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05-10-2015, 12:10 AM
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37 posts, read 82,420 times
Reputation: 39
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Looking to build a crushed-rock, curved garden path about 60 feet long, 4 feet wide, 3 inches deep, lined by weed cloth and flanked by steel edging. NOT looking to hand-dig this thing, so what machine would I use? Thanks in advance for the tips.
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05-10-2015, 01:04 AM
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Location: Inland California Desert
729 posts, read 619,383 times
Reputation: 1140
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Have you considered & ruled out putting it on top of the existing soil, then covering the rest of the yard with mulched wood chips . . . ?
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05-10-2015, 11:23 AM
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37 posts, read 82,420 times
Reputation: 39
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Appreciate the response, but that option wldn't work for me. The path needs to be trenched, leveled and graded to the current surrounding soil rather than laid atop. I'm just wondering what machinery can help me w/the path-digging - a sod cutter or something else?
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05-10-2015, 11:41 AM
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Location: NC
8,911 posts, read 12,427,943 times
Reputation: 19502
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Bobcat. Or, if you can't get one into the area I would hire a landscape/hardscape company to do this task.
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05-11-2015, 11:57 AM
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Location: Chapel Hill, N.C.
36,499 posts, read 51,534,707 times
Reputation: 47818
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or a rototiller would dig enough deep and wide for you to remove the soil. Depends on how deep you want to go. 3 inches wouldn't take much time or effort at all. You would stilll have to put your back into removing the soil and leveling the path but that is how I would handle it. In fact that is exactly what I did in a previous house.
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05-11-2015, 12:06 PM
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Location: Bel Air, California
23,783 posts, read 27,302,168 times
Reputation: 37301
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if this is being installed on an existing lawn, rent a sod cutter
Equipment Rental Locations |
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05-11-2015, 05:31 PM
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Location: North West Arkansas (zone 6b)
2,778 posts, read 2,930,567 times
Reputation: 3900
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even if you're using a sod cutter, kill the grass with roundup first. it will also give you a good idea of how the path will look once the grass turns brown.
dead wet sod is much easier to cut and lift.
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05-11-2015, 09:06 PM
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37 posts, read 82,420 times
Reputation: 39
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Thanks, everyone, for the suggestions. Want a break from hiring contractors to do this and that, so I appreciate the tips on trenching this path DIY.
I'm essentially seeking a way to dig this path at the desired width and depth with a machine that would trench the soil and simultaneously move it to the side. Starting to look like a pipe dream.
No sod here, the area's too tight for a traditional Bobcat - Maybe a walk-behind would work? - and the top three inches of soil are already pretty worked, so I guess I'll be pullin' out the ol' shovel after all, unless my local hardware shop has a magic machine.
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05-12-2015, 08:30 AM
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Location: NC
8,911 posts, read 12,427,943 times
Reputation: 19502
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You might try going to the local equipment rental place and seeing what they've got. Who knows? There might be the perfect device available.
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