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leveling a lawn

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JD GReg

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I am in the process of building a home.
I would imagine in the next month or 6 weeks,
I would be able to prepare the tore up ground
with a finished or at least a semi finished grade.
I don't think I will get a lawn in anymore this year.
Anyway, after the dirt is spread out to a rough
grade with my son-in-laws skid loader or my
2305, what do I use to get me a nice finished grade?

Been thinking that a Box Blade is what I need to use,
but I know nothing about them and have never used
them.
If I do use a Box Blade, do I have to till up or tear
up the ground first to make the soil loose enough
to for the box blade to work.
I have 3/4 acres to work with, but the house and concrete
also occupy this space, so probably 1/2 acre to landscape.

Thanks
JD Greg
 
#4 ·
Yep. Ditto to what David said. The box blade will tear it up good. Just tilt the box ahead and drop the rippers and it will do some tearing for you. The raise the rippers and tilt the box back to do the leveling after. You may want to back like T_G said with something else to do the fine leveling later.
 
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#5 ·
Trust me, I just went through that process. Take your time and do it in steps. If it's packed hard, box blade with sacrificer at first. Next hit it with just the box blade and here's the step I regret not doing because I was in a hurry. Follow it all up with a drag mat, chain link fence, or something like that. Make sure you remove any rocks or large clumps that the box blade/sacrificer pulls up on the first run. You might even consider a nice top dressing of sand soil mix spread out with a drag mat to help with the grass taking hold.
 
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#6 ·
My father in law used to work for the local electic company. Someone was throwing out an old steel frame with hard wire mesh that was used at a standing post at an electric station. Basically, when you went up the metal ladder to the station, it was the part that you stand on just in front of the door entering the station. It was about the size of an old queen size bed frame. He brought it home and pulls it (via chain) with his kubota...as a soil grader. Any decent garden tractor could pull it

It probably weighs a good 75 lbs and has a heavy duty metal screen. You might be able to make something like this using a bedframe or other scrap metal. A section of chain link fence would work too.
 
#7 ·
I just had my whole lawn done last spring, the guy who did it was driving a 4000 series JD and a large rotary hoe. He rotary hoed all the soil until it was a nice small consistency, moved it around with the FEL then smoothed it all off with drag chains as been discussed. The result is awesome. The box blade will work, but you might end up with chunks of earth a bit too big to smooth out nicely.
 
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#8 ·
How ever you have to do the first part, with box blade or whatever, then the final grade a secton of chain link works great. Also I used it after I thru out the grass seed to cover it up. Worked great. :goodl:
 
#10 ·
You sometimes have to work with what's available to you.....you could also use a disc to break up the clumps and make the dirt fine enough to spread around. The more you run around with it, the finer it gets.
 
#12 ·
if you have the skid steer available, rent a harley rake for a day...or you can rent a soil pulverizer for the tractor.
 
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#14 ·
A soil pulverizer is a great choice for the initial finish after the rough grading and smoothing. That's what I used but I was trying to keep the suggestions within what I thought were his means. In my area, you can't rent a pulverizer. I just knew someone that had one. That was the last step I did before laying the sod. I wish I had used a drag mat but the finish looked great after the pulverizer and still is pretty darn good. I think the mat would have made it **** near perfect instead of just pretty darn good.

To be honest, this one was a learning experience because I raised the yard 3' and as much as 6' in some spots. I had never done it that high before.
 
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#15 ·
I did the same with a spike harrow and my puny L120. Took about 8 hours to break up the 50% clay soil and level the 1.5 acres that I did. I put about 200lbs of lead on the harrow to help the teeth bite, and then flipped it upside down to drag and smooth it all out. THe pictures below with the harrow close-up, show it flipped upside down (spikes pointing up).

I then used a broadcast spreader to put down seed and starter-fertilizer.


See pics below:

Image


Image


Image


Image


BEFORE (April)
Image


AFTER (September)
Image
 
#17 ·
Ja, I've used a diamond harrow often. I would flip it upside down for the final finish and go fast.

You really need to be careful when going fast with any drag that is hitched with a chain or rope. It's easy for it come around and climb a rear tire quicker than you can react.
 
#18 ·
LLigetfa said:
Ja, I've used a diamond harrow often. I would flip it upside down for the final finish and go fast.

You really need to be careful when going fast with any drag that is hitched with a chain or rope. It's easy for it come around and climb a rear tire quicker than you can react.
Click to expand...
:Disgus: you have that right. The back fender on the ole jd70 i have is prove of that...
 
#19 ·
Wally, I've got a few questions if you've got a minute.
1: The material looks to be 1" square bar?
2: How do you think it's work on existing grass, I've got a lot I'm reclaiming that's been overgrown with small alders/brush and grass.
3: Roots, bounce over them or get snagged
4: Think there'd be any prob towing with a 19 horse Bolens
5: You said you flipped it over so I presume the top is flat.
6: Can you give me a couple of dimensions
7: Keiths is a pre-requisite for correct operation for sure :)
BTW, the lot goods really good
Thanks.....Mike
 
#20 ·
What we do is run the 3 pt tiller across the lawn first, it in itself does an amazing job at getting it level, then we take the box blade across.

The 2305 will do ok with the box blade if you do not till, it can take quite a few pass's, I know even with our 2720 on hard packed clay lawns they can be a real challange, it's not a power issue, it's traction.
 
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