timberland
Member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2012
- Messages
- 48
- Tractor
- kubota L3400
Anybody done it ?
Could I build a house dirt pad with a L3400 with FEL and box blade
- Thread starter timberland
- Start date
sdkubota
Platinum Member
Sure you could.
k0ua
Epic Contributor
you can move a lot of dirt with an L3400 and a FEL and boxblade.. IF it is dirt we are talking about, Flintrock or limestone rock shelf is another matter. But if you are just scooping up or dragging dirt, yeah good to go.
James K0UA
James K0UA
bcjmmac
Silver Member
I did the base pad for my tractor barn with my JD 2520. Dug out the top soil then hauled sandstone from an old pit on the property in the FEL - about 1000' away. Took about 2 days to do the digging, hauling & leveling - I did a cement pad so covered the sandstone (~10" thick) with crushed rock then set the forms on top of that.
newbury
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2009
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- 13,568
- Location
- From Vt, in Va, retiring to MS
- Tractor
- Kubota's - B7610, M4700
Well it would be a lot faster than a shovel and wheelbarrow.
Remember time is money. So if you have a lot of time you have a lot of $$. I'm retired, if I spend 4 hours doing something I could have paid someone $100 to do in an hour, I don't mind, I figure I just paid myself an extra $25/ hour with no taxes.
Remember time is money. So if you have a lot of time you have a lot of $$. I'm retired, if I spend 4 hours doing something I could have paid someone $100 to do in an hour, I don't mind, I figure I just paid myself an extra $25/ hour with no taxes.
creekbend
Super Star Member
I, personally, agree with the others. You should be able to. I am not aware of your proficiency level in regards to operating a BB, but it might help you by researching Box Blades here on TBN.
Bigfoot62
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2008
- Messages
- 2,485
- Location
- W. Central Louisiana
- Tractor
- JD 5090M; JD 5085M; JD 5083E; NH TN70A; Ford 2600
Can it be done? Yep.
Would I do it myself? Yep. (but I know what I'm doing)
Is that your best option? Don't know without more info.
There are LOTS of variables here.
How many cubic yards of dirt will it take? Size of the pad (not just the slab, add at least a few feet on each side - more for slopes) multiplied by the average rise desired, divided by 27. (cubic feet in one yard) Example: The slab will measure 40'x50', so you want the pad to be 60'x70'. You decide that the pad needs to be 6" above natural ground at the highest corner. Shooting the grade, you determine that the fall from the highest point to the lowest point is 18". That would give you an average rise, for the entire pad, of 1' So, 60 x 70 x 1 = 4200 cubic feet. Divided by 27, that's 156 cubic yards. Add about 10% for shrinkage, and you're looking at 166. I'll be generous and say that you can carry 1/4 yard per bucket load. That's about 664 trips. How far away is your source for the dirt?
Also, don't forget to add enough fill dirt to replace the topsoil/grass that you remove before starting the pad.
Can you get sufficient compaction with the dirt available? If not, the money you saved by doing the pad yourself, won't be anything compared to the cost of repairing a cracked slab. Note: never add more than a 6" lift at a time. Even with heavy equipment, like a sheep's foot roller, you can't pack more than 6" at a time. With a small tractor, you would probably need to add no more than 2-3" at a time.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about (above), hire a professional. Think about it: What are you going to spend on the house? $100K? Maybe $200K or more? And, you're wanting to save a few hundred bucks on the foundation? I'm not picking on you. Just trying to give a thoughtful, honest answer to your question. If you really know what you're doing, then ignore this reply and mark it off as the rant of an old lunatic.
I wish you the best, and I try to encourage people to do things for themselves. But, a house foundation is one place that you really need to know your stuff, or it could cause serious problems.
Would I do it myself? Yep. (but I know what I'm doing)
Is that your best option? Don't know without more info.
There are LOTS of variables here.
How many cubic yards of dirt will it take? Size of the pad (not just the slab, add at least a few feet on each side - more for slopes) multiplied by the average rise desired, divided by 27. (cubic feet in one yard) Example: The slab will measure 40'x50', so you want the pad to be 60'x70'. You decide that the pad needs to be 6" above natural ground at the highest corner. Shooting the grade, you determine that the fall from the highest point to the lowest point is 18". That would give you an average rise, for the entire pad, of 1' So, 60 x 70 x 1 = 4200 cubic feet. Divided by 27, that's 156 cubic yards. Add about 10% for shrinkage, and you're looking at 166. I'll be generous and say that you can carry 1/4 yard per bucket load. That's about 664 trips. How far away is your source for the dirt?
