How do you evenly compact soil?

[Scott65]

The other thing to add, is that if you are looking to put in a travel way, you need to remove all traces of topsoil. then you need to figure out how much weight will be traversing the area and what kind of subgrade that you have. Afterall, the dirt has to carry the load ultimately. This will lead you to putting in the support to transfer the wheel loads to the soils by using a support structure (aggregate usually). If you have very poor soils, a geogrid/fabric can reduce the amount of material that is needed to transfer the load to the subgrade. The best way to compact soil is with a sheepsfoot roller though.

Thanks. We were typing at the same time. I was beginning to think a roller was maybe the best solution for my type of soil.

As for the road. The main road coming in is a whole different deal. I've got to completely rebuild it, but later on. I will likely be calling on the assistance of tbn for that one too. But this part of the property is around the house/yard. It was smooth when we bought it, it wasn't until I started doing tractor work and stirred everything up it seems that this happened. But I suppose it may have been smooth just because it sat for a while with no traffic on it. Maybe I will just have to deal with filling ruts from now on in this area? If thats the case, perhaps a roller building project needs to be in my future. Man, that project list is getting huge. I've already promised more write-ups here on tbn than my camera has room for. I better get to work

 

[RedNeckRacin]

About the back dragging. You know that there is a float position on the loader right? If you quickly move the loader joystick forward there is a detent that lets the bucket float. Also, tilt the front lip of your bucket down until the heel of the bucket comes up off the ground. This should force material down under your bucket instead of building up behind it!

 

[Scott65]

About the back dragging. You know that there is a float position on the loader right? If you quickly move the loader joystick forward there is a detent that lets the bucket float. Also, tilt the front lip of your bucket down until the heel of the bucket comes up off the ground. This should force material down under your bucket instead of building up behind it!

Yes, the float position is what I use to level the dirt. But my little bucket isn't heavy enough to compact while I'm dragging this way. So if I apply the weight of the tractor, it would seem it becomes too much weight and I haven't found any angle that will use this weight to compact without just dragging the top layer off with it

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Sounds like your ground is to wet right now and/or you need something like a landscape rake that would level things out a bit. Can you post any pictures by chance?

 

[Scott65]

Sounds like your ground is to wet right now and/or you need something like a landscape rake that would level things out a bit. Can you post any pictures by chance?

Yes I will try to get some pictures sometime when I'm home in the daylight. I'll get some before and after. Everything is compacted in its rutted up state right now from our rain and ice. I'll have to fluff it all back up and start over.
About being too wet, I had the same issue even last summer in the middle of a drought. The roller seems like a good solution, just not something I have, or can afford at the moment. After I smooth it all out, it's all "fluffy". Then I have to drive on certain parts, since I'm leveling virtually the entire area. So everywhere I go, I leave trails. I need to get the entire area to the same compaction as where my vehicles and tractor go, so that the ruts don't show.

That seems like maybe a better explanation, at least in my head. Does that make sense? Anyway, I'll work on getting some pictures