Driveways with steep slopes are unsafe, and your county or municipality may even prohibit building a driveway on ground that is too steep, so you must measure your slope before proceeding.
Things You Will Need
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Drive a stake into the ground with a hammer next to one of the upper corners of the driveway. Put a second stake into the ground at the opposite, bottom corner. This second, lower stake may need to be substantially longer than the first stake to take an accurate measurement.
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Tie a string to the upper stake at ground level. Take the string down to the lower stake and tie it into place. Put a string level on the string, and adjust it until it is horizontally level.
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Measure the distance between the string at the lower stake and the ground. This measurement is the drop of the slope on your driveway.
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Walk down the driveway from end to end with a measuring wheel to determine its length.
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Divide the drop of the slope by the length of the driveway to determine grade. A 30-foot (360-inch) driveway with a drop of five inches has a modest grade of 1.38 percent (5/360=0.0138).
The Drip Cap
- If you are thinking of building a driveway or replacing one, determining the grade of the slope is an important first step.
- This second, lower stake may need to be substantially longer than the first stake to take an accurate measurement.
- Take the string down to the lower stake and tie it into place.