Also, don't forget to add enough fill dirt to replace the topsoil/grass that you remove before starting the pad.
Can you get sufficient compaction with the dirt available? If not, the money you saved by doing the pad yourself, won't be anything compared to the cost of repairing a cracked slab. Note: never add more than a 6" lift at a time. Even with heavy equipment, like a sheep's foot roller, you can't pack more than 6" at a time. With a small tractor, you would probably need to add no more than 2-3" at a time.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about (above), hire a professional. Think about it: What are you going to spend on the house? $100K? Maybe $200K or more? And, you're wanting to save a few hundred bucks on the foundation? I'm not picking on you. Just trying to give a thoughtful, honest answer to your question. If you really know what you're doing, then ignore this reply and mark it off as the rant of an old lunatic.
I wish you the best, and I try to encourage people to do things for themselves. But, a house foundation is one place that you really need to know your stuff, or it could cause serious problems.sdkubota
Platinum Member
Can it be done? Yep.
Would I do it myself? Yep. (but I know what I'm doing)
Is that your best option? Don't know without more info.
There are LOTS of variables here.
How many cubic yards of dirt will it take? Size of the pad (not just the slab, add at least a few feet on each side - more for slopes) multiplied by the average rise desired, divided by 27. (cubic feet in one yard) Example: The slab will measure 40'x50', so you want the pad to be 60'x70'. You decide that the pad needs to be 6" above natural ground at the highest corner. Shooting the grade, you determine that the fall from the highest point to the lowest point is 18". That would give you an average rise, for the entire pad, of 1' So, 60 x 70 x 1 = 4200 cubic feet. Divided by 27, that's 156 cubic yards. Add about 10% for shrinkage, and you're looking at 166. I'll be generous and say that you can carry 1/4 yard per bucket load. That's about 664 trips. How far away is your source for the dirt?
Also, don't forget to add enough fill dirt to replace the topsoil/grass that you remove before starting the pad.
Can you get sufficient compaction with the dirt available? If not, the money you saved by doing the pad yourself, won't be anything compared to the cost of repairing a cracked slab. Note: never add more than a 6" lift at a time. Even with heavy equipment, like a sheep's foot roller, you can't pack more than 6" at a time. With a small tractor, you would probably need to add no more than 2-3" at a time.
If you have no idea what I'm talking about (above), hire a professional. Think about it: What are you going to spend on the house? $100K? Maybe $200K or more? And, you're wanting to save a few hundred bucks on the foundation? I'm not picking on you. Just trying to give a thoughtful, honest answer to your question. If you really know what you're doing, then ignore this reply and mark it off as the rant of an old lunatic.
You are very wise...excellent advice.
Last edited:
LD1
Epic Contributor
Ditto.
Sure it can be done. Is it your best option???? We need more info? Are you building the pad UP? Or are you digging it down to get it level and rid the topsoil?? If digging down, you dont need to worry so much about compaction.
Hardest thing is getting it compacted tight. Do it in 6-8" lifts (layers of dirt). Press them down with the bucket. Drive over them N-S then E-W. If you can rent a plate compactor, use that. Then give it time for gravity, water and time to bring it all down.
If you have a laser level it's doable. WIthout one, it's a ton harder.
David White AutoLaser 3110-GR Exterior Single-Slope Rotary Laser Complete Package (48-3110GR-2)
My neighbor has a David White unit like the one linked. With it and constant checking, it wasn't too hard to get the whole area within an inch.
I also tied string along the edges for a visual reference. When it was close, I did crossing string to get the N-S and E-W visualized and close. That way there was less time jumping off and using the laser.
If you have a laser level it's doable. WIthout one, it's a ton harder.
David White AutoLaser 3110-GR Exterior Single-Slope Rotary Laser Complete Package (48-3110GR-2)
My neighbor has a David White unit like the one linked. With it and constant checking, it wasn't too hard to get the whole area within an inch.
I also tied string along the edges for a visual reference. When it was close, I did crossing string to get the N-S and E-W visualized and close. That way there was less time jumping off and using the laser.