Let’s say you have to dig a trench in your backyard. Maybe it’s a trench for drainage or to install a watering system. How do you go about planning the trench and doing the digging? One thing’s for sure; you don’t want the project to last ten years. That’s how long it took to dig the Panama Canal.
No, you want to get the job done quickly and easily. Let’s take a look at what’s involved and what trenching hand tools will get the job done in (almost) no time.
How to Dig a Trench?
Before you start digging, there’s some prep work to do that will make the job easier – and safer. The first step – and you need to do this a few days in advance – is to mark out the trench. Use either marking spray paint or small flags.
Step two is to call 811. That’s a national service run by the utilities. They’ll help you avoid any buried utility lines by marking them for you. Best of all, the service is free.
The third step is done the day before you dig. That’s watering – a lot – all along your trench line. Damp soil is far easier to dig!
Gather Your Trenching Tools
You’ve already got your marking paint or flags. All set there. Here are the other tools you’ll want.
- Heavy plastic or a four by eight sheet of plywood
- Measuring tape long enough to run the length of the trench
- Sod shovel (that’s a square-faced shovel)
- Trenching shovel (this one’s got a triangular tip)
- Pick mattock (the pick levers out rocks; the mattock cuts through roots)
- Hoe (for moving loose dirt)
- Heavy-duty work gloves
It’s Time to Excavate Your Trench
If you’re digging through lawn, use the sod shovel first to carefully cut out the grass. You’ll want to put it back later, so set it on the plastic or plywood. Next, use the trenching shovel to loosen up the first to the desired depth.
You’ll encounter roots and rocks. That’s where the pick mattock comes in. Use the pick to lever rocks out of the way. The mattock makes quick work of roots.
The last step is using the hoe to get the loose dirt out of the trench. Like the sod, the dirt goes on the plastic or plywood. That’s it. You’re all done – except for filling in the trench and putting the sod back later. That’s the easy part.
Let’s Get to Work
Now you know how to dig a trench by hand. You know what tools you need and what the process is. The next step is deciding if it’s something you want to tackle.
By the way, the best estimate of how long it takes to excavate a trench by hand is ten feet per hour. A 100-foot trench? Figure ten hours. Too much work? Look for a used ditch witch for sale. That ten hours magically turns into two or three!
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