Whether you oversee a construction crew or you’re an industry newcomer, learning the jobsite essentials will keep work efficient, safe, and responsible. For instance, what is backfilling?
It’s prevalent and beneficial, but not everyone knows what backfilling is and how it can enhance foundations. Don’t worry; our quick guide below will help you learn what backfilling is so you can use it to keep your jobsites in line with industry standards.
The basics
Excavation happens a lot on construction sites. The soil and stones you remove from the ground have no other purpose than to sit somewhere while you work. Luckily, once the project is complete, that leftover soil comes in handy.
The terms “backfill” and “backfilling” refer to the process of putting the soil back into a trench or excavation site. Of course, this begs the question, “What is the purpose of refilling the site?” After all, backfilling requires care, knowledge, and preparation, so why focus on such tasks after the project?
The purpose
Thankfully, we won’t leave you on a cliffhanger. Let’s dive into both questions above because they impact our central question: what is backfilling? The purpose of the process is to dispose of excavated soil in a responsible, eco-friendly manner.
However, backfill is for more than filling up holes. For example, construction crews can use backfill to reinforce building foundations. Sometimes, you’ll have leftover backfill after a project, but that’s not a problem because you can use that material to assist another jobsite instead.
The gear
Backfilling isn’t as easy as simply tossing the soil back into the ground. Your crew must send the excavated soil through a helpful device you can find online: a rock separator. The function of rock separators might be evident from the name, but the benefits may not be as clear.
This equipment is critical because the backfill must be up to local building code standards, which sometimes prevents materials like large boulders from being in the backfill mix. Luckily, rock separators are convenient tools for keeping backfill clean and ready to improve your jobsite.
