The Top 5 Uses For Excavators
Because of its versatility, the excavator is one of the most popularly used pieces of heavy equipment across all types of construction and landscaping projects. Used most often for digging and earthmoving, the body of an excavator comprises of a boom, dipper (or stick), and bucket. These pieces connect to a cab that sits on a rotating house that, for most models, can rotate a full 360 degrees, making it great for moving in small, confined spaces with a great range of motion. You can find excavators with either tracks or wheels depending on the manufacturer and the project's nature.
The power and makeup of the excavator allow for it to be effectively deployed in many diverse projects depending on the different attachments that are used. Of the many activities that the excavator is seen doing, here's a list of the 5 top jobs that this piece of heavy equipment is best at getting done.
Table of Contents
Digging & Earthmoving
As mentioned above, the excavator is typically and most commonly used for digging and earthmoving projects. Whether it's digging trenches, digging holes, grading land, or general landscaping, the excavator can certainly be used to move around dirt, soil, rock, debris, and more on any job site.
When it comes to digging and earthmoving, trench digging fully highlights the excavator's abilities and features. In construction projects, trench digging refers to the digging of various-sized holes in the ground in order to provide space for the installation of different kinds of utilities or foundations. The teeth-like prongs on the edge of the excavator's general-purpose bucket allow for the machine to easily and almost effortlessly break ground and scoop the earth below. This means that the excavator can dig trenches that would take significantly more time and effort to complete if contractors used manual equipment or other, less-suited pieces of heavy equipment.
The other earthmoving job that the excavator does well is landscape grading. Grading refers to both the leveling of ground in preparation for a construction project, or the sculpting of land for controlling water flow from an area while also creating space for plants, paths, and other landscaping elements. This means that jobs in this category see a full or partial reworking of the project's land by completely digging up and resettling the earth. Similar to trench digging, the excavator's power and bucket help quickly and effortlessly move that earth which would otherwise take much longer to complete by other means, making it the perfect machine to rent or own for this kind of job.
Demolition
Demolition is a job that can often get overlooked when thinking about a construction project or the construction process. However, properly demolishing a structure is equally as important as building a new one. For example, demolishing a house in a confined residential area in order to build a new one has to be done safely and to code.
Even though the excavator is great at digging and preparing land for further construction in a project, it's also very useful for the opposite. In a demolition project, the excavator is put to good use due to a combination of its power and unique attachments.
An excavator suited for demolition projects provides an extra level of stability and safety for its operator and ground crew. Using a breaker attachment instead of the traditional general-purpose bucket allows the excavator to destroy tougher, more precise areas as well as perform other demolition-specific tasks. The breaker attachment lets the excavator break through concrete, stone, and other tough materials thanks to its hundreds of pounds of impact energy. The general-purpose bucket can also be used to demolish structures that aren't as sturdy as ones that need the breaker attachment. Plus, the excavator makes cleaning all the debris after demolition much easier as well, reducing the amount of equipment you need on-site.
Handling Materials
The excavator's job doesn't just stop at demolishing a structure and preparing the ground for further construction. Handling heavy materials is a vital component in large construction projects. For example, when a road is being reconstructed or repaved, or utilities like water mains are being replaced, there are some very heavy materials that are going to need to move from place to place throughout the project.
The excavator can easily handle this kind of job, and other material handling jobs like it, with the use of different specialized clamp attachments. This piece of heavy equipment can become a very powerful tool for your construction project since its various clamp attachments allow for the quick and efficient picking up and careful placement of heavy materials that would not be liftable by even groups of workers.
For example, as mentioned above, excavators can handle the moving of water mains for road work, large and heavy pipes for pipeline construction, and large rocks and boulders for landscaping purposes.
Removing Debris
In a similar way to material handling, the excavator is an excellent tool for debris removal. For example, when the debris of a fallen structure needs to be cleared after a demolition project or, unfortunately, a natural disaster, the excavator can use its material handling abilities to get the job done quickly.
The reason why the excavator is so useful in debris removal projects is because of its customizability. Because there are many different excavator types and sizes, there's flexibility in choosing the right one for the specific tasks. Certain projects may require more maneuverability or the need for more lifting power.
Furthermore, since "debris" isn't a specific material and the application in which the debris has to be lifted may be very different from project to project, the plethora of available excavator attachments makes this machine great for debris removal jobs.
Forestry
Although forestry might not be at the top of your list (or on your list at all) when you think of jobs for excavators, this industry makes great use of the power and versatility of this machine. Forestry refers to the industry that maintains and cultivates forests in order to produce products like lumber, pulp, and paper.
In forestry, the work that's done by excavators includes the harvesting and handling of trees and other heavy lumber-based materials. The excavator is also used to create access routes, move branches, and shear trees for smoother and safer operations.
Forestry work done by the excavator is completed with help from its shear, mulcher, and other forestry-specialized attachments. The many different sizes and wheel or track options for excavators also make it a lucrative tool to use in this industry since the space in a forest can drastically vary depending on the type of forest it is, the proximity of trees to one another, and the uneven surfaces.
Renting Your Next Excavator
With all the jobs they can be used for, you might find yourself needing an excavator or an attachment on your next project. To compare local rates, find the best deal, and easily rent an excavator with attachments you may need, check out DOZR Marketplace or call one of our specialists today.
