How to Make a PVC Tube to Blast Under Sidewalk

Homeowners sometimes must dig underneath an existing sidewalk in the landscape, such as when installing sprinkler pipes or outdoor lighting wires. While the process may seem daunting, tunneling under the area is accomplished using water and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) piping. The PVC pipe guides a high stream of water from a hose or pressure washer through the dirt. The first step in tunneling under the sidewalk is cutting the PVC pipe to the proper length so it goes all the way through to the other side.

Shovel
Tape measure
2-inch diameter PVC pipe
Marker
Safety glasses
Hacksaw

Instructions

- 1
  Dig a 6-inch wide and 2- or 3-foot long trench on both sides of the sidewalk where you need to tunnel under it. This trench allows the PVC pipe to slide under the sidewalk without putting too much pressure on it.
- 2
  Position the end of a tape measure at the end of the trench and stretch it all the way across to the end of the trench on the opposite side of the sidewalk. This measurement is the length of PVC tube that you need to create the tunnel.
- 3
  Lay a piece of 2-inch diameter PVC pipe on the ground and use the tape measure to identify the proper length. Mark the location with a marker.
- 4
  Don protective safety glasses and cut straight through the PVC pipe using a hacksaw blade.
- 5
  Place the hacksaw back on top of the pipe approximately ¼ inch from the end you just cut. Angle the blade 45 degrees toward the end and slope outward as you cut through it again so that you create a slanted tip on the PVC pipe.
- 6
  Place the PVC pipe into one of the trenches with the slanted tip facing the edge of the sidewalk. Insert a pressure washer wand or a high pressure garden hose into the center of the pipe and turn the water on to begin tunneling under the sidewalk.

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