How to hide septic tank cover with decorative ideas

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Septic Tank Dude Author at Septic Tank Dude

Jack has been working all of his life in the septic tank maintenance, cleaning and pumping business. In 2020 when COVID hit he decided to retire from pumping septic tanks and use his knowledge to help out readers of Septic Tank Dude. Jack has a wealth of knowledge to share on septic tanks, leach fields and much more.

The best products for decorative septic tank covers and hide septic tank cover ideas

1. Natural Sandstone fake rock cover - a fake rock is by far the most popular ways to hide the cover from septic tanks. These low profile, natural stone rocks are made from fibreglass and are very lightweight.

2. Large River Brown Decorative Rock Cover - high-quality, lightweight & hollow, realistic synthetic/faux rock with various earth tone hues to fit the decor you desire. USAGE: The Backyard X-Scapes Pump Cover Artificial Rock is perfect for various landscape applications! Place in flower beds, on slopes, around water features, and along pathways.

3. 5ft wooden garden bridge - This magnificent stained wooden garden bridge will look great in a wide variety of yards. It is important that the bridge is not resting on the septic tank top, instead anchored on bricks or stones on the ground. This bridge can be easily moved when the septic professional arrives and you will never lose your septic tank cover.

4. Outdoor wooden wishing well with hanging bucket - We saved this to last as this was our favorite pick! If you want to spice up your yard color with this great wooden wishing well. This moveable feature will be a great home to flowers or plants or a large potted plant. You could even add a birdbath to complete the look.

Other ideas are an old wine barrel or half wine barrels, different colored fake rock covers, bird bath. As long as the diameter of the base is wider than the tank lid you should be ok, but to be safe, no heavy items, especially real rocks, rocks are too heavy for the lid.

Common mistakes when hiding your septic system

Your septic system is made up of an underground or buried septic tank, pipes and leach field. Care needs to be taken that any of these are covered with permanent structures or pieced when covering. If you are unsure where your septic system is located in your yard, contact a septic professional to get a better understanding of the terrain before beginning decorating.

Here are 5 mistakes you can make when you disguise septic tank covers:

Trees - tree roots are not septic tanks best friend. It is important that large trees stay at least 20 feet away from your leach field. Think about the future growth of any trees, shrubs & bushes and how that growth will affect access to a septic tanks lid, leach field and distribution box.
Grass - A common solution for many homeowners is the bury their septic tank lid and cover with grass. While grass is a good option as the roots are very shallow, it is important you know where your septic tank lid and risers are. Septic tank pumping is something that needs to be done every 2-5 years unless you are using a septic tank treatment or additive. The last thing you want to be doing when the septic pumping truck arrives is digging your yard to find the cover you have lost.
Vegetable Gardens - It is not advisable to plant vegetable gardens on or near your septic system as it is easy for fresh vegetables to become contaminated due to their proximity. A better alternative is an organic hydroponics setup.
Permanent heavy structures - It's important that you always have access to your septic tank. It is also important you treat your drain field with care by not building a deck or permanent structure like a gazebo or shed over the drain field. This will put weight on the soil and not allow the water to evaporate as it is intended.
Driveways - As mentioned above it is important that no heavy permanent structures are built over any part of your septic system. This includes concreting a driveway. It also includes not driving over your septic tank or leach field so that pressure is not put on these important and expensive systems.

Frequently asked questions

Should septic tank lid be covered?

It is not a necessity for the lid to be covered, this is more a preference. The main things to keep in mind is if an inspection or maintenance in your tank needs to happen, you will need to ensure the tank and drain field are accessible.

What can I put over my septic tank?

Anything that is not heavy or permanent will do. Try to avoid trees or shrubs that will have long roots. Remember you will need to give entry to a septic professional for any repair, maintenance or pumping. For what to put in your septic tank see this article on best septic tank enzymes,

Can I bury my septic tank lid?

Yes, just remember where it is! Mulch is a good way to do this as it is light and you can find this area.

Should you cover your septic tank?

Your septic tank will be underground, but you can cover the lid. If your septic tank is above ground then putting a decorative screen around it could be a good idea as long as you can get to it for maintenance.