Measuring levelness

Don't think there is such a word as levelness, however ...

I'm hoping this is not one of those posts which shows that everyone but me including every 5 year old knows the answer to and I will feel like an utter dimwit so be kind . Here goes:

I have two, currently separate bits of lawned garden. They are divided by a trellis which has several very large shrubs along one side effectively making a divider. I am thinking of removing the trellis and shrubs to create one larger lawn. The trellis/shrub separator area is about 10 feet wide.

The question is: how can I measure/figure out whether the two currently separated lawns are at the same height, on the same level, whatever the correct term is, so that when I returf or seed the middle section to join the two that it will be completely level and not go uphill in one or other direction or otherwise askew. Eyeballing it, there isn't a big difference though the lawn sections have been laid separately many years apart and there is probably some wonkiness, but this is more about the need to figure out how to measure it properly.

I have been scratching my head and can't figure it out. I have no sophiticated equipment.

Any ideas?

Cheers
GG

 

The only thing I can suggest is a straight-edge poked through the separating screen at ground level, with a spirit level placed on it. If there is a difference in level, build up the lower lawn with ply or bricks until you have an exact level, then you'll know how much you need to build up one or skim off the other...

 

Hi GG

You could use a suitable length of clear plastic tubing partially filled with coloured (so you can see it) water. Water in a tube will always be level at each extent, so it's just a case of measuring at each end to compare. I haven't worded that too well, so hopefully that makes sense

 

Yep, water is the best leveler.

They used it to build Salisbury Cathedral so the Masons tell me, its only 2 inches out over the whole site.

 

Get a straight (flat) piece of timber 2.4 long then drive a timber peg into one lawn projecting 300mm above ground level, then another one 2m away and level it up with the first peg using the long timber straight edge and a spirit level.

Then repeat until you work around any obstructions until you get to the other lawn and the difference in height between the first and last pegs is the difference between the two lawns.

You don't need dozens of pegs, only a minimun of 3 as you leave the first one in place and keep reusing the middle peg.

 

Freddy is right but you don't need a transparent tube. Just fill a hose with water, and raise the lower end until until water ceases to flow and you have have equal levels.

 

Two good methods from Scrungee and dave GG . I would have used the stake method of Scrungees , but Daves is the clever one as you can run the hose around any obstacles and still get a good level .

 

Aren`t hoses flexible ??? so when he runs it through the trellis it will dip in the middle

 

It will indeed dip in themiddle but the level of water at each end will be the same. Just imagine a U shaped glass tube open at each end and filled with water. The levels in each side will be the same.

 

Thanks for the replies and some very good suggestions.

Re: hose - I see the reasoning behind that but I'm thinking with trying to measure between two points which are perhaps 20 foot apart how would my kinky used narrow gauge hose across some rough ground give an accurate reading? So I can't make it fit with the analogy of the U shaped glass tube at all which is clear would give an accurate reading. Or perhaps I haven't understood properly?

Re: Pegs and timber - Sounds like a good method so will try this first as a test. Thanks Scrungee.

Re: tube - this would work but I would need a very long rigid tube, which is not to hand.

Thanks to one and all for help.
GG

 

All of the methods described here will work very well and give the desired result, but if your not 100% confident with what your doing, or accurate with it, you will get a wrong reading. Is there a Mr Diy close to you..ie a neighbour who tackles all home maintenance jobs himself, as he will probably have a laser level in his kit as a boys toy and will probably escort it round to your garden and measure for you if offered a cuppa or pint in return,

Steve...

 

The hose can go uphill in the middle, indeed it can be higher in the middle than the ends - although if you lower one end right down all the water will flow out of course

You might have to establish a "level" higher than the lawn. Bang a decent peg in at each end, establish a level on that using the hose (at a height that makes using the hose viable - e.g. so that the ends of the hose are "upright"), and then measure down the peg to get a working height from the "good" end and measure down the same distance down the peg at the "under construction" end.

A hose, without the clear pipe viewing pipe, is not entirely straightforward. I leave it connected to the tap until in place, fill it from the tap (so its is flowing), have the end of the hose at the right height at one of the pegs (needs a second person ), turn off tap, get other person to put finger over hose, remove from tap, put your finger over that end, walk to the other end to be measured, get it to roughly the right height and then both release your fingers. Water will flow out of the lower end, lower the other end until water just comes out ... then you probably want to top up the hose from watering can, unless you can see/judge it's level inside the hose - that's why a clear bit of pipe on each end makes it easier

Re: Lasers. I've got a cheap one, its useless - not bright enough to see at any distance, and totally impossible to get properly level. We have builders on site at present, they have a laser on a tripod which is self levelling (no, I have no idea how it does that! gimbels perhaps?) and they have a measuring stick with a sensor on it, and as they move that up/down then at the point it is aligned it bleeps. Accurate to 1mm in 100M or something like that - totally amazing, and saves having a second bod looking at you, upside down, through a theodolite!