two parts sand, and one part compost in a wheelbarrow. Mix to blend evenly. If you don’t have any on hand, learn how to make compost with readily available organic matter.
3. 3. Dig up and fill in the low spots. Dig up any divots with a depth greater than two or three inches. Put the blade into the edge of the low spot and push it deep enough to reach the grass roots. Lift the sod and place a thin layer of the soil mixture in the hole; use a leaf rake or garden rake to distribute it evenly before covering the whole with the grass.
4. 4. Cover and water. Spread a thin layer of the soil mixture—one-quarter to one-half inch in depth—over your entire lawn. Watch for areas that look unsettled and hide air pockets, and redistribute some of the soil mix with a landscaping rake or push broom.
5. 5. Water your lawn. Turn on your sprinklers to help the topdressing mix blend into the soil and revive your lawn. Avoid letting the new soil get too muddy.
6. 6. Reapply if needed. You may need more than one application of topdressing mix to get a level yard. Reapply, spread, and water again once you see new grass growing in the yard, or if the root growth in the new lawn doesn’t cover the topdressing mix.

Grow your own garden with Ron Finley, the self-described "Gangster Gardener." Get the MasterClass Annual Membership and learn how to cultivate fresh herbs and vegetables, keep your house plants alive, and use compost to make your community—and the world—a better place.