How to cover manhole with gravel?

[adhyarukrunal]

Hi all, I have a 3-meter easement with a manhole in my backyard (please see the attached image), which looks quite unsightly. While I understand I can't build any permanent structures over it, I'd like to improve the aesthetics of the space. There is also a slope in the backyard (around 300 mm) that I’m planning to fill with soil, but I’m unsure how to manage this without covering the manhole. Could I create a treated pine sleeper border around the manhole and fill the surrounding area with soil? I'm also considering adding pebbles around the manhole for a more attractive look. Any suggestions on how to approach this?

[Jewelleryrescue]

Hi @adhyarukrunal 

The usual thing to do in your situation is look  for the supplier manufacture of that  pit box  and they should be able to supply a pit box extention collar raising it 300mm or maybe some other sizes.  There maybe other generic box extentions too. This will bring the pit lid opening to your new ground height

Another solution its to make your own  treated pine box or brick box around pit wider than the pit so lid can open  and be accessable and make a possible lid for it. Too further  this  thought.  Depending on its location in the yard raise your self built box up and make it a feature pot plant feature table or garden  seat over the pit. 

Keep in mind the top section of your seat needs to separate (Lift off) at the new ground level to give access to the lower  pit lid.

[JacobZ]

Hi @adhyarukrunal,

Thank you for your question.

As @Jewelleryrescue has said, the likely first step is to find the manufacturer of the pit box so you can install an extension collar. 

Once it has been lifted, you can install a timber barrier around it using 200 x 50mm Treated Pine Sleeper CCA H4 and 50mm Sleeper Pegs and fill the void between the manhole and your barrier with Ki-Carma 20kg 16-25mm Iceberg Decorative Stones.

Allow me to tag @TedBear, @Dave-1 and @DIYGnome to see if they've got any other ideas.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[Dave-1]

Good Evening @adhyarukrunal 

Those types of covers are pain in the necks 😕 Frustrating as and difficult to solve.

My concrete lid is for sewage access... For the first 8 years it never was touched and I was "encouraging" dirt and grass across the top of it I even considered putting a removable section of fence across it....

Then one dark night at 9pm I see the front yard light up like a Christmas tree and hear BZZZSHHHHHHH as the water board uses a whopping great jet to clean around it and then clean out the blockage... and yeah its icky. They have been back and done the same one more time since. 

So my recomendation is not to put anything around it (it dosnt look like sewage so phew!) I would instead incorporate into a pathway or edge of something. Here is my solution, I incorporated it into my front path, will finish it to the border once I lay my hand on a square meter ish of wiggly pavers  Wiggly pavers for sloped path in front yard 

Dave