How to Level a Yard in 7 Simple Steps

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Is your yard lumpy and bumpy? Learn how to even out your property—and potentially prevent water damage to your home’s foundation or basement in the process.

A yard with lumps and bumps is not only unattractive but also a potential safety hazard with ample opportunity to cause trips, falls, and sprained ankles. Many events can cause an uneven yard—including drainage issues, leaks in pipes lying beneath the surface, and lawn pests like grubs or moles disturbing the root structure of the turf—but none need to derail your landscaping efforts altogether.

Improper grading also can lead to problems with a home’s foundation or basement. Before you start working to level your lawn’s surface, troubleshoot the underlying problem so it doesn’t reoccur in the future. Then tackle these steps for how to level a yard to turn your lawn into the smooth, lush, green landscape you’ve always wanted.

The Benefits of Ground Leveling

It is hard to enjoy a yard that’s full of lumps and bumps, and a safety issue can arise for active kids who might trip on clumps of grass or turn their ankles in soil depressions. Sometimes a landscape becomes uneven as a result of plantings and projects like pool installs or adding a walkway. Leveling these areas will help the right amount of water reach all turf and plants and avoid muddy spots or water waste.

Leveling the ground leads to easier routine lawn maintenance. The mower doesn’t get stuck on lumps, and you can more easily rake leaves. Of course, an even, lush lawn looks pretty and is easy to maintain, and leveling your grass will greatly improve curb appeal for potential buyers.

If water runs from the yard toward the home, you can prevent damage to the foundation by grading the yard. Typically, a contractor will grade a yard when prepping the property for a new home to make sure that it slopes away from the structure. Often, you can spot and correct low spots near the foundation, but sometimes, grading the yard involves help from a professional.

Many of the issues that cause an uneven yard occur in turf, however, and are easy to fix yourself with our tips to bring back the benefits of a level landscape. These benefits include:

• More fun and better safety for family play
• Easier maintenance
• Improved curb appeal
• Efficient use of water

When to Grade a Yard

Consider leveling a backyard or front yard when water runs into the street or puddles, when it looks unsightly, or when you have trouble stepping or moving over lumps and dips. Knowing when to level a yard depends partly on the underlying cause of the lumps and low spots. If, for example, the lawn has compacted in areas because of foot traffic such as from daily trips to the treehouse, consider leveling and even creating a hardscape path before peak “club season” for the kids.

In most cases, however, the steps outlined below work best if you complete them in spring. This is when warm-season grass is just coming out of dormancy. If, however, the soil is still soggy from snow melt or spring rains, wait until it dries out before taking the steps outlined below. Likewise, correct problems with the yard grade during dry weather, and then check your work during the next rain.