Grading dirt, or soil, is often necessary before gardening and landscaping projects can begin. For example, the soil may need to be leveled for the installation of a patio or smoothed so that a lawn or other plantings can be installed. On a small scale, grading can be accomplished with hand tools, though it is generally a laborious process. If larger quantities of soil need to be moved, then using heavy machinery may be necessary. Heavy machinery should be operated by only a qualified professional.
Dig into the soil at the highest point of the area that needs to be leveled. Toss the soil downhill, or transport it with a wheelbarrow to bring up the grade, or soil level. Continue excavating soil on the high side of the area and spreading it onto the low side until the grade is about level across the entire area.
Smooth the soil into a flat, even surface by using a hard-metal rake. Check it for levelness with a 4-foot-long level. Rest one end of the level on the high side of the soil, and raise or lower the level's other end until the bubble in the level is perfectly in the center of the lines that indicate levelness. Measure the height of the level from the soil. Rather than being perfectly flat, the grade should drop about 1 inch every 4 feet in the downhill direction to facilitate drainage. Repeat the procedure to check the slope of the other areas of graded soil.
Move soil as necessary until you achieve the correct slope across the length of the leveled area.
Smoothing Uneven Ground
Till the soil with a rototiller. The task loosens the soil and makes it easier to grade.
Remove soil from mounds in the location, and use it to fill all obvious dips and depressions.
Rake the soil with a hard-metal rake, smoothing it into an even, consistent grade. Break all heavy clods of soil in the process by using the rake or a mattock.
Water the graded area with a sprinkler for about one hour. Check for puddling, which will occur in low-lying spots. Add soil to low-lying spots until you establish an even grade in the entire area.
Things You Will Need
- Hard-metal rake
- 4-foot-long level
- Tape measure
- Mattock (optional)
- Watch or timer
- If you grade soil to form a level area for a path, patio or other type of hardscape feature, then the loose soil needs to be compacted before the feature can be built. Spread the loose soil in 4- to 5-inch-thick layers, and compact it with a tamper between each layer.
- A retaining wall is generally necessary to support the soil on the downhill side of a level pad as well as the exposed face of soil created by excavation on the uphill side. The retaining wall may need to be built before the grading begins. Consult with a licensed contractor for more information, especially if a retaining wall that is more than 2 feet in height is needed.
- Never leave bare soil exposed after grading because it is vulnerable to erosion the next time it rains. Mulch the area with straw or wood chips, or seed it immediately with a grass or ground-cover mixture.
- Call 811 before digging to have underground utility lines marked in the area of grading work.
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