Features of choosing a shovel for digging a trench, types of tools and digging rules

Your project’s ease of use and efficiency can be greatly affected by your choice of shovel when digging a trench. Choosing the right tool is essential whether you’re building drainage systems, laying foundations, or installing utilities. Having a thorough understanding of the various shovel types and their intended applications will enable you to approach your trenching tasks with assurance.

Shovels come in a variety of styles, each intended for a specific use. For example, trenching shovels are designed to be narrow and have a pointed tip, which makes them ideal for digging trenches with exact angles. Conversely, spades are better suited for slicing through roots and sod because of their flat blade. Selecting the ideal tool for your purposes will be made easier if you are aware of the differences between these models.

There are a few crucial guidelines to follow when excavating a trench in order to guarantee efficiency and safety. Mark the trench area clearly first, and make sure you have a plan for the placement of the soil. To keep a straight line and stop the sides from collapsing, start by cutting the trench’s edges with your shovel. Instead of attempting to excavate to the entire depth at once, work in layers, taking out a few inches of soil at a time. By using this technique, you can better manage the soil and lessen the physical strain on your body.

When choosing, don’t forget to take the shovel’s weight and material into account. For example, a shovel with a fiberglass handle is sturdy and lightweight, making it easier to handle for extended periods of time. Another important consideration is the type of blade: aluminum blades are lighter but may break under intense use, whereas steel blades are robust and long-lasting. Digging a trench can be easier and less physically demanding if the correct features are chosen.

When this method is suitable?

On construction sites, trenches are excavated for the purpose of installing gas pipelines, cable systems, water supply systems, and sewer pipes that connect to septic tanks.

The following variables influence shovel digging as opposed to bulldozer digging:

1. There are utilities on the site. It happens that the house has already been built, the water supply has been laid, but the owners decided to install a sewer after the construction of the house. For this, neither the place nor the site was prepared in advance. Then you need to dig a trench on an existing piece of land. A tree, bushes can grow on the ground, and electrical cables or a gas pipeline can also be laid. In order not to damage these utilities with mechanized digging, they use trench digging with a shovel.
2. There is no possibility for equipment to drive onto the site. It happens that there is a gas pipe near the gate of the facility, which prevents equipment from driving deep into the site. Too narrow streets in dacha areas also cause the use of manual labor.
3. Soil type. For highly frozen soil, as well as for hard rocks and gravel, only machine digging is suitable. If the site has loam, sand or soft but loose soil, you can easily dig a trench with your own hands using shovels.

Digging a trench by hand is impractical if it is too long.

Digging small trenches with a shovel and your own labor is an option for short segments of gas, water, cable, or sewer lines. In addition to saving money, this will help the trenches be constructed in accordance with the project’s specifications.

Types of DIY digging tools

Many kinds of tools are used to develop soil from a trench:

• Trench. This tool is equipped with a rectangular bayonet and has a pointed tip. The design helps clear the walls of the trench without polluting the nearby soil. When clearing space for a trench, such a shovel will help remove plant roots that are too deep.
• Bayonet. Designed for digging up soil. It is also convenient for them to dig trenches, since the bayonet has a slightly pointed end. Available in rectangular or square shapes. If the bayonet is flat and square, it is convenient for them to dig tightly compacted soil. If the bayonet is curved, it is perfect for digging out the earth from a trench.
• Drainage (narrow). A drainage shovel is also called narrow because of the special width of its scoop. It is not only narrow, but long and is just suitable for creating holes and trenches. A drainage shovel with a curved scoop can easily remove soil from a dug trench.The tool is equipped with a special platform for the foot – it allows you to save shoes and prevent pain that can occur when using a regular shovel.
• Sovkovaya. Necessary for transporting bulk material. For example, you can dig up soil with a bayonet or drainage shovel, and with a shovel you can collect it and bring it to the surface. This tool has wide and flat bayonets at the edges.
• Scraper. Used additionally to remove debris. They are also mounted on a long handle and will help quickly remove excess dirt from the trench.
• Crescent-shaped. Used to cut fine turf and remove the fertile layer, you can use a small crescent-shaped spatula.

Inventory selection rules

When selecting a shovel, pay attention to the following factors:

1. Bucket material. Shovels are produced from titanium, rail steel, aluminum, wood and plastic. The latter option is definitely not suitable for digging a trench, since in a couple of hours such a shovel will become unusable. Wooden tools are also not relevant when excavating soil. Titanium shovels are resistant to aggressive environments, wet soil does not stick to them. The disadvantage of such a tool is its price and fragility of the metal. Aluminum tools are durable, lightweight, but expensive. The best option is a stainless steel bucket part.
2. Handle material. It can be made of aluminum, carbon fiber, steel or wood. The most common option is wood, but the durability of this material is low. Shovels with an aluminum handle are reliable, while those with a carbon fiber handle are lightweight and do not corrode. A plastic handle is fragile, but a steel handle is heavy.
3. Typeshovels. For each type of work when digging a trench, it is worth selecting a specific type of shovel. Do not use a shovel tool for digging, or a bayonet tool for extracting soil to the surface.
4. Weight. An aluminum shovel is considered the lightest; an all-steel tool will be the heaviest.

