Difference Between Rough Grading and Finish Grading

Grading is a specialized phase in a construction project, whether you are building a new home, landscape, road, or building. Grading and excavating helps prepare the ground for the best results. If grading is not proper groundwater may create structural issues and improper drainage can harm your project.

What is Rough Grading?

Rough grading is the shaping of the construction site. A grading expert levels the ground to create a specific slope to set a solid foundation. The benefit of rough grading is to provides good drainage and prevents future damage. This is usually done with a laser and includes adding, removing, or relocating of topsoil. Rough grading shapes the ground to the desired shape and elevation.

After the rough grading, finish grading is done. Finish grading puts the final touches on the transformed construction site.

What is Finish Grading?

Finish grading means preparing the ground to bring the surface within the elevation tolerances required for the construction project. It is done to contour and shapes the desired area by removing the large chunks of soil, rocks, and other undesirable debris providing a smooth surface.

Now that you what is rough and finish grading, let us get to know the difference between the two.

Difference Between Rough and Finish Grading

The rough grade implies leveling or sloping the foundation for a variety of projects while the finish grade is done after rough, and it means bringing the foundation within the exact elevation tolerance. Rough grading is not visible to the naked eye and is done using lasers, on the other hand, finish grading involves the use of GPS software that indicates to the grader what elevation and angle of the blade on the machine need to be for proper design pavement elevation.

In rough grading, a small amount of space is left for the finish grade to allow for the placement of topsoil. When the rough grading is done, the grader will have a grading certificate prepared and submit it for permitting approval. A city inspector inspects to verify the site is graded properly. The inspection report indicates whether the rough grade is ok or not.

During the finish grade, topsoil is spread out and compacted to create a smooth uniform finish for liners and other features to be laid. Finish grading work is done with a grader and a roller followed behind to provide the right elevation.
These are the difference between rough grading and final grading. If you are looking for grading your construction site, then Eagle Paving offers the best service. We use the latest technology such as laser-guided transits and automatic motor graders to calculate and achieve the correct elevation for successful grading outcomes.