Step 4: Place the pipes in the trenches

Place the pipes in the trenches
Photo: Brian Smith
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Following the plan, lay PVC pipe in all the trenches leading from the valve box. If necessary, join pipe sections with couplings and PVC cement.

Wherever a pipe branches off to a sprinkler head, splice in tee fittings, then attach a short length of flexible piping, which will connect to the sprinkler head.

Where a pipe connects to drip-irrigation tubing, attach an upturned elbow, a short vertical pipe, and a pressure reducer with a microfilter.

TIP: Save money and avoid extra trips to the home center by buying PVC fittings in multipiece contractor packs.

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    Tools List

    Close
    • pvc pipe cutter
      PVC pipe cutter
    • 100-foot tape measure
      100-foot tape measure
    • trenching shovel
      Trenching Shovel
    • trenching machine
      Trenching Machine,
      rents for about $75 a day
    • adjustable pliers
      Large adjustable pliers
    • utility knife
      Utility knife
    • tongue-and-groove pliers
      Tongue-and-groove pliers.
      for tightening threaded PVC fittings
    • ratcheting screwdriver
      Screwdriver,
      for installing the wall-mounted timer

    Shopping List

    Close
    1. DRIP IRRIGATION TUBING

    2. MARKER FLAGS

    for marking sprinkler locations before trenching



    3. FLEXIBLE PIPING

    connects sprinklers to PVC pipe



    4. 3/4-INCH AND 1-INCH PVC PIPE

    5. ASSORTED PVC FITTINGS

    6. GROUND STAKES

    to secure drip-irrigation tubing



    7. ASSORTED SPRAY NOZZLES

    8. POP-UP SPRINKLER

    9. PVC CEMENT AND PRIMER

    10. ZONE VALVES

    11. VALVE BOX

    for housing the valves



    12. BACKFLOW PREVENTION DEVICE

    keeps irrigation water from flowing into home’s water supply



    13. GRAVEL

    for spreading under the valve box



    ] 14. BARK MULCH

    for covering the drip irrigation tubing