Leveling dirt

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

Years ago my dad welded 2 railroad irons together and made a V-shaped grade. He pulled it behind an old JI case using a chain.

I took 10 inch I beams from a mobile home frame and made a V-shaped grade and 3pt. The 2 lift arms are attached to hinges so the grader is somewhat self leveling.

It may be hard to see 9 grade stakes

With string attached. The strings are all set to level, set to grade by a rotating laser.

I first leveled dirt going north and south. Second pic strings are running east and west.

Tomorrow I plan to flatten dirt with 5000# roller before I check grade.

Praying for a good rain. Then I'll add a few more inches of dirt to get the elevation I want for pole barn floor.

The dirt is so dry it's a powder.

jeffcat · Sep 30, 2019

The other thing you can use to FINISH it. Stop at a place that sells Commercial weight chainlink fence. Pick up a 6 foot wide piece about 12 or 15 feet long. I had a beauty of a 2x2 piece of angle iron that I picked up at the scrap yard
Took a whole bunch of little 1/4 eyelets and drilled holes and mounted the fence to the bar. It works fantastic!!!!! The home owner stuff is not heavy enough and will not track straight. The commercial stuff follows almost prefec6tl6 straight. If you need pictures of mine let me know..

john in la · Sep 30, 2019

I do better by driving the stake to grade and putting a blue top marker on top of it. You can get them for about 15 cents each.
You over fill then cut it down to the stake. The marker lets you know when you are getting close to grade.

Mike M · Sep 30, 2019

Where are the rocks ? How far off level was it before you started ? It looks to be fairly close from what I can see of the lines.

Farmall plowboy · Sep 30, 2019

If it was my place there would be a rock about every half a foot, you seem to have good ground there!

Bob Bancroft · Sep 30, 2019

You use no gravel under concrete there?

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

Pictures wouldn't do justice. About a foot off from highest to lowest. I removed a total of 5 dump trailers of sod.

Last pole barn I did I got it within a quarter inch.

Need lots of rain to get it perfect.

I want to elevate floor a few more inches.. planning on a 6 inch continuous pour fiberglass in concrete.

I have 2 months before pole barn will be constructed.

Adirondack case guy · Sep 30, 2019

How do you cut and fill an area that needs to be leveled for concrete, with a piece of chain link fence?? Probably work to make a lawn but not to make subsurface for concrete.------------------Loren

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

I used disk

to remove 5 loads of sod.
Loaded sod in dump trailer. Also removed

Sod from higher ground to north of place I plan to build on.

Then used disk to loosen a 6 inch crown.
Used terramite to remove crown and move dirt to eyeball level. Filled about 3 inches of the lowest corner before shooting grade. Then attached string to stakes and V-shaped grade. Going to roll tomorrow. Pray for rain. Let dirt settle. Then repeat until ground perfectly level.

This isn't my first rodeo. A quarter inch equals a yard of concrete, about $100.

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

I think there's about 5 or 6 different soil types in Vigo county. I have the best soil to work with. No rocks. Took many attempts with disk to from dry hard as a rock into powder.

I had a difficult time putting in my free wood grade stakes.

Adirondack case guy · Sep 30, 2019

George, I was questioning JeffCat about leveling with a piece chain link fence. I do have a question for you also. Are you going to put down a few inches of stone or gravel on top of the dirt, before the concrete is poured??? I am not a fan of pouring concrete on dirt that will not let water drain from underneath it, for obvious reasons in areas where frost penetrates. ----- Loren

Case Nutty 1660 · Sep 30, 2019

Bro,, I agree on gravel for some things,, here we get by with sand for a base under a pour unless ground drainage is a issue,, But when I do one is is compacted correctly and evenly before any concrete is formed and or poured I have a few tools I use for jobs like that
cnt

Bob Harvey · Sep 30, 2019

In this area gravel or drain rock is required under a slab. 6 mil poly on top of the gravel.

37chief · Sep 30, 2019

Looks good. Are you required to get a building permit? If I were to attempt that, I would need a building permit, a soils test by a qualified engineering firm. Have a meeting with the building dept, and the neighbors, at the sight to see it anyone opposed my project. Then only a certain height of the building, not to obstruct the neighbors view of the ocean. if there is one. Welcome to California. Land of fruits and nuts. Stan

jeffcat · Sep 30, 2019

Finish means if you want to make it nice and smooth. If you don't, then don't do a chainlink drag.

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

Last pole barn I had to jump through 3 hoops. Last one was building permit. No soil samples. No worries about neighbors either. I own the properties.

ditchwitch · Sep 30, 2019

Looking good Geo . Ill post some pictures of mine when they start on it.

Geo-TH,In · Sep 30, 2019

The 2012 International Residential Code states:

R506.2.3 Vapor Retarder. A 6-mil (0.006 inch; 152 ?m) polyethylene or approved vapor retarder with joints lapped not less than 6 inches (152 mm) shall be placed between the concrete floor slab and the base course or the prepared subgrade where no base course exists.

Exception: The vapor retarder may be omitted:

From garages, utility buildings and other unheated accessory structures.

504 · Sep 30, 2019

We had 4 to 6 inches over the weekend, you can have all of our rain for the next 90 days.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 1, 2019

Ground drainage isn't a problem. I've never had a mud puddle after a good rain. It can rain and I can drive a truck on lawn and no rutts.

Same with my place down south.

I have another place west of the river. Stick to your boots clay. A one inch rain and I will get stuck if I attempt to drive on lawn. The clay is like a spunge. One time I rolled the lawn after a 2 inch rain. I squeezed water out of the clay. It would be a no brainer to use more than a few inches of gravel and very thick plastic.

showcrop · Oct 1, 2019

The V design gives front to back length which will help leveling. I would want it even longer though for that type of work. Large farms on level ground will use a straight blade with big gauge wheels out back like a road grader. I don't understand lack of structure underneath though. Here we have glacial till and clay which is very different but you put 16 inches of structural material under a footing and 6 inches under a floor and 10 inches under a pad.

Leveling dirt

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Similar threads