FAQ: What’s the best way to dig trenches for my lawn’s sprinkler system?
Answer: Dig trenches, lay piping for your water sprinklers using the right tools, and plan the layout before trenching.

In this blog post, you’ll learn the easiest way to dig a trench for sprinklers will water your plants while saving you money on your water bills:

• Proper trenching: Key to a successful sprinkler system
• Plan the layout before you dig to prevent sprinkler system disaster
• Essential tools for digging like a pro
• How to install pipes and sprinklers for efficient watering
• Built like a pro: Cover the trenches and test your sprinklers.

Proper Trenching: Key To a Successful Sprinkler System

Trenching involves digging narrow paths in the soil where the piping will go using a shovel or a trencher. You can rent a trencher to easily dig lines in the ground for your irrigation system’s piping.

Before you dig, call 811 for any buried cables you need to be made aware of. Someone from your utility company will flag areas where you shouldn’t trench.

Here are steps to prepare for digging trenches for your sprinkler system:

• Understand what soil you have before you dig. For example, if the soil is rocky, you may need different tools to excavate the lines.
• Soil type also affects how many hours you’ll need for trenching as well as each zone’s watering time to prevent runoff.
• Plan on excavating the site to 8” to 12” deep.
• You may need to add a thrust block to prevent piping from moving with water pressure and temperature changes.

Plan the Layout Before You Dig to Prevent Sprinkler System Disasters

Before you dig, remember to plan the sprinkler system layout, or you could risk expensive repairs and other disasters. You also need to know the ins and outs of your residential water system.


You must know your home’s water source location and pressure before digging. Joyce Starr’s article "How to Plan and Install a Home Lawn Sprinkler System" on LawnStarter.com gives you exact directions for finding your home’s water pressure and flow rate. Below is a summary of her directions:

1. Does your water come from your municipality or a well? If you receive water from your local city, you should be able to find the water meter easily. Likewise, if you have well water, look at the size of your well pump on its exterior or in the owner’s manual.
2. Measure your home’s water pressure by
   • Turning off all of your home’s water valves, faucets, and outdoor faucets
   • Place a pressure gauge on the outdoor faucet
   • Put a five-gallon bucket under the water spigot
   • Fully turn on the water spigot
   • Watch the gauge for water pressure in psi (pounds per inch).
3. Next, measure the water’s pressure by gallons of water per minute (GPM)as it moves through the water lines. You can gauge GPM by
   • Turning on the water at full blast
   • Use your phone to time how fast the bucket fills up
   • Divide the bucket’s size (five gallons) by the seconds it took to fill up the container
   • Multiply the result by 60, which gives you the GPM flow rate.

The author provided a pro tip: Measure your water’s flow rate in gallons before installing your water sprinkler. Also, determine each sprinkler head’s water usage to ensure the correct number of spray heads.

You don’t want to overload a sprinkler zone with inadequate water flow, leading to insufficient watering.

Now, it’s time to draw up your sprinkler system plan. Before renting a trencher, ensure that you know the following:

• Your municipality’s lawn water usage ordinances.
• Check with your county or local city to see if you need a permit to install a water sprinkler on your lawn; you may need to hire a contractor per your county’s laws.
• Call 811 to mark underground cables, such as utility lines, telephone service, TV, or internet.

Next, you must draw your sprinkler system layout, divide your lawn into zones, and sketch where sprinkler heads will be in each zone.

Remember, your turfgrass has different watering needs depending on shade, slopes, and full-sun areas. Also, your trees, shrubs, and flowerbeds have watering needs different from your lawn. Ensure that you do not put sprinkler heads near your landscaped areas.

You can also print your property using Google Maps or Google Earth instead of drawing it yourself.

Other techniques to consider:

• Draw to scale
• Include trees, shrubs, flowerbeds, and hardscapes in your yard’s layout
• Record your lawn’s layout for various watering patterns
• Place the PVC pipes and the controller on your map
• Note sprinkler head placement, including any slopes
• Mark the spray pattern of each sprinkler head to cover its neighbor by 50%
• Each spray should overlap throughout your lawn to ensure complete sprinkler coverage.

