egli
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 2:12 am

Ideas-Hide Septic Access Box on Lawn

Hi everyone! I'm looking for any ideas to help hide this hideous box, so hopefully I'm in the right place :D .

We just bought our first house and are looking to improve the backyard. First up, is the task to cleverly hide/disguise the current 4'x8' septic access that sits on the lawn. Does anyone have any ideas on what that could be turned into and yet still remain accessible in the event that we need the access? I don't mind if it takes a bit of dissembling since it will be years in between usage, but it can't be completely covered with dirt.

Current Situation:

Imagehttps://ibb.co/gkDnav

Have two vague ideas right now that I'm not completely sold on.

1. Surround with landscaping bricks, place 2x6s on top to make it more structurally sound, place flower pots on top as a "pot garden".

2. Structurally enhance and then create some sort of children's play house/swings/something in the area (we have just started a family).

Not sure where to start on option 2 but would love if someone had unique ideas or pictures of how they dealt with a similar scenario. I am quite capable in terms of building something, just a little slower at the design part of it :oops:

User avatar
tomf
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3233
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 8:15 am
Location: Oregon

You could put hedges around it.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I don't know what a septic access is like. Should it be secured in such a way that children can't get at it? Is there chance of overflow/seepage/contamination? --- not sure if I would put children's play area nearby or downslope from it if there are any chances.

I like the idea of building a faux decking designed with (maybe padlocked) access. What if you went even further and made a gazebo over it? (8x8 seems like a good size) Or is there a weight limit? Is there a smell? I guess that would out a damper on "an afternoon tea in the gazebo".... :?:

...you would obviously need to alter that black covering which looks like it might hold water and become mosquito breeding round right now...

User avatar
tomf
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3233
Joined: Mon May 18, 2009 8:15 am
Location: Oregon

Your photo did not show up when I read your post, so I thought it was one of the septic systems that stand tall above the ground. If it is the thing covered in balck then just make a removable deck.

egli
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 2:12 am

Sorry, I should have clarified a little more. There is a septic tank 7 feet in the ground and this box covers two 3' culverts that extend vertically down to the top of the tank. There is no smell and no fear of contamination as the septic tank is sealed, but this is how you could access the tank by pulling a cover off the top of the tank. My fear with children growing up (only 1 yr right now), is that they would fall down the 7' into the culvert and that should definitively be avoided!

I do like the gazebo or faux deck idea and hadn't thought about that. I could simply put a trapdoor access for the rare occasion when access is required underneath.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

A friend of mine just posted this. It is what she did to hide her septic tank access.

Image

The idea is that when needed the mulch, pavers, little fountain can just be moved out of the way....

egli
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 26, 2017 2:12 am

Well I bought a used playset this weekend, built a trap-door cover to go over top of the culvert accesses that is accessible under the playset and set everything up. Quite happy with the results.

Image
Image
free image hosting api



Return to “Landscaping”