Cleaning out rock piles...

[Luck e 1]

I want to clean up our rock trim around the house...

Does any know of a screen tool or anything that will allow the dirt and debris to fall through and keep the rocks on top? The goal is to take the rocks out, clean them up, and put them back in with new plastic and maybe even pavers as the edging between the rocks and grass.

[IcePro]

I have been there and there is no easy way to do it. Here is what I have done in the rocks along my house and drive way.

I have attempted refreshing the rock along the drive way and house a couple of times.

1. Loosen the rock up with a rack and take a strong leaf blower and blow the debris away. (This is much easier with two people). Than add additional new rock. We did not add any new landscape fabric.

2. If your plans are to replace the fabric the best way would be to remove the rock and place it on a hard flat surface (driveway) and wash the rock with a hose. If you try to sift the rock it will be time consuming

I find this post very appropriate because I just went through the process of removing the rock along the drive. We washed the rock on the drive and placed it around the house following the procedure in step #1. It is very amazing how much dirt has accumulated in the rocks.

Along the drive we did not replace with rock but putting replacing with Holland pavers. Tired of the rock being thrown around from the snow blower.

If you want to sift the rock, you make make your own sifter. Make a frame out of 2x4's and attach a wire screen with a wide opening(chicken mesh, etc.).

All I can say is be prepared for a very slow tedious process. You could be handling the same rock several times depending what process you choose.

[EnesG]

TBH, washing it on the driveway is waste of water.

get a peace of plywood and put it on your grass and wash it there, you can move it with your work area... done with one area, move it onto next.

And at the same time get the benefit of watering your grass.

Most of the dirt in there is going to be good dirt for the grass anyways, or mostly decomposed stuff.

If there are a lot of other junk, there is a mesh at menards just like the chicken wire but its a bit more sturdier and its better size about 1/2 inch in spacing of the holes. perfict to make your own sift.

It is a lot of work, but it is the only way really.

Get some planter fabric, or strong plastic/bags, i had a roll of 300 feet of 1mm x 18 inches plastic that worked great for it, 10 years later no grass coming through yet.

[merkman]

Kinda like this?

My dad built this homemade vibratory conveyor to help clean out my pond.

We put a sump pump in the tub underneath so we could control where the water went.

It gets em clean,but it is still a lot of work.

We need to build a vacuum conveyor next to save the back!!

Suck em up, clean them off and let them fall in place.

[MuleShack]

Some of the rental shops do have a big vacuum where you suck the rocks out of the bed into a can on the trailer. Then dump where you want to wash and shovel them back in. You can pull it with a ATV.

[merkman]

Some of the rental shops do have a big vacuum where you suck the rocks out of the bed into a can on the trailer. Then dump where you want to wash and shovel them back in. You can pull it with a ATV.

Rental!!!

That is even better than making one!!!!

Sweet, there is a company that rents them just 15 miles from my house!!

I know how I will clean my pond next year.

[IcePro]

WOW....

I wish I new about this rock vac. This would be the perfect way to clean rock.

This would have saved me many hours and ibuprofen

[klecker]

It dosent clean the rock. It sucks up everythig. Dirt, rock, small plastic and what ever. My crew will out preform this bad boy any day of the week. One hooper full is about a wheel barrel. A home owner rented one on our last job thinking it would save some money. Took 4 days to remove 18 ton of rock and he can hardly move right now.

[Luck e 1]

Thanks for the ideas guys...this is exactly what I am talking about. I think I will make a frame with chicken mesh. Then I can take the frame around with me.

[broken_line]

a grain vac will stuck up rocks up to 1.5 lbs and will blow all the dirt and small rocks out the vent.. might ruin the aguer trying to push them out but it works good to clean post holes out!