My trick for laying bricks on a sloped garden bed worked like a charm

I was putting in a short brick border around my raised veggie patch, and the dirt was angled so the first row kept tipping. I tried just eyeing it, but that was a mess. So I got two cheap wooden stakes and some strong string from the garage. I pounded the stakes at the high and low points, tied the string level between them, and used it as a guide for each brick. This made sure every brick lined up right without me checking with a level every time. It saved me a ton of hassle and the border looks straight and solid. I finished the whole thing in one afternoon instead of dragging it out. Now I use this trick anytime I have to build on uneven ground.

3 comments

3 Comments

jackson.ray1mo ago

Read about that string trick in some old how-to book once, basically the same deal for fences.

noah_smith1mo ago

Actually, @jackson.ray's trick is handy for small stuff too.

park.adam1mo ago

Leave it to a gardener to reinvent the builder's string line. I've seen contractors use that same setup for entire foundations, and here you are cracking the code for a veggie patch border. Next you'll tell me you used a garden hose to outline a patio and called it a big brain moment.