Best way to spread 40 yards of top soil w/TLB

[Roxburyeric]

I am in the process of adding topsoil to my yard and had 40 yards delivered today (More to come). I am adding a couple inches+/- over my exisiting grass. Typical yard without enough good topsoil and poor growing grass. I have a Kioti CK20s HST with FEL and backhoe. No other attachements. I spread some already from a previous load by placing a bucket load where I want then spreading it with the loader or dumped and spread at the same time and then used the FEL to smooth it out more if needed. I realize there is an art to the dump and spread at the same time and I am learning. Am I doing this the easiest way possible (without buying a new attachment)? Suggestions are welcomed to this new TLB user.

Thanks Eric

 

[JohninCT]

Without acquiring a drag behind attachment like a York rake or a box blade that would allow you to spread the dirt while continuously driving forward you have to keep doing it like you have been. Drop a bucketful and back drag it flat repeat until you get it all out there. Then you can probably make some long back drag runs to smooth a larger area.

 

[wango tango]

rent a box blade? time is money

 

[DieselMonk]

dozer

 

[Jay4200]

I am in the process of adding topsoil to my yard and had 40 yards delivered today (More to come). I am adding a couple inches+/- over my exisiting grass. Typical yard without enough good topsoil and poor growing grass. I have a Kioti CK20s HST with FEL and backhoe. No other attachements. I spread some already from a previous load by placing a bucket load where I want then spreading it with the loader or dumped and spread at the same time and then used the FEL to smooth it out more if needed. I realize there is an art to the dump and spread at the same time and I am learning. Am I doing this the easiest way possible (without buying a new attachment)? Suggestions are welcomed to this new TLB user.

Thanks Eric

I've spread several hundred yards of loam with just my bucket (before I got a rake). You want to spread it out into as many little piles as you can first. Eyeball how much dirt will cover a given area, then put a pile that is that much dirt per each section. You can try to spread it directly off of the pile, but you will instantly lose reference for depth - makes it much harder.

THEN - backdrag the dirt using the back of the bucket as a blade. The bottom of the bucket will set the grade - cutting edge will act sort of like gauge wheels - and the back will push and spread the dirt like a dozer blade. Slight adjustments in the bucket angle will vary the amount of dirt driven under the bucket (adding height), or shaved off by the back of the bucket (reducing height). It does take a bit of an elegant touch on the curl control, but you can end up with a perfect result.

I still rough spread using my bucket and the technique above, but usually do final grading and polishing with a landscape rake and gauge wheels.

JayC

 

[Old Red]

How big is your yard? I have the same situation with my lawn. Terrible fill dirt from a lazy excavating company who did not preserve my topsoil. I had considered bringing in topsoil but how much do you need and will that actually work? I have 1/2 acre.

 

[jenkinsph]

I've spread several hundred yards of loam with just my bucket (before I got a rake). You want to spread it out into as many little piles as you can first. Eyeball how much dirt will cover a given area, then put a pile that is that much dirt per each section. You can try to spread it directly off of the pile, but you will instantly lose reference for depth - makes it much harder.

THEN - backdrag the dirt using the back of the bucket as a blade. The bottom of the bucket will set the grade - cutting edge will act sort of like gauge wheels - and the back will push and spread the dirt like a dozer blade. Slight adjustments in the bucket angle will vary the amount of dirt driven under the bucket (adding height), or shaved off by the back of the bucket (reducing height). It does take a bit of an elegant touch on the curl control, but you can end up with a perfect result.

I still rough spread using my bucket and the technique above, but usually do final grading and polishing with a landscape rake and gauge wheels.

JayC

I do it about the same way as Jay does.

I use the fel to distribute the dirt as evenly as I can without spending too much time then use the rear of the bucket to smooth it out. Works pretty good but it does take lots of seat time to do a good job.

For existing lawns I would put a thin layer about 1/2" per year to prevent killing the grass.

