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Can I use a till to level the ground in preparation for either paving or a deck?
See pic.
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @NancyM. It's terrific to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about levelling an area.
Tilling will help, but it will not level the area for you on its own. What a tiller does well is break compacted clods and loosen the higher spots, turning the soil into a workable, loose material that is much easier to move with a shovel or wheelbarrow. If you want to use a tiller, run it over the high areas to break them up, then rake or shovel the loosened soil into the hollows. Do this in small amounts so you can spread and dress the low spots rather than dumping big piles that will settle unevenly.
For a practical workflow, first check for buried services and remove any large rubble or roots. Mow or strip any turf, then use the tiller to loosen the higher areas, keeping the soil slightly damp, not waterlogged, so it breaks up cleanly. Use a heavy rake to redistribute soil to the lower areas, and a wheelbarrow for larger moves. Once roughly level, use a soil spreader and a string line to check the fall and fine tune the grade. For final consolidation, work in 50 to 100 millimetre layers and lightly compact each layer with a vibrating plate compactor to create a firm base. Avoid leaving a deep, loose layer because it will settle over time and create dips.
For paving you will want to remove topsoil and build a compacted roadbase with a sand screed on top. For a raised timber deck you only need a stable, level footing or compacted pads where the bearers sit, so you may not need the same depth of compacted base. For a new lawn, a final topdressing of sandy loam spread and lightly rolled will give the best result.
Wear eye protection, gloves and boots, and be careful with the tiller. If you are unsure about the amount of cut or fill required, doing it in stages and checking the grade as you go will save rework later.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
