Whispering Skies Observatory: Drainage and Lawn Restoration
Date: July 3, 2025
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Earlier Posts in the Observatory Series
I have been thinking about building an observatory for a while now. Below are previous posts that have led up to where I am today.
Whispering Skies Observatory: Construction Completed! July 2025
Whispering Skies Observatory: Construction Completed - Drone View of Results! April 2025
Whispering Skies Observatory: Installing Piers and Scopes! April 2025
Whispering Skies Observatory Update: Siding and Trim! March 2025
Whispering Skies Observatory: Developing a Computer and Networking Strategy! Jan 2025
Naming Your Observatory Jan 2025
Observatory Update: Powering Up the Observatory! Dec 2024
Observatory Update: Roughing In the Electric and Pouring the Slab Floor! Dec 2024
Observatory Update: Building the Structure! Nov 2024
Observatory Update: Laying the Foundation Nov 2024
Observatory Update: Custom Telescope Piers Part 3 - Painted and Complete! Sept 2024
Observatory Project: Breaking Ground! Excavation Complete! Sept 2024
Observatory Project: A Final Update Before We Break Ground! Aug 2024
Observatory Project: Opening The Roof! Aug 2024
Observatory Project: Final Roof Track System Hardware Selection July 2024
Observatory Project: Designing Custom Steel Piers - Part I June 2024
Observatory Project: Galvanic Corrosion and a Change in Track Selection! June 2024
Observatory Update: Designing the Roll-Off-Roof Track System! May 2024
The Move is Complete, Now Pivoting to the Observatory Project! April 2024
An Observatory Project Update: Success! We Just Bought A Property and Will Be Moving! Nov 2023
An Observatory Project Update - One Year In Feb 2023
Goals for my Observatory Project March 2022
Recovering the Lawn!
So the Observatory is built!
To do it, construction crew trucks, heavy delivery vehicles, and even cement trucks had to go over the back lawn and up the hill.
They destroyed our lawn! That had to be dealt with.
Additionally, I planned to install gutters on the roof. However, after experiencing one winter with the roof, I realized that gutters would help hold snow and ice on the roof. Without the gutters, the snow would slide right off, which is what I wanted it to do. But what can I do about the snowmelt around the building foundation? I could not just let the water undermine the foundation!
Finally, there is some of the hillside above the observatory.
How can I prevent rain and snowmelt from running directly into the observatory area?
So I planned for one final project to address these issues.
Instead of gutters, we decided to install some French Drains where the roof drip line is. We could capture water and snowmelt and pull it away from the building.
We would also add a French drain at the back of the outrigger framework to handle water coming in from uphill.
Finally, we would recontour the land to drain better down the hill and away from the house.
Add some topsoil, seed, fertilizer, and some straw, and we have the start to a new lawn.
Watch as this all comes together!
What’s Next?
Sealing the floor
Painting the Steel
Installing shutters and painting the door
Painting the inside of the observatory
Installing a countertop and cabinets across the North wall
