If your goal is a lush, vibrant lawn, you can’t overlook the importance of a reliable, efficient sprinkler system. While professionally installed sprinkler systems offer convenience, creating your DIY sprinkler system is a cost-effective and satisfying project, allowing you to build a system uniquely tailored to your lawn.
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and transform your outdoor space with a DIY irrigation system.
- Different types of sprinkler systems
- Choosing the best sprinkler system for your lawn
- Important steps before starting on the DIY sprinkler system design
- Designing a DIY lawn sprinkler system
- Installing a DIY lawn sprinkler system
- How to maintain your sprinkler system
- FAQ about creating a DIY sprinkler system for your lawn
Different types of sprinkler systems
You need to familiarize yourself with the different types of sprinklers available — each with advantages and disadvantages — to help make an informed decision.
For more in-depth information on the different types of sprinklers, check out Lawn Love’s guide on choosing the right type of sprinkler.
Hose-end sprinklers
I’m pretty sure most of us are familiar with the ever-so-popular hose-end sprinkler. And it’s probably a safe bet to say most people have played in one at least once. Hose-end sprinklers are the more rudimentary type of landscaping irrigation, but they serve a very valuable purpose.
As their name states, hose-end sprinklers connect to the end of your garden hose. You turn the water on and move the sprinkler (and hose) around your lawn, watering as needed.
The most common ones include oscillating, stationary, and impact sprinklers.
Pros
✓ Good for small yards
✓ Inexpensive
✓ Come in various types and sizes
Cons
✗ Labor-intensive
✗ Inefficient water use
✗ Uneven water distribution
In-ground pop-up sprinklers
An in-ground sprinkler system is much more complex yet convenient and highly efficient. With this type of sprinkler system, a series of water supply lines and sprinkler heads are buried underground and run by a control panel. When the system turns on, water moves through the lines, causing the heads to pop up. They water for a designated time and then drop back below the lawn.
These systems take the labor and guesswork out of watering. You set the schedule on the control panel and then don’t need to worry about it. The system runs on its own.
The two common types of pop-up sprinkler heads are fixed spray heads and gear-drive rotors.
Pros
✓ Efficient
✓ Even water distribution
✓ Programmable
✓ Easy
✓ Very customizable
Cons
✗ Expensive
✗ Requires more maintenance, including winterization
Smart sprinkler systems
Going one step further than the traditional in-ground sprinkler is a newer technology known as smart sprinkler systems. These systems have a digital controller that can be programmed and adjusted through an app on your smartphone or tablet over WiFi. In many cases, they also use local weather data or real-time sensors to adjust how long and when to water so your grass is watered the precise amount when needed.
Pros
✓ Improved watering efficiency
✓ Automatically adjust watering schedules based on rainfall
✓ Puts the controls in the palm of your hand
Cons
✗ Expensive
Drip irrigation
While they aren’t commonly used for lawn irrigation, drip irrigation systems are often combined with other sprinklers to water trees, flower beds, or garden plants. Drip irrigation uses tubes, pipes, and emitters to efficiently deliver water to the soil at the base of plants.
A drip irrigation system is easy to automate and control; if set up correctly, you can add it to your in-ground sprinkler system and control it through the control panel.
Pros
✓ Conserves water
✓ Easy to use once set up
✓ Improves plant health
✓ Extensive customization
Cons
✗ Takes time to install and configure
✗ Requires more maintenance, including winterization
Choosing the best sprinkler system for your lawn
Ask yourself some questions about your lawn and its watering needs.
- How big is the green space you are watering? The size of the area you’re watering impacts the supply and installation costs. It also might dictate the type of sprinklers you can use.
- How big is your budget? If you want an inexpensive option, you will be limited compared to what you can design with a larger budget.
- How long are you planning to live in your home? Be realistic here. If you’re considering moving soon, do you want to invest the time and money into installing an in-ground system? You may not fully recoup the cost. However, an automatic system can help improve resale value and curb apparel.
- What’s the water pressure? If your water pressure or flow rate is too low, you might not support an in-ground system feasibly. They have minimal thresholds to run numerous heads at the same time.
- What type of grass do you have? A grass with low-watering requirements, like Zoysia or Buffalograss, may not need an elaborate, in-ground system. But an automated in-ground system might be the best option to keep your Kentucky bluegrass beautiful.
- Are there local water usage restrictions? As water resources become scarce across the country, more and more cities, counties, and states are implementing water conservation regulations. If you live in a place with watering laws, consider a system with high water use efficiency.
- How important is convenience? Do you want a system you can program to run automatically? Or are you okay moving the hose and hose-end sprinklers around the yard at designated intervals?
Important steps before starting on the DIY sprinkler system design
Before you jump right into designing your sprinkler system, there are a couple of critical things you need to look at first.
