- 1). Call a utility hotline. Phone books usually have the number to call in the front of the phone book. A marking crew will come to the site and mark any preexisting underground utilities. The service comes at no charge since it protect both you and the utility companies.
- 2). Mark the most direct line between where you want the line to run to and from. Never cross the lines of utility markers. Use line stripping paint to mark the path of your trench.
- 3). Dig the first two feet of the trench depth with a round nosed shovel. Squared nosed shovels take to much force to break ground effectively and should not be used for breaking new ground.
- 4). Dig beyond two feet with a trenching shovel. Trenching shovels have narrow, rounded blades and long handles to dig deep without making a trench wider than it needs to be. Lifting less dirt makes less work.
- 5). Break any rocks in the ground with a digging bar. Digging bars are long iron rods with wedge shaped ends. Their weight and shape makes them ideal for breaking rocks when trenching.
- 6). Measure trench depth with a tape measure. Digging too deep wastes time and energy. Dig only as deep as needed for your needs.
SHARE
