Problem with dirt

[TGF]

Some of you may have been following my adventure in the attachments forum with the box blade, and the small sub-thread in the repairs forum about fixing a tooth. We have a new problem.

The guy I helped grade his land has about (we are guessing based on volume calculations) about 40 tons of dirt in a pile in his back yard. One of the guys he worked with said he would take the dirt but has since backed out. We need to get rid of the dirt, the problem is several fold.

-I have no way to transport the dirt.
-The cost of dirt is so cheap that if you are moving it more than about 15 miles the fuel will cost more, so the few people I know that want fill dirt, won't take it for free because they can buy it delivered cheaper.

Any of you know a cheap and easy way to dispose of dirt?

 

[yooper1]

Maybe a "give away" type ad in the local classifieds?

even tho you say the few locals you know may not take it for free, but others may.

Have it that they need to come to you and they do / handle the hauling.

Can't hurt

 

[Ford tractor]

Any of you know a cheap and easy way to dispose of dirt?

Spread thinly and seed.

 

[20 20]

Any of you know a cheap and easy way to dispose of dirt?

Bury it :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

 

[blueriver]

Use the FEL, the Box Blade and spread it out.

 

[TripleR]

Man I wish I knew someone that had dirt like that. We have several hundred acres and not enough dirt to fill in washouts etc.

 

[Treemonkey1000]

Make a mountain out of a mole hill.....Couldn't resist sorry.

Yep I am with spreading it thin. I have spread 100 yards of dirt at my Dad's house and was surprised at how much it took to fill in the low spots at his place. . A free ad is a good idea if they want to come and haul it away. Just watch out for people scoping out the property for more than dirt.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Spreading 40 tons an inch deep would take about 8000 sq ft.
Too bad you don't live near the fellow with the gulley that he wants to turn into a horse arena.
BOB

 

[Ford tractor]

Spreading 40 tons an inch deep would take about 8000 sq ft.

BOB

Bob, I'm not sure about your math.

1 ton of loose expanded (dug and piled) dirt is about 1 yard -- actually a bit less than a yard, but call it 40 ton = 40 yards.

1 yard is 36"x36"x36" which is 46,656 cubic inches.

There are 144 square inches in a square foot so divide by 144 to get the number of square feet to cover 1" thick.

46,656 / 144 = 324 square feet. Or 18' by 18'

That's a lot different than 8000 sf...

 

[TGF]

He put an add on craigs list last night at you guys recommendation, he had to take it down this morning. The dirt is gone, he had a call at about 6:30am from a guy asking if he could have it all. Came and picked it up at 8am was done and gone by 9:30.

 

[TripleR]

Problem solved, I know it would sure go quick around here.

 

[rd_macgregor]

Bob, I'm not sure about your math.

1 ton of loose expanded (dug and piled) dirt is about 1 yard -- actually a bit less than a yard, but call it 40 ton = 40 yards.

1 yard is 36"x36"x36" which is 46,656 cubic inches.

There are 144 square inches in a square foot so divide by 144 to get the number of square feet to cover 1" thick.

46,656 / 144 = 324 square feet. Or 18' by 18'

That's a lot different than 8000 sf...

I used 120 lbs/sqft for the density of dirt, but I'll admit I don't know if this is packed or loose... loose dirt may be a bit lighter.
In your calculation, you only did one yard, so you need to multiply by 40, which gives 12,960 sq ft for spreading at 1".

Its great (and not surprising) that somebody wanted/took the fill, so the spreading issue is moot.

BOB

 

[ctgoldwing]

Bob, I'm not sure about your math.

1 ton of loose expanded (dug and piled) dirt is about 1 yard -- actually a bit less than a yard, but call it 40 ton = 40 yards.

1 yard is 36"x36"x36" which is 46,656 cubic inches.

There are 144 square inches in a square foot so divide by 144 to get the number of square feet to cover 1" thick.

46,656 / 144 = 324 square feet. Or 18' by 18'

That's a lot different than 8000 sf...

hmmm - isn't that for 1 yard? :thumbsup:

 

[gregsons]

Being in the dirt biz i would get calls all the time from people that had a pile of dirt several yards they would call me and tell me they had a deal. They would want to charge me for the dirt and then what me to haul out my truck and loader for 5 yards of soil. I would tell them no thank you and they would get upset. I would sell the dirt for $18 per yard and the wanted me to pay them like $9 per yard. I would lose a ton of money. Then the guy said fine just take it!! and i would ansewer no thank you. Most of the time they would slam the phone down. people just dont understand.
Most of the time it was about 5 yards from someone that put up a pool.

sounds like you have about 30 yards. one yard of soil is about 1.5 tons depending on mositure content. 30 yards now you my be getting into a worth while amont for someone.

 

[TGF]

Being in the dirt biz i would get calls all the time from people that had a pile of dirt several yards they would call me and tell me they had a deal. They would want to charge me for the dirt and then what me to haul out my truck and loader for 5 yards of soil. I would tell them no thank you and they would get upset. I would sell the dirt for $18 per yard and the wanted me to pay them like $9 per yard. I would lose a ton of money. Then the guy said fine just take it!! and i would ansewer no thank you. Most of the time they would slam the phone down. people just dont understand.
Most of the time it was about 5 yards from someone that put up a pool.

sounds like you have about 30 yards. one yard of soil is about 1.5 tons depending on mositure content. 30 yards now you my be getting into a worth while amont for someone.

Yeah dirt around here is 65 bucks for 11 yards of clay or 110 for 11 yards of black soil delivered. I purchased about 9 11 yard loads to fill some holes earlier this year, I wish I had the box blade then moving and leveling would have been easier. Dirt is pretty cheap in NE. We had mostly clay because he lives in a housing subdivision and they usually scrape all the top soil off down to the clay and then lay sod. So maybe 4 inches of black soil total before we hit the clay.

 

[/pine]

I hate to be a smart aleck with an abstract reply...but I was taught long ago that what you're are referring to is "earth"...it's only "dirt" if it's in your house...

On a more serious note....you might consider creating some landscaping berms for yourselves or nearby neighbors...

 

[gregsons]

Yeah dirt around here is 65 bucks for 11 yards of clay or 110 for 11 yards of black soil delivered. I purchased about 9 11 yard loads to fill some holes earlier this year, I wish I had the box blade then moving and leveling would have been easier. Dirt is pretty cheap in NE. We had mostly clay because he lives in a housing subdivision and they usually scrape all the top soil off down to the clay and then lay sod. So maybe 4 inches of black soil total before we hit the clay.

Thats the best gig in town. These big subdivisons they build. developer scraps all the topsoil off to a big pile, then lay the road and utilities. someone buys a lot and builds a home. calls me i drive to the end of their road, load my truck up and sell them the dirt that was on there lot to start with. everyone wins

 

[Ford tractor]

I used 120 lbs/sqft for the density of dirt, but I'll admit I don't know if this is packed or loose... loose dirt may be a bit lighter.
In your calculation, you only did one yard, so you need to multiply by 40, which gives 12,960 sq ft for spreading at 1".

Its great (and not surprising) that somebody wanted/took the fill, so the spreading issue is moot.

BOB

Well


It looks like I'm not sure about MY math either!

 

[rd_macgregor]

Well


It looks like I'm not sure about MY math either!

Yeah, its really nice that nobody is testing us on this stuff!

BOB

 

[shane]

Bury it :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

OK, that hit my funny bone!

I wish we had that problem around here of having too much dirt. We have way more than our share of rock. It's so rocky around here our brush cutters are also known as rock crushers.