tips for smoothing trench

[72chevy4x4]

Trying to smooth out 600' of trench and wondering if there's a better method. I've gone back and forth with my lawn rake starting off at an angle to draw the trenched material toward the depression and finally after it was relatively filled I went back and forth with the lawn rake straight ahead. I wasn't able to get the dirt to fill in the small depression though. Any tips on filling the small depression?

 

[jeff9366]

I see a Landscape Rake in your photo.

Turn your Landscape Rake 180 degrees so the rake will not grab, then try again.

 

[Peter 315]

You need more material....

 

[sweettractors]

I agree with Peter 315, not enough material and even if you could finally get it level, it will settle quite a bit after a couple rains. Ken Sweet

 

[rScotty]

I agree with Peter 315, not enough material and even if you could finally get it level, it will settle quite a bit after a couple rains. Ken Sweet

I agree too. You need more material. It seems like it would be a simple job to fill it in level and compacted since it used to be that way.... , but without doing the whole field I think you will be ahead to just bring in some more material.
Then you cn spread it roughly with a FEL and and drag it until smooth. For a drag, we use a roll of old chain link fencing and drag it with a a couple of chains. By adjusting the length of the chain you can even angle the drag to move the loose fill sideways where it is needed.

rScotty

 

[Thomas]

If ground somewhat soft rough the ground both side of trench than back blade 180 degrees.

 

[CobyRupert]

You said that when the rake was angled, you got the depression relatively filled.

So why not do that some more and fill it, or overfill, more? Do you end up with gaps / unevenly filled trench? Just overfill other spots then drag it out to low spots, right?

What is that trench? Is a dead furrow to channel water out of the field?

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Is running a wide tiller over it an option? I have good luck with that most of the time.

 

[jaxs]

Pile of imported soil,wheel barrow and a shovel

 

[72chevy4x4]

You said that when the rake was angled, you got the depression relatively filled.
What is that trench? Is a dead furrow to channel water out of the field?

I kept running back and forth over it and it wasn't filling in the last ~2". the mound of dirt I was pulling just wouldn't fill it.

the trench is a 1-1/4" supply line from the pump to the tank (pond) on a clients ranch-I've trenched 950', 650', 600' and 300' on this project.

 

[72chevy4x4]

I think you guys are right that I need some more material. Was hoping to get away without the extra work.

wish I had a tiller, only a landscape rake an 6' box blade.

thanks for the ideas guys

 

[chim]

Agree there's more material needed. We've done a lot of trench work and backfilling is really simple. Backfilling without settling afterward is not.

There was one project with thousands of feet of ductbank was installed under paved areas. After a few years I had occasion to go back and see that there was no evidence of settling of the asphalt patches. In that case we discarded all the excavated materials and used (very well tamped) what we call "2A Modified". May go by a different name elsewhere. It's anything that passes through a 3/4" screen at the crusher, and has lots of fines.

Backfill material in dirt work (not in paved areas) was usually whatever came out of the trench. Again, it had to be well tamped. This was done with a jumping jack tamper or a walk-behind trench tamper. Running equipment such as a backhoe over backfill as a tamping method doesn't work well.

 

[Complete Turf Care]

I also say a tiller would help a lot. Can you rent a small tiller?

 

[sweettractors]

Could you lower the box blade teeth and use it to loosen up and move some extra material? Ken Sweet

I think you guys are right that I need some more material. Was hoping to get away without the extra work.

wish I had a tiller, only a landscape rake an 6' box blade.

thanks for the ideas guys

hh

 

[fishydeals]

Agree there's more material needed. We've done a lot of trench work and backfilling is really simple. Backfilling without settling afterward is not.

Backfill material in dirt work (not in paved areas) was usually whatever came out of the trench. Again, it had to be well tamped. This was done with a jumping jack tamper or a walk-behind trench tamper. Running equipment such as a backhoe over backfill as a tamping method doesn't work well.

I agree, I worked in fiberoptic and we installed the conduit by trenching. If we were going for a nice finish on someones lawn then it was a hand rake and then a hand leave rake to get all the dirt out of the grass. We would tamp but still have to haul the extra away. It would settle of course over time. The quick and dirty way is just to bring more dirt or if you don't care for the finish grade it in somehow.