Essential Tools for Trenching Like a Pro

After you finish the layout of your sprinkler system, you’ll need to gather the right tools to trench your yard like a pro.
Note that you can rent larger equipment rather than buying it outright. You also need to consider which trenching tool is right for you. Here are three tips for determining the right trenching tool for you:

• Know the project’s size, how long, and how deep you must dig for this project
• Know your soil type, especially rocky or hard clay soil. You’ll need the extra power that a trencher machine can give you.
• Is renting or buying the equipment and tools for this project more cost-effective and convenient?

Here is a list of tools and equipment you’ll need to dig trenches for your sprinkler system’s piping:

1. Machine trenchers, such as handheld, walk-behind, and ride-on trenchers
2. Handheld trenching tools, including
   1. Clean-out shovel
   2. Drain spade
   3. Mattock
   4. Trenching hoe
   5. Trenching shovel.
3. Trenching attachments for tractors and skid steers.

Before using the above trenching equipment, ensure you know how to use it. And always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines.

How to Install Pipes and Sprinklers for Efficient Watering

After you buy your sprinkler heads, controllers, rotors, valves, and irrigation controllers, it’s time to install the PVC piping and sprinklers.


Here are eight steps for installing pipes and sprinklers for efficient watering:

1. Place landscape flags where sprinkler heads will go; use string or spray paint to tag pipe placement.
2. Dig 8”-12” deep trenches with a shovel or trencher.
3. Use a pipe puller to avoid digging up your lawn.
4. Ensure each spray head is placed for 100% coverage.
5. Dig the trenches deeply to protect the pipe damage.
6. Connect your sprinkler system to your home’s water supply by attaching it to the spigot with enough water pressure OR connect it to your water’s main line. If you don’t have plumbing experience, hire a plumber to help you connect to the water main line.
7. Now you can hook up your system to your outdoor spigot by
   • Turn off your home’s water supply and let the spigot drain
   • Replace the original spigot with a galvanized or brass tee
   • Pair the outlet sizes with the faucet and irrigation pipe you’re using
   • Reconnect the faucet; then install a nipple, which is a short pipe with threads on each end, into the tee fitting’s stem
   • Attach the shut-off valve to the nipple.
   • To attach your sprinkler system to the main water line, ensure that you turn off your home’s water supply.
   • If you’re connecting the sprinkler system to the aboveground main water line, snip part of the pipe in the supply line to ensure you can connect it to a slip tee.
8. Next, it’s time to put the valve manifold togetherby digging a hole slightly larger than the valve manifold box.
   • Connect the main water supply to one end of the assembled valve manifold and secure the clamps.
   • Next, position the piping and sprinkler heads by placing the piping in the trenches and lining up the correct sprinkler heads and couplings at the right landscape flag or stake.
   • Work your way through to each sprinkler location and put everything together except the spray heads. Continue moving through each location and repeating the assembling.
   • Finally, it’s time to flush the dirt and debris from the pipes and attach the sprinkler heads.

Built Like a Pro: Cover the Trenches and Test Your Sprinklers

Now, it’s time to return the soil and turfgrass to their places and test your sprinklers for consistent water flow.

Here’s the low down regarding the last steps of the sprinkler system installation process:

• Clear the system by turning on your home’s water supply. You should start at the sprinklers close to the valve box and work outward.
• Attach the spray heads to your sprinkler system. Ensure the pop-ups line up at the soil line.
• Install the controller on the valve manifold. If you’re not sure how to wire it, call an electrician.
• Complete a water audit by turning on your new sprinklers and moving through each zone. Inspect the spray heads and their patterns to ensure consistent watering. If need be, readjust the sprinkler heads.
• Once you’re finished testing each zone, it’s time to backfill and get your sod back into a typical lawn.

Invest in the Best: K-Rain Sprinkler Systems for Efficient Watering

Now’s the time to invest in the hardworking, easy-to-assemble K-Rain Sprinkler System. Engineered for performance and productivity as well as built to last, our sprinklers are the perfect solution for a hassle-free, water-smart irrigation system.

Find our water sprinkler parts online or at a retailer near you. For hassle-free setup, find a skilled contractor through our website—ensuring your system is installed correctly to save water and grow a healthy lawn.

For customer service: Fill out our contact form or call us at 800-735-7246

Sources:
AOSRental.com, What Is Trenching?
BigRentz.com, 8 Trenching Tools for Your Next Project.
LandscapeManagement.net, How to Successfully Install Irrigation Systems.
LawnStarter.com, How to Plan and Install a Home Lawn Sprinkler System.
Stressman.no, Thrust Blocks.