For Your Next Landscaping Project – Rent a Skid Steer

skid steer loader

A skid steer can be a big help when you are tackling a landscaping project, but, what exactly is a skid steer? What are its advantages? And why is it one of the best tools for most landscaping projects? Today we will answer those questions and more, or simply reach out to our team for easy assistance.  Let us take a snap-shot of what you need to know about using a skid steer for your next landscaping project.

First off, what is a Skid Steer?

When someone mentions a skid steer, many people automatically think about construction sites, hard hats, steel girders and a whole lot of noise, but the skid steer does not belong specifically to construction sites. In fact, arborists, gardeners, farmers, and professional landscapers large and small have adopted the almost daily use of these machines for a reason.

Skid steers are quite the versatile machine that can be equipped with a variety of attachments. It is the use of these attachments that enable the operator and the business to complete a wider scope of projects. In fact the use of these attachments enable you to get the job done without having to purchase a whole set of new tools for example to remove that old tree in the backyard, or to dig a new flower bed, or to do some heavy lifting and regrading of topsoil. The versatility makes the tough jobs easy, efficient and cost effective without breaking the bank.

Some Of The Add-Ons

Some of the most common attachments for landscaping include:

  • Buckets for digging holes and back blading your yard
  • The standard bucket for scooping up material or even loading up rocks for disposal
  • Easy clip-on hydraulic fork attachments make for dream work when loading and unloading trailers or simply moving heavy crates and pallets of flowers or shrubs around your yard.
  • They even come with auger attachments so tree planting and privacy fences are no longer a week-long job.
  • Chipping and mowing attachments can be used for tree stumps and shrubs
  • Folk attachments allow your skidsteer to function like a forklift and move some plants and even pallets of material around.

You can clip on and off any of these attachments to the skid steer, meanwhile removing much of the manual labor, and get that week-long landscaping job done in the afternoon.

Skid steers are also easy to operate, as well as they are ideal in those areas with limited space. They are easy to maneuver and are smaller than many other types of equipment used for landscaping projects. The skid steer is at times a bit more practical and more affordable than the larger excavator or dozer.  Along with this is the ease of transporting the skid from one job site to another, as a pick-up truck or bumper tow trailer will do just fine to haul your skid steer.

Landscaping Uses For The Skid Steer

This can be considered as an advantage of having the skid steer as part of your equipment portfolio.  There are other advantages of using a skid steer in your landscaping projects as opposed to hand tools or the use of hired crews.

Some of the top reasons DIY homeowners and contractors rent skid steers to use for landscaping projects include:

Demolition projects on site

Some landscaping and DIY building projects may have the need to tear down some existing or dilapidated structures, such as an old shed. The skid steer can aptly be used to do this without impacting any neighboring houses or structures which may be surrounding the yard area. Be mindful that it is nimble equipment.

Grading, Regrading and Backfilling

Of course as you complete your landscaping project there usually is a need to have some grading and backing filling work done. As the space will need flattening out, leveling and any gaps to be filled in order to make the property surface even. The landscaping skid steer rake attachment can make light work of this task.

Mowing

Just add the brush cutter attachment and the skid steer is transformed into a durable mowing machine. Grasses and fields which were overgrown become easy to manage and take much less man-power to clear. Throw into this mix the zero-turn technology, and this piece of equipment allows you the accuracy of mowing in tight areas and even around trees.

Tilling

Should you want to plant anything as part of your landscaping project, simply add the tilling attachment and get going. With the tilling attachment you can also mix any fertilizer or compost into the siol. Additionally the skid steer can use this attachment to also aerate the soil as well, making for optimal conditions for plants to bloom.

Loading and Transport

So often, landscaping jobs will involve some amount of loading and moving. Whether it is discarding material or assisting in loading or off-loading materials, the skid steer makes it a breeze. For example in loading a dumpster or truck. If there is the need to move any pallets, simply add the fork attachment and get going.

Once the correct landscaping tires are used for your skid steer, this piece of machine can optimize the job without getting stuck in the mud.