The Possibilities of Your Excavator Are Truly Endless: 5 Diverse Things You Didn’t Know You Could Achieve With an Excavator

April 16th 2024

The Possibilities of Your Excavator Are Truly Endless: 5 Diverse Things You Didn’t Know You Could Achieve With an Excavator

It’s common knowledge that excavators excel when it comes to digging and earthmoving requirements on site. However, fitted with the right attachments, your excavator can perform a plethora of functions that extend its capabilities well beyond excavation. From demolition to utility rehabilitation, allow us to share 5 things you didn’t know you could achieve with an excavator.

1. Demolition 

When paired with suitable attachments, your excavator is primed for all phases of demolition work. Buckets, grapples, breakers, and clamps, for instance, enable operators to break up footpaths, asphalt and concrete driveways, swimming pools, trails, and paths. They can also assist in demolishing structures, including retaining walls and old buildings, by reducing them to more manageable segments.  

2. Grading/compaction

Grading and compacting can be time-consuming tasks that typically require the use of specialised equipment, such as walk-behind compactors. However, these are tasks that can also be carried out by your excavator. A ripper attachment will first execute loosening any hard-packed earth, before a grading bucket attachment facilitates levelling or back-filling the work area. Fitted with a plate compactor, your excavator can be used to compress soil. 

3. Utility rehabilitation

Excavators can be used to maintain underground facilities, like septic tanks, gas and sewer lines, which require refurbishment as they age. Clamps, grading blades, grapples, and buckets, for example, are effective attachments for utility refurbishment programs, with more compact excavators also well-suited to accessing tight areas.   

4. Clearing debris and vegetation

Excavators can assist in clearing vegetation and debris, tasks required in preparing land for development. Clamps, grapples, and midsized buckets with teeth can be used to remove plant materials, such as dead or fallen trees, roots, branches, saplings, shrubs, and small rocks. The extended reach of the excavator’s arm also makes them effective at clearing debris in hard to access areas.

5. Fence posts and tree planting

An auger attachment allows you to use your excavator to plant trees and set posts. Modifying the auger’s spinning action facilitates drilling holes perfect for tree planting or for setting specialised rods deep underground when installing fences. 

 Final thoughts 

Although excavators have traditionally been used mainly for earthmoving, the plethora of attachments now available enable this machine to execute many different applications. Are you looking for a new excavator? Our fleet has been specially designed and manufactured to ensure they’re durable, powerful, and efficient. To learn more about SANY’s range of excavators, contact your local dealer.