- Check state and local codes
- Examine your water system
- Locate utilities
Pro tip: If you are working on a new build and haven’t done your landscaping yet, I highly recommend you dial in a landscape design before you try planning a sprinkler system.
Check state and local codes
Most of us wouldn’t think twice before taking on a DIY project like this. However, your first step in this project is checking state licensing requirements. While there may be more states, if you live in Texas, for example, it’s illegal to install a landscape irrigation system without a license.
Plus, it’s critical to check local building codes and see if you need permits for installation work and whether your system needs a backflow preventer. City code also may dictate how deep to bury your system to account for winter conditions and freeze/thaw cycles.
Examine your water source
Measure water pressure
A minimum water pressure is needed, as the psi impacts how far a sprinkler head throws water. Most pop-up sprinklers require 30 to 50 psi to operate correctly.
Plus, when you know the exact pressure, you can determine the maximum spray distance and how far apart to place your heads.
The best way to determine water pressure is by using a pressure gauge you can purchase from the local hardware store or your preferred online retailer.
- Attach the handheld pressure gauge to one of your outdoor faucets.
- Turn on the spigot all the way.
- Read where the needle falls on the gauge to determine the psi.
Measure flow rate
The easiest way to measure how much water comes out and how quickly it does so is by conducting what is known as the bucket test. All you need is a 5-gallon plastic pail and a stopwatch.
- Place an empty 5-gallon bucket beneath the faucet.
- Turn the water on at full pressure.
- Time how long it takes to fill the bucket with water. If you fill the bucket within 45 seconds, the water flow is at least 8 gallons per minute.
Locate underground utilities
Call 811 and have a local locating service visit your property and mark any underground utility lines. You need to know where these utilities are to determine where to place sprinkler heads and bury supply lines.
Designing a DIY lawn sprinkler system
After you finish the preliminary considerations, you can start designing your DIY sprinkler system project.
- Measure and sketch your yard. You can use Google Earth or Google Maps to speed up the process.
- Divide your lawn into watering zones based on the sprinkler head types you’re using and your home’s water capacity.
- Determine how many sprinkler heads you need to install per zone.
- Decide the location of the heads and their distance apart, and mark them on your sketch.
Determining the number of heads per zone
Each sprinkler system zone runs all of its heads at the same time. If you have too many heads in a zone, they will not get adequate pressure, so their spray pattern and distance are shortened.
You must know your water pressure and flow rate to determine how many heads you can run per zone. On average, a sprinkler zone can handle five to six rotary heads or eight to 10 spray heads.
For example, you could effectively run three heads per zone using a gear drive rotor that consumes 3 gallons per minute (GPM), and your home’s water capacity is approximately 10 GPM. You could run two heads per zone if the heads consume 5 GPM.
Installing a DIY lawn sprinkler system
The steps for installing an above-ground and in-ground system are slightly different and require varying amounts of sweat equity. In either case, having a keen eye for detail and following the proper process will help you successfully complete your project.
How to install an above-ground DIY sprinkler system
A DIY above-ground sprinkler system does not require digging trenches and can typically be installed in a short amount of time.
Supplies
- Garden hose(s)
- Hose splitter (if needed)
- Hose-end timer (optional)
- Hose-end sprinkler(s)
- Hose stakes or supports
- Hose connectors and washers
- Plumber’s pipe tape (optional)
- Shovel or trowel
Step-by-step instructions
- Attach a garden hose to your outdoor water source, such as a faucet. If you have multiple sprinklers or need to connect other devices, consider using a hose splitter to branch off the main hose.
- (Optional): Attach a hose-end timer to the spigot for automated watering. Set the timer based on your watering schedule preferences.
- Attach the hose-end sprinkler(s) to the end of the hose until it is hand-tight. Use hose connectors and washers to ensure a secure and leak-free connection. If the connections are leaking, wrap them with pipe tape.
- Place the sprinklers in your predetermined locations across the lawn.
- Adjust the spray pattern, distance, and flow settings on the sprinklers to ensure you’re covering the area you want to water.
- Use hose stakes or other supports to secure the hose along its path to maintain consistent water flow and keep it from getting kinked or tangled.
- Turn on the water and test the sprinkler system. Check for any leaks and fine-tune the settings for optimal coverage.
How to install an in-ground DIY sprinkler system
Installing an in-ground system takes more time and effort than the more straightforward, above-ground option, but with some planning — and perhaps the help of friends or neighbors — you can get the project done in a weekend or two.
Pro tip: Some people are nervous about tapping into their home’s main water supply to connect the irrigation system. If that’s the case, hire a licensed plumber to come out, tap into the main supply, and install a shut-off valve. You can then complete the rest of the installation yourself.