An old-fashioned shovel with a wooden handle and a stainless steel bucket section would be ideal for trench digging. Because of the materials used, she is long-lasting, manageable, and has an average weight.

For both efficiency and safety when digging trenches, selecting the appropriate shovel is essential. Shovels come in different varieties, each intended for a particular use. Examples of these include trenching shovels, drain spades, and digging shovels. When choosing a shovel, take into account elements such as handle length, blade shape, and material compatibility with the demands of the task. Furthermore, using ergonomic postures and adhering to a consistent trench width and depth are two other appropriate digging techniques that can greatly minimize physical strain and boost productivity. Trench-digging is made easier and more efficient by being aware of these characteristics and guidelines.

How to dig manually?

If the trench is no deeper than 150 cm, it is better advised to dig it by hand. These trenches are frequently used to install water supply, gas pipelines, sewerage, and cables with a maximum voltage of 35 kV.

You must first gather all the necessary equipment and make a plan for your excavation. In order to prevent damaging utility networks when excavating, you must have a diagram showing where any communications that have already been installed on the site are located. Additionally, you must first uproot bushes and trees and clear any vegetation from the trench’s path.

Creating a trench with your hands can be done easily in this way:

1. Marking. Wooden or metal pegs are used for marking. They are installed around the entire perimeter, with a cord pulled between them. Such markings will help you not to deviate from the work plan and visually show their volume.
2. Loosening the soil. Using a bayonet shovel, the soil is loosened inside the trench. Strikes are applied in a vertical position. To do this, take a shovel with good weight so that it has destructive power. If you come across areas with particularly strong soil, you can use a crowbar.
3. Soil excavation. A shovel is used for work. If you need to get a cross-section of a trench, remove the earth by hand. The procedure is carried out only with gloves.

Until the trench is the desired size, the second and third steps are repeated. Near the trench, all of the earth that was dug out is piled up. It is best to perform this 50 centimeters away from the track. The soil’s close proximity will make it easier to use when backfilling depth.

Use a plumb line to ensure that the trench wall is perfectly vertical.

Price for digging services

Consider the type of soil, the length and depth of the trench, the urgency of the order, and the season when estimating the cost of manual trench digging with a shovel. Shovel work will always cost more than ordering a bulldozer because manual labor is always more expensive than mechanized labor. Since workers will need to put in more time and effort and the soil may freeze severely in the winter, it is more profitable to dig a trench during the summer.

It’s also important to pay attention to the requirement for backfilling the soil, as this will incur additional costs. In Moscow and the surrounding area, a cube of shovel-work trench excavation costs 1000 rubles on average. The cost of labor will double during the winter.

For every cubic meter of land, you can save 100 rubles if you order a large volume of work.

The cost per linear meter varies by area and city. For instance, digging one linear meter by hand with a shovel in the capital will cost 300 rubles. This type of trench can accommodate the laying of cables and will be 100 cm deep. The same service will cost less in Russia’s smaller towns and regions, starting at 150 rubles per linear meter.

Rocky soil and challenging terrain multiply workers’ pay by multiples.

Pros and cons of hand digging

The process of using a shovel to dig a trench is not without its benefits.

A summary of the key benefits

• you can build a trench in a hard-to-reach place;
• you can use this method for digging in an area where there is already a communications network;
• you can independently adjust the depth and change the technique in the process;
• the method is suitable for working with rocky and clay soil;
• Working on your own can save you money.

This approach has numerous benefits, but it also has some drawbacks. To get through such physical labor, you will need to put in a lot of effort and time. Compared to bulldozer digging, ordering services from construction companies will cost a lot of money. When a lot of work is anticipated, shovel digging is not the best method.

Useful video

More details regarding the characteristics of manual trench digging in the video:

Your productivity and comfort level while digging a trench can be greatly impacted by the shovel you select. Square, pointed, and trenching shovels are the three primary types of shovels to take into account. Trenching shovels are best used for deep, narrow trenches; square shovels are best used for slicing through hard soil; and pointed shovels are best used for general digging and breaking up hard ground.

It’s important to take the length and material of the handle into account when choosing a shovel. Wood, fiberglass, and metal are the three materials that can be used to make handles; each has varying degrees of comfort and durability. In order to reduce back strain and maximize leverage, the handle length should be appropriate for your height and the depth of the trench.

It is essential to use appropriate digging techniques in order to guarantee both efficacy and safety. Mark the trench’s perimeter first, then clear away any debris on the surface. For each task, use the proper shovel: square or pointed shovels are used for loosening and removing soil, and trenching shovels are used for digging the sides and bottom. For safety, lift the shovel with your legs and keep your back straight to prevent injury.

Ultimately, trench digging can be made manageable with the right equipment and methods—whether you’re laying cables, installing a drainage system, or getting ready for a foundation. You can guarantee the safe and effective completion of your project by learning about the characteristics of various shovels and following recommended procedures.

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