Owning a home or property is very rewarding in many ways, but also presents challenges when it comes to maintaining home-value and protecting the property from every manner of threat.
You may not yet realize it, but your home can be at risk from water damage to the structure and foundation if the soil surrounding the home isn’t graded properly. The same can be said for certain landscaping installations. Because of this, it’s crucial that your property has proper grading to ensure that water can’t collect in certain areas and cause this damage.
Grading a yard can certainly be done with professional assistance, but it can also be done yourself if you have the right knowledge, tools, and materials. The most important factor when it comes to grading is the actual fill dirt that is used.
What is Fill Dirt?
Believe it or not, dirt can vary greatly, and there are different types for different uses. Fill dirt, sometimes referred to as subsoil, is the dirt found below topsoil, and provides a stable foundation for any other dirt or structures that are on top.
Fill dirt is ideal for construction and grading because it contains a very low to non-existent amount of organic material. Compostable material is certainly good for topsoil used in planting and landscaping, but it can eventually break down and create air pockets that lead to the dirt collapsing in some areas. This isn’t an issue when the soil is used for planting, but collapsing of soil can cause significant damage in structures and foundations, even when used in small amounts.
Fill dirt avoids this scenario, as the dirt is stable and will not break down further. Fill dirt is the only dirt to be used for grading around your property, as it provides a secure foundation and base that won’t shift or collapse over time.
Whether you are raising a surface to build on, grading and sloping around your property, or filling gaps and holes before further work is done to your property, fill dirt is always the best method to ensure that your soil is stable and set up to support structures and maintain ideal grading.
How to Grade Your Yard
If you are having drainage issues with your yard, it’s time to adjust the grading to help address it. After a day or two, you can have drainage and water collection problems resolved and have your yard on the road to normalcy again.
What You’ll Need:
- Fill Dirt
- Top Soil
- String
- Level
- Shovel
- Lawn Roller
- Rake
- Wheelbarrow
- Wood Stakes
1. Begin by removing any plants away from the foundation. If you want to reuse your grass afterwards, make sure that you remove it in large square sections, and sit it aside with our plants until completion. The grass will reseed and spread again once you have returned it to where it was before.
2. Use your stakes in the ground around your yard to establish the proper slope line for the yard. Do this by placing the stakes in the ground, and create rows of stakes that go from your home to the edge of yard.
3. Take your string and run it along each row of the stakes you’ve put in, and bring the strings down to the ground level. Follow this by making the strings level on each row to match the height. You will need to raise the height of the strings slightly as they get closer to your home to create a slope that will drain the water away.
4. Now you should move on to establishing the grade. Raise the sections of string from the highest point in the yard and on towards the house. Every 10-foot section should be raised 2 ½ inches than the one before it, and onwards to the house. The final section of stakes closest to the house should be 6 inches taller than the previous section.
5. This is where the fill dirt comes in. Use the dirt to fill the space up to the string lines across the entire yard. This can be made easier by using the wheelbarrow to haul the loads to each section, and then use a shovel and rake to evenly spread it out. Once the dirt is placed, use a lawn roller to pack the dirt down.
6. Take your topsoil and add about 2 inches to the top of the fill dirt. Replace your grass, and use the lawn roller to pack it down again. Now you’re done!
Ensure Proper Yard Grading Professional Fill Dirt Delivery and Grading Services
Grading always requires fill dirt to ensure a surface that retains its shape and even surfacing. If you are in need of reliable, free dirt delivery, professional residential dirt grading assistance, and site work, get in touch with Dirt Connections today by giving us a call or sending us a message online. We have the knowledge and experience to provide your property with what it needs, whether it’s seeing that your yard grading is sloped properly, or delivering fill dirt for your grading and land projects.
