Is Trenching Better Than Directional Boring for Your Project?

People who are unfamiliar with the differences between various types of excavating projects might wonder what the differences are between trenching and directional boring, and which is most appropriate for their specific type of project. This is especially true for residential customers or first-time commercial customers, who are not going to have as much experience in hiring diggers to place or address issues with underground utilities.

Here’s an overview of trenching and directional boring in Roseville, CA from an experienced underground utility contractor.

Trenching versus directional boring

Trenching involves opening the ground from above to form a deep, narrow passageway. Trenchers used for the process often work similarly to massive chainsaws—they have tines that pull up the ground relatively easily.

Trenchers can come in a variety of sizes, depending on how much power the project requires. They could be as small as a lawn mower or as large as a tractor. The trenches formed usually range from six to 12 feet in diameter and can be anywhere from 18 to 60 inches deep. People will typically use trenches in open areas where disturbing the ground is not problematic. Because the process involves ripping the ground open, the area needs to be back-filled with the material that had been previously removed after all the utility work is completed.

Directional boring is used for many of the same types of jobs that trenching is, but it is a much less invasive and disruptive process for the terrain. The boring rigs used to complete the process only dig down through the surface to open up a tunnel that then allows for the placement of utility infrastructure, such as fiber optic cables and electrical work. The rigs themselves are often much larger than trenchers, but they are ideal for use in situations where it’s important to maintain the aesthetics of the area.

Which to use for your projects

So which type of process will you use for your excavation project? It really depends on the kind of work you’re having done and the character of the property being trenched. You should also consider the scope of work, including the work distance, the path you’ll be taking and any other factors that could determine how complicated the job will be.

Directional boring tends to be more expensive per linear foot than trenching. But again, it is less invasive than trenching, which might be important if you’re a residential customer who has put a lot of work into landscaping and gardening. Directional boring is also often used by utility contractors that need to run new lines under streets. Trenching would require these streets to be closed down and torn up, which might be a tough sell to that local municipality.

For more information about when it makes sense to use directional boring or trenching in Roseville, CA, we encourage you to contact a directional boring contractor at Es7 Comm-2 U, Inc. today. We look forward to working with you to iron out the details of your project!

Categorised in: Directional Boring, Trenching Contractors

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