How’s it going.
Long and short, I’ve got a nice little area in my back woods I’m looking to put a canvas style gazebo.
Issue is, while the area is quite flat, it goes slightly downhill about half way through where the gazebo would fit.
I’m also not currently able to dig up the ground and try and level it, plus I like the more natural look/don’t want to dig down and frig up the tree roots.
Would using patio stones/walkway stones to make a small raise so the gazebo sits flat work? And if so, how many rows deep should I make it?
Pictures attached trying to explain my thinking. If you have a better idea/mine is stupid, feel free to point me in the right direction. The slope is at max 2ft lower at its lowest, the average is around 10-14 inches on the lower part.
by ianpratt_
3 Comments
incremental terraces would be a safe bet if youre doing this yourself, looks like that slope would need an actual structurally sound retaining wall if you want it all flat and on the same level without terraced steps
Stacking patio stones two feet high is a bad idea. They will shift, settle, and slide out the second the ground freezes and thaws or gets saturated with rain. You are basically building an unreinforced Jenga tower out of flat slippery materials with no compacted base. That canvas gazebo will tip right over once the winter snow and spring runoff does its work on the forest floor.
You are completely right about not digging up those tree roots though. The smartest move here is building a floating wooden platform. Get some precast concrete deck blocks and set them directly on the surface of the soil. Frame a simple treated lumber deck on top of those blocks. You just use longer posts on the downhill side to eat up that slope perfectly without putting a single shovel into the dirt. It gives your gazebo a solid flat floor that stays out of the mud.
Once that platform is built you will have a gap showing underneath the low side. Hide that raw lumber structure by planting sweeping connected masses of native woodland shrubs and ferns around the downhill base. Blend the plants right into the existing forest understory. It anchors the whole structure into the woods visually so it looks like an intentional destination instead of a random box hovering over the dirt.
The ground will continue to shift over time so you’ll need to account for that when laying your base. There’s really no easy/cheap way to do this where it will stay permanent. You’re going to need to do all the steps involved to make sure it stays flat with all that weight on it. If you do what you’re planning it will likely fail long term and then you’ll have a bigger problem.
You’re basically building a short retaining wall and backfilling to make the area level with the space behind it. Do it all properly so future you won’t have to spend more money and be pissed at yourself.