 

[RandyBell]

You really don't want to pack it down just smooth it out, what you are going to need to do is hold your bucket up and tilt down on an angle. Grade the soil pulling it with the bucket while you are going backward! It may take a little bit to get the feel of it, but it will work. Just hold your bucket up at the hieght you want your depth to be and easy through the task. Becareful to keep watch behind you so you don't run into anything. I run a large earth mover loader and this method does work, just don't get in a hurry.

 

[rmk700]

Another way is to get a FEL bucket full and dump it at the start of your area and reach over the pile you just dumped and backdrag it to your prefered grade. Basically finish grade that FEL bucket load of soil first, then pick up another and do the same matching and finish grading it. That way you will be able to easily keep on eye on how thick and consitant you are placing it as you go. It also reduces driving over it and compacting it so hard you can't hardly work it. I know it seems to be a very slow process but it really does go fairly quick.

 

[Roxburyeric]

Thanks for the advice. I have a good 1/2 acre to do, all on a little slope. I will probably need another 40 yards to finish the job. I am looking to get the job done in one year so adding a little each year (while it might work) is not a job I really want to keep doing and my current grass in not really worth saving. I used the techniques you have all described with some success, but I can tell that is really takes the right touch. Sometimes I get it and sometime I don't. I guess that is why I can't quit my day job. Thanks

 

[Old Red]

Thanks for the advice. I have a good 1/2 acre to do, all on a little slope. I will probably need another 40 yards to finish the job. I am looking to get the job done in one year so adding a little each year (while it might work) is not a job I really want to keep doing and my current grass in not really worth saving. I used the techniques you have all described with some success, but I can tell that is really takes the right touch. Sometimes I get it and sometime I don't. I guess that is why I can't quit my day job. Thanks

How did you decide how much topsoil to ad to your yard? I can grow great grass in the spring when it has plant of moisture and food on just about any type of dirt, but poor soil will not keep a yard for long. I would like to see your progress as I will be doing the same thing this fall. It seems we have the same type of situation. Poor soil on a slope!

 

[Roxburyeric]

Old Red - just using what I think is common sense - Spreading 1 to 4 inches or as needed - each little area is different. I have a watering issue also (can't do it - poor well). So like you in the spring the grass looks ok then as the hot summer comes it dries out. This year is already looks bad since we haven't had a rain. A deeper bed of good top soil will hold the moisture longer and allow for better root grow (I hope). Time will tell.

 

[MarkV]

Just to add to the good advice I would make a drag to use after spreading as well as you can with the FEL. A drag doesn't have to be fancy. An old metal gate, fence section, some pallets, some old tires chained together. Just about anything flat you can hook a chain to and pull around. It will knock down the high spots and fill the low spots to give you a flatter surface for mowing.

MarkV

 

[jenkinsph]

Old Red - just using what I think is common sense - Spreading 1 to 4 inches or as needed - each little area is different. I have a watering issue also (can't do it - poor well). So like you in the spring the grass looks ok then as the hot summer comes it dries out. This year is already looks bad since we haven't had a rain. A deeper bed of good top soil will hold the moisture longer and allow for better root grow (I hope). Time will tell.

Spreading top soil can get expensive fast, on a half acre of lawn it will take 70 yards per inch of soil that you build up. You could easily need 150-200 yards of top soil for your project.

What I usually do in cases like this is use my landplanes to smooth the ground up prior to laying down the top soil. You can add a 2x4 laid flat to the bottom of the skids on the landplane to raise it up to screed the dirt evenly too. Need one tractor for the landplane and another with fel to dump the dirt into the landplane.

Since you are planning on adding the topsoil without saving the existing grass it would be a good idea to till the ground and smooth up prior to adding the soil. If you have alot of rocks they will still be covered up but the soil will be loosened up for better root growth.

Here's some pics of a job I did that was loaded with rocks and small boulders. Had a large rock pile in the backyard that I used to make a berm along the lower edge of the property. Used my boxblade to dig out the rocks and loosen the soil then brought in 110 yds of top soil to smooth over the rocky surface. Used a combination of landscape rakes, pine needle rake and boxblade for this project. This was a tough place to work the larger compact equipment and one of the reasons I built the small landplane for my GT.