Digging trench for MDPE pipe, any tips?

[Pete C]

Hi,

I'm planning to dig a fairly shallow trench for some MDPE pipe, and would like to hear any tips on how to go about it, or how long it should take to dig 40m of trench.

It's not going to be that deep as it's in a well sheltered low lying area, I was thinking of cutting down a cheap spade to dig a narrower trench, or would this make it trickier to get the earth out?

TIA, Pete.

[Grunff]

If this is for water supplied by a utility company, then there are restrictions on the depth - I believe most companies specify a 600mm minimum depth.

If it's for a private supply, I wouldn't want to bury it less than 450mm deep anyway. Not so much because of issues with freezing, but because of risk of damage.

I don't know how shallow you intend to bury it, but I'd want to use a digger for this. Even a 400mm trench 40m long would take a couple of days to dig by hand, and that's in reasonable soil. If it's particularly rocky then that could easily double.

[Owain]

"Pete C" wrote | I'm planning to dig a fairly shallow trench for some MDPE pipe, | and would like to hear any tips on how to go about it, or how | long it should take to dig 40m of trench. | It's not going to be that deep as it's in a well sheltered low | lying area, I was thinking of cutting down a cheap spade to dig | a narrower trench, or would this make it trickier to get the | earth out?

You can buy narrow spades for trenching. Try parts FAISSCLMYD , FAISSTRMYD , JCB2026 and FAIASDMYD at

> online shopping > search product code

Owain

[Pete C]

Hi,

Hi,

Thanks for the comments, will look into getting a special spade. Was hoping to dig a 100mm wide by 300mm deep trench at 4m/hr but will have to see how it goes...

cheers, Pete.

[look]

Assuming access is not a problem money spent hiring someone with a digger for a few hours would be well worth it. royall at which net