What Equipment Do I Need to Install Irrigation?

Irrigation is a long, shallow slot until it is not. Friendly loam and a straight lateral: Barreto 24 in walk-behind. Fittings, a main that has to duck a sidewalk, cobble, or a retrofit around trees: E35. The landscaping hub mentions this in passing; this page is the trench. Compact the backfill or every head sits in a dimple by next summer.

Equipment for installing irrigation

Primary machines

Barreto 24 in walk-behind trencher

Primary

Barreto hydraulic self-propelled 24 in class we rent.

Long, straight laterals in soil the chain actually likes.

Skip it when the yard is cobble, full of unmarked lines, or all fittings and no footage.

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Mini excavator

Primary

E35. You rarely need 305.5 for irrigation depth.

Mains, valve clusters, rock, and anything that has to turn.

Skip it when the entire job is straight laterals in friendly soil.

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Optional / nice to have

Skid-steer 48 in trencher attachment

Optional

48 in trencher on S550/T550 class.

Open lots where you already want the loader on site.

Skip it when you are in a backyard the loader should not enter — use the walk-behind.

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Plate compactor

Optional

WP1550 class. Not a rammer on pipe.

Backfill so heads do not settle. Light passes.

Skip it when you are in planting mix and will water-settle only.

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Typical pairing

New yard: Barreto for laterals + E35 for the main and valve boxes + plate for backfill. Retrofit around a finished lawn: mini only, and a plan to repair turf. 811 first, always.

Trencher vs excavator is a soil test

If a shovel already hit cobble, skip the chain. If the run is 400 feet of new laterals in a stripped lot, the Barreto will embarrass the mini on speed. See mini excavator vs trencher.

Mains, valves, and sleeves

Valve boxes and sleeves under walks are excavator or hand work. Do not run a chain through a driveway and call it a sleeve. A skid-steer 48 in trencher attachment is for longer, more open runs on a loader you already have.

Backfill

Plates on granular; gentle compaction so you do not crush PVC. A jumping jack on a 1-inch lateral is how you own a leak tour.

FAQ

How deep should irrigation be in Utah?

Deep enough to not freeze and not get hit by the next aerator — follow local practice and the manufacturer. We cut what you spec. We do not design systems.