Are you planning a landscaping project or a new construction? Level land is a crucial first step. Whether you’re planning to build a beautiful patio, pave a driveway, or install an above-ground pool, land leveling is an essential step. Regardless of the reason, it’s important to proceed methodically to ensure your ground is perfectly flat, thereby avoiding any risks of instability.
In this blog post, the experts at Excavation Chanthier will guide you step by step on how to level land for building.
STEP 1: Gather Your Level Land Tools
No matter the size of the area you need to level, you’ll need to acquire efficient tools and equipment. If you plan to level a relatively large or very uneven area, consider using a mini-excavator. Depending on the scope of your earthwork, you might also need to use a roller to compact the ground after it has been turned over and leveled.
Small-Scale Level Land Projects:
- A bubble level.
- A fork and a pickaxe.
- A rake and a shovel.
- A leveling roller.
Medium-Scale Level Land Projects:
- A tiller or cultivator.
- A leveling roller.
- A long wooden plank or a ladder.
Large-Scale Level Land Projects:
- An excavator.
- A roller.
- A stone picker and a root remover.
STEP 2: Define Your Level Land Area
Before starting, clearly outline the level land section. This will help you to visualize the specific area to work on. Drive wooden stakes into the ground and connect them with a taut string to mark the boundaries of your level land project.
Not all your stakes need to be inserted at the same height. The key is that your string is positioned horizontally.
STEP 3: Determine Your Level Land Height
In this step, you should define the height at which your land should be leveled. To ensure your surface is perfectly flat, we recommend stretching a string between opposite stakes.
Start from the highest point of the ground at the base of the stake and stretch your string horizontally to the opposite stake. You can then check the string’s horizontality using a spirit level.
STEP 4: Loosen the Soil for Level Land
Leveling land means you’ll need to move the soil from the highest point to the lowest point within the area you’ve marked out. Several methods can be used:
- If the area is not too large, you can do this with a pickaxe and fork.
- For a medium-sized area, you can use a tiller or cultivator. This will allow you to move up to two feet of soil (60 cm) with minimal effort.
- For larger land areas, we recommend using an excavator.
If you don’t have the appropriate equipment to level your land, you can seek professional help. Some excavation companies in Montreal or elsewhere in Quebec can handle the work for you.
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STEP 5: Clear the Level Land Area
Once the soil is loosened, it’s easier to remove large stones and roots that may hinder proper leveling. Generally, this tedious task is done by hand. However, if your project is large-scale, you can use a stone picker and root remover to assist you.
STEP 6: Enhance Your Level Land
Depending on what you plan to do with your space, it may be useful to enrich the soil. If your land is intended for cultivation, enrich the soil with compost, dried manure, or fertilizer.
If you plan to build an above-ground pool, garden shed, or garage, we recommend mixing fine sand with the soil to prevent vegetation from growing back.
STEP 7: Level and Compact Your Level Land
After preparing the land, it’s time to level the ground. Here again, you have several options:
- Use a rake and shovel to move the soil from the highest level to the lowest level.
- Use a long wooden plank or ladder to shave off the soil from the highest to the lowest level. Note that this operation is easier with two people.
- Use a roller for large-scale projects.
After this operation, you can start compacting the ground using a leveling roller (for small or medium surfaces) or a roller compactor. This will allow you to correct any small imperfections in your terrain.presseur. Vous pourrez ainsi corriger immédiatement tous les petits défauts de votre terrain.
STEP 8: Allow Your Level Land to Settle
Soil is a living material. It will “work on its own” depending on weather conditions and soil composition. We recommend letting it rest for at least 48 hours.
You can spray the land with water 3 to 4 times during this period to help the soil settle. Be sure not to walk on it or install anything that could disrupt the ground level.
After 48 hours have passed, we recommend compacting your terrain again by using the leveling roller or roller compactor. Once your ground is dry, it should no longer shift. Your land is now correctly leveled.
REQUEST PROFESSIONAL HELP TO LEVEL YOUR LAND
Leveling land for building is a technical and delicate operation that requires a certain level of expertise. Implementing such a project requires at least two people and appropriate tools. Therefore, seeking professional excavation help is highly recommended.
Do you reside in Greater Montreal and need to level your land?
At Excavation Chanthier, we possess extensive expertise, gained through numerous completed projects. Share your needs with us so we can offer you a clear and detailed quote for a turnkey service!