Whether you are building an apartment complex, a house, or something like a shed, one of the things that you will need to do is to grade the land. Grading is something that you will also need to do if you’re working in agriculture and farming.
To grade land, the number one tool that you will need is a laser level. With that being said, what exactly is land grading and why do you need to do it? Moreover, what is the best type of laser level to use for land grading and how do you use the tool for this purpose? These are all things that we will figure out right here and now.
What Is Grading?
Before we get into talking about what the best type of laser level for land grading is, it’s probably a good idea for you to know what exactly grading land means. Simply put, landscape grading (or simply grading) refers to the leveling or sculpting of land. Grading is the process of determining the level, slope, and flatness of a specific piece of land, and then alter the slope or level of the land to suit a specific need.
Landscape grading is all about preparing a specific outdoor space for things like hardscaping paths, plants, patios, stairs, pools, sheds, buildings, and more. In simplest terms, grading is all about altering the level flatness and height of a specific piece of terrain to suit a particular construction or agricultural need. On a side note, if you are building a house, keep in mind that for the first four feet around all of the walls, it is recommended that a slope of 10% is made for good drainage.
What Type of Laser Level Works Best for Grading?
What is important for you to know here is that there are different types of laser levels that you can use. To be exact, there are four main types. These include dot laser levels, line laser levels, rotary laser levels, and combination laser levels.
One thing that you definitely cannot use for landscape grading is a dot laser level. Dot laser levels only shine a single dot, which means that you need to have something like a wall to see that dot on.
Technically speaking, you could use a line laser level for landscape grading. The issue is that line laser levels only shoot a single straight line, either vertically or horizontally. Now, if you are grading land in a straight line, and only a thin strip, then a line laser level may work
However, in all reality, what you need for land grading is a laser level that can see or shoot 360 degrees in all directions. It does not really matter whether it’s a green or red one. With that, whether we are talking about agricultural land surveys, preparing farmland, leveling land for apartments and condos, or for building a house or a small shed, the rotary laser level is the best tool to use to determine the gradation of the land, as well as what needs to be done to get the land in the proper shape for whatever is to be built upon it.
How to Use a Rotary Laser Level for Grading
Now that we know that the rotary laser level is the best type of laser level for landscape grading, let’s go through it step by step process on how to get it done. Keep in mind that there are four things you will need for this task: the rotary laser level, a tripod, a grade rod, and a laser detector. Let’s get to it.
Step 1: Set Up the Laser Level
The first thing that you need to do here is to get your tripod and set it up on flat and dry ground.
Make sure to spread out the legs of the tripod at equal distances from each other, and moreover, make sure that the tripod is very stable. The accuracy of your result will partially depend on the stability of the tripod. Also, make sure to press the pin of the tripod into the ground so it cannot fall over.
Step 2: Turn the Laser Level On
What you need to do now is to turn on the laser level. If you happen to be using a manually leveling laser, you will have to use the adjustment screws to bring the bubbles of the level into the center. If you don’t really know how to level it using the screws and knobs, we recommend doing some research on this front, because your result will partially depend on this so-called calibration.
That said, it is of course much easier if you are using a self-leveling laser because it just needs a couple of minutes to level itself.
Step 3: Determine the Initial Grade Height
You’ll probably need a helping hand for this. With the help of somebody else, take the bottom of the grade rod and place it at the desired height that you have determined for your grade. Keep in mind that the grade rod is placed at the opposite end of the piece of land being graded.
In other words, you would set up the rotary laser level on one end and the grade rod at the other end, with the bottom of the grade rod being placed at the desired grade height.
Keep in mind that you do need to know what the initial height of the laser is, as you need a reference point to work from. That said, landscape surveyors should have already provided a benchmark for elevation. Simply put, for this all to work, you need to determine the height or elevation of the laser itself.
Step 4: Detect the Laser Beam
What you need to do now is to use the rotary laser level to shoot a laser beam at the laser detector, which should be fitted onto the grade rod. The position of the laser detector needs to connect with the actual laser beam. Once the laser beam connects with the detector, you can move onto the next step.
What you need to do is to move the laser detector up and down until it creates a constant sound. If the detector is too low or high, it will produce interrupted beeping sounds. When there is a solid connection between the laser beam and the detector, it will produce a constant sound. This is what you are looking for.
Now you know what the grade of the land from the laser to the detector is because you can compare the height of the laser to the height of the detector, in comparison to the slope of the land underneath. This way, you can determine if the land under the detector is higher or lower than the land under the laser level.
5. Take Measurements at Different Locations
All you need to do now is to move the grade rod to various points or locations on the jobsite and repeat this process.
Keep measuring the height of the laser compared to the detector, and where the detector meets the beam. In other words, what you are looking for are the differences in elevation from one point to another. This is how you grade a whole piece of land.
Once you have established the grade of various points on the jobsite in comparison to the laser level, you can then determine if there are any high spots that need to be raked out or any low spots that need to be filled in.
When it comes down to it, all you really need to do is to set a predetermined grade height and keep moving dirt around until you have achieved the landscape grading, angle, and/or levelness that you require.
Mistakes to Avoid, Tips & Tricks
Lastly, here are some related tips:
- If you are working outdoors, a green laser level is going to be much easier to see.
- You have to make sure that you are using a good tripod, and it needs to sit in a stable way.
- If you don’t want to waste time, get yourself a self-leveling rotary laser.
Summary
There you have it, folks, a simple step-by-step tutorial on how to use a rotary level to grade and level a piece of land.
It might sound a bit confusing, but the fact is that with a bit of practice, you will become a pro.