Supplies and tools needed
- Controller
- PVC or polyethylene pipe (at least three-quarters of an inch wide)
- Elbows, tees, couplings, and other fittings to connect and assemble the PVC pipes
- Sprinkler heads
- Risers
- Shut-off valve(s)
- Valve box large enough to house the sprinkler manifold
- Sprinkler manifold with one valve per zone in your system (you can buy a prefabricated one or build your own)
- Backflow preventer (if required)
- Level
- Pipe wrench
- Pipe cutter or hacksaw
- Pipe cement
- Plumber’s pipe tape
- Trenching tools (renting a trenching machine is beneficial, but you can also dig trenches using a shovel)
- Landscaping flags or spray paint
- Wire cutters
- Wire connectors
Step-by-step instructions
- Lay out the design: Using spray paint or flags, mark where the trenches will run and where each sprinkler head will be installed. Also, mark out where you want the valve box.
- Dig the trenches: Start where you’re connecting to the main water source. Use the trenching machine or a shovel to dig trenches for the mainline and lateral pipes about 4 inches wide and 8 to 12 inches deep. Make sure the trench is level as you move along.
- Tie into your main water supply: Connect to an existing faucet or tap into the service line, depending on your climate. Make sure to shut off the water supply to your home before doing any work. Once you have tied into the water supply, install a shut-off valve to make repairing or maintaining the sprinkler system easier. Install a backflow preventer at least 12 inches above the soil level if it’s required by code.
- Install the valve box and manifold: Dig a hole slightly larger than the valve box and set it securely in the ground. The lid should rest right about ground level so you don’t hit it when mowing. Position the valve manifold within the box. Run a pipe from the shut-off at the main through one side of the valve box and attach it to the valve manifold.
- Lay out and glue the pipes: Starting at the valve box and working outward, assemble the pipe sections before placing them in the trenches. If you’ve never worked with pipe cement before, please familiarize yourself with the process — there are plenty of online tutorials. It’s essential to work quickly because the cement sets within 30 seconds, and the parts can’t be separated.
- Install the sprinkler heads: Using your irrigation map, connect each sprinkler head to the piping using a riser.
- Install the controller: Following the instructions in the user manual, mount the controller on a wall, preferably in the garage or somewhere protected from the elements. Remember, it needs to be close to an electric outlet. Run wires from the valve manifold to the controller box.
- Test the sprinkler: Plug your controller in, turn the water back on, and turn the system on to see how it works. Look closely at all the piping, including the connections, and watch for leaks. Make sure each sprinkler head pops up and drops back down without obstructions.
- Bury the pipes: Turn the sprinkler system off and backfill the trenches. You may want to sow new grass seed to help your lawn recover quickly.
How to maintain your sprinkler system
After you’ve installed your new sprinkler system, it’s a good idea to periodically check that it’s working optimally and perform routine maintenance. Keeping an eye on your sprinkler system will ensure your lawn stays watered properly, that you’re not wasting water, and your DIY system will last much longer.
- Run a spring audit looking for leaks and adjust sprinkler heads as necessary.
- Periodically check the water pressure to ensure it hasn’t dropped unexpectedly.
- Routinely watch your sprinkler heads to see if they’re rotating correctly.
- Ensure your lawn gets the right amount of water with the tuna can test.
- Clean grass and debris from around sprinkler heads so they pop up and set back down smoothly without obstructions.
- Winterize your system by using air to blow out the water line and spray heads to protect everything from freeze damage.
FAQ about creating a DIY sprinkler system for your lawn
Can you install underground sprinklers yourself?
Yes, you can install in-ground sprinklers yourself (in most states — check state regulations regarding whether or not you have to use a licensed contractor to install an irrigation system). All parts are lightweight and easy to install, but it does take a fair amount of time and physical labor. Be prepared to work hard and pay with sweat equity.
What is the best pipe for underground sprinkler supply lines?
Polyethylene pipe is the most common material for sprinkler lines because of its high-pressure rating. The rating system measures the pressure-bearing load and designates the water pressure levels the pipe can withstand. It is also more flexible than PVC pipe, so it performs better during freeze-thaw cycles in colder climates.
Is an above-ground or in-ground sprinkler system better?
Along with so many other things relating to lawn care, this question doesn’t have a straightforward answer. The better system is the one that fits your needs and your lawn. Above-ground sprinklers work well for small yards or homeowners with a limited budget. In-ground systems are great for those looking to improve their watering efficiency or have an easy and convenient system.
Let Lawn Love help!
Watering your lawn correctly is only one part of having a beautiful yard. Now that you’ve installed your DIY sprinkler system, we can help if you need an extra hand or two with lawn mowing or other services like lawn aeration or weed control.
No matter your service needs, we’ve got you covered! Reach out to Lawn Love, and we’ll put you in touch with a local, highly-rated lawn care professional who can handle all your lawn care needs!
Main Image Credit: Tomasz Zajda | Adobe Stock Free | License
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