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| Building a sand pit |
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How to Create the Family Garden
The key to planning a “Kids Zone” in your garden is to always provide what the kids would like and not what you personally like. The perfect family garden should be agreeable to everyone using it, whatever their age. Gardens make great play spaces for children. When I remember back to the days spent playing all those imaginary children's games in our own sand pit happy days.
Decide as a family on a list of priorities and plan your garden accordingly. It's possible to layout your garden so that it evolves with the changing needs of you and your family. When the children have outgrown their sand pit days it can be transformed into a water pond. If you get the major areas right, garden features and planting can be changed to suit you, and as time and money become more available.
Security
The paramount goal of the garden should be the ideal area for your children to play safely. To insure this the following should apply, there should be a gate fitted at all access points. The construction of the gate is very important and not to be over looked. Children should not be able to fit through or climb over the gate. I would also suggest fitting child proof type locks.
Other Options
There are so many options and choices when it comes to building fantastic sand pits. If your chosen sand pit design is curved, you will need flexible edging. If you requirements are for a smaller sand pit and not the size outlined below. That is not a problem, just cut or have cut the salvaged railway timber sleepers to your particular measurements.
Overview of Project
The sand pit project outlined below will be rectangular in shape. Its width will be approximately 4 ft and length approximately 8 ft. The edging to be used will be salvaged railway timber sleepers. The best sand to be used to back fill the pit should be the type washed or play sand.
Choosing the Site
Start by choosing the site for the new sand pit taking into consideration the following. It's is important to take into consideration when choosing the position of the sand pit and your children's exposure to the sun. I would also suggest if the position of the sand pit can be viewed from a kitchen window or may be the patio area of your home. This will offer you the peace of mind that you can keep a watchful eye on your children while they are happily playing.
Start Excavation
If you are now happy with the chosen size and position next mark out the sand pit with pegs and a string line. When you have done this double check your measurements and start to excavate the site. Cut out your lawn in easy to move pieces. Remember you can reuse these pieces of grass to patch other areas in your garden where your lawn is worn. Now dig out all the dark coloured top soil and add it to your compost or scatter same about the garden. Make sure that you get the finished excavated bed level.
Deep Level
It may be hard work but dig your pit deep enough to accommodate drainage plus an adequate layer of sand on top of that. I would suggest that you dig a pit at no less than 8 inches deep below the finished level of your sand. Bearing in mind that you do not want your top sand layer to be too thin otherwise your children will not be able to dig satisfying holes and tunnels.
Check Drainage
If your subsoil is hard, or is clay, your sandpit may not drain well. You may be required to install a perforated pipe as drainage to eliminate such situations. Install the perforated drainage pipe in the middle of your excavation for the best results.
Position the Sleepers
Now have completed the excavation and you are completely happy that you flat bed is level. Now you are ready to start positioning you railway sleepers. As these old sleepers tend to be heavy I would suggest you get someone to help you position same. Position the railway sleepers as follows two will be positioned on both sides then one at the top the last one at the end forming our triangle. Using a spirit level start to level the railway sleepers and fix together with galvanized nails or spikes. If you required too peg your railway sleepers use wooden pegs or stakes every metre to hold them in place.
Edging
Edging is used to both prevent the sides of the sand pit from caving in and also to prevent the sand from spreading all over your garden. As our sand pit has straight lines, our salvaged railway timber sleepers will fulfill the edging role for you.
Make a Cover for the Sand Pit
It is very important to keep your sand pit covered when it's not in use. This will help to prevent all animals and pets from fouling it. The material you can use for a cover is up to you. I would prefer a weatherproof cover to keep the sand dry during rainy days. You can also use some kind of netting, to again keep animals and pets out but still allow the rain to drain through the sand and clean it. This is fine as long as your sand pit is well drained.
Happy days…Kids!
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