DIY Soil Sifter // GREAT for Lawn Leveling

When it comes to leveling a lawn or working with bulk soil in general it is important to remove any debris or rocks from the soil before adding it to your lawn or project. I made a quick diy soil sifter using 2x4 boards and 1/4" hardware cloth to sift through my bulk topsoil and only add the fine material for topdressing or leveling.
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[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Once I have sifted the soil, here's the leveling tool I use - ryanknorrlawncare.com/product/lawn-level/

[@robertmorley3609]

I made one a few years ago, then added "guides" along the edge to fit my barrow. Now I can shake it back and forth to sift the fine stuff through.

[@lvsv650]

First, you take perfectionism to a new level! It's always worth the hard work in the end!

[@matthewstover6789]

At one point I had built a sifting table that my wagon could park under. Our yard had been edged out in white quartz rock and we wanted to make it all grass instead. So, we raked up the top stuff then dug out the rest and sifted out anything that had settled into the soil. Tedious, for sure. However it really made for a nice yard that didn’t throw rocks trying to mow it.

[@steved0603]

Pictures?

[@HeavyMetalLawnsAndLandscapes]

Soil sifting is a must

[@ranzerownzz]

Reminds me of this flower bed I installed, using an old window screen to sift through all the rocks before later re installing them with weed control material, rocks ontop ect. Could really feel it in my back. Felt like I was in the Gold Rush many moons back. Cheers!

[@keithspicer4172]

What a difference in the soil, it will be time consuming but like Ryan say's it will be worth it

[@arnoldlopez8332]

Man oh man that picture of your lawn towards the end 👌🏻VERY BEAUTIFUL!!!

[@freddavis5544]

Thanks Ryan, I got a 20 year old compost pile full of worms, ants, leaves, twigs ,and other parts of trees + all kinds of veggie matter. I built one like this before but I never thought to just use the measurement of the wheel barrow. Good idea Thank You.

[@steved0603]

Nice! Thank you for the idea. I picked up a load of supposedly "sifted topsoil" last week, but it's full of rocks glass and chunks of wood, and even a few candy wrappers. Spent all afternoon picking crap out of it by hand just to get 3 or 4 wheelbarrows full. What a mess! Anyway, was looking for a good way to sift it and this looks great! Thank you!

[@RLWSNOOK410]

I can just imagine your neighbors. “Did you see what that Ryan kid was doing today, he had a damn sifter out and was sifting dirt. I don’t even sift flour when the recipe calls for it...”

[@lamarr1986]

A lot of people who use these for compost processing have them at an angle so the larger stuff runs off, saves having to lift off the panel every time you want to remove the larger bits.

[@alexmussman6372]

Mark Evans same idea, I’ve seen people build a “tube” at an angle and someone spins the tube while another person continually loads dirt into the top. Big chunks fall out to a separate pile at the end and the screened pile is below the sifter.

[@Doug_E_Dee]

Hey Ryan, what I do when screening compost is take a square edge shovel just like the one you're using in the video and work it back and forth on the screen. Way easier than using your hands.

[@ikezarrabi8811]

Doug E Dee, or a brush, broom head without a handle...

[@waysidekoi]

Sandwiching the hardware cloth between the 2x4 is a great call

[@AsLawnandLandscaping]

Who thinks we need a live sub count with Ryan and Connor??!?

[@mattdebroux9480]

Have we ever thought that Ryan paid the bikers and cows to walk through Connor's yard that he is renovating to up his own sub count?????

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Shhhhh!!!

[@AsLawnandLandscaping]

Haha never know!

[@mattdebroux9480]

@@ryanknorrlawncare I don't blame you, that Connor guy is always running his mouth..........

[@AsLawnandLandscaping]

That mustache man

[@Anamnesis]

I owe all my inspiration to RK for building one like his. Just keep in mind, sifting through a truck load of dirt will have you more exhausted than you've probably been in ages, even if you're in okay shape. Lifting that screen thing over and over again to dump it gets brutal if you have to spend hours doing this. If I had to build another one, I'd try to use some kind of lightweight plastic rails rather than wood to build the frame, and a bit of construction adhesive to keep them from coming unscrewed or unstapled.

[@thedrewwitt]

Great idea. I made a similar one, but put small casters on the sifting tray, and made a companion bottom tray that rests on the wheel barrow. I load the top tray and run the sifter forward and back a few times and it does the trick faster with less effort. I’ll send you pictures if you want.

[@thermal_el_jackson]

I’d like to see this. Can you send pics?

[@rapfreak7797]

Thanks for the idea, I just built one this weekend. I made two changes to your design: - I built the bottom frame first using pocket holes and then stapled the screen to the bottom - I screwed blocks to the bottom so the sifter would sit firmly on my wheelbarrow and not fall off

[@Lawnvolution]

You are the man with a plan boyeeee👍👍👍 Love it! 😎👊

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

George , you also have a choice of the Reel Low Dad sifter or the Ryan Knorr Special. 😁

[@Lawnvolution]

trevor muggeridge and don’t forget Mr Ward too🤣🤣🤣

[@philliplawerence5784]

Good Job. Simple design and construction using conventional tools and materials.

[@HeavyMetalLawnsAndLandscapes]

This is fantastic Ryan. I am constantly getting frustrated whenever I dish out some topsoil or compost that ends up being more of a nuisance because of its size which won't let it degrade quick enough, or the amount of pebbles and rocks that can beat up my lawn mower blade. I'm definitely going to make this. Maybe add on extra height with a extra 2x4 so I can dump more in.

[@BenNawrath]

Glad I found this video. Saw your screen in a recent vid snout your front yard and it struck me as a good idea. I shoveled some “rock mulch” out of my beds when we bought the house, but it has a ton of dirt in it. I’d love to screen it both for the rock (base for walkways) and the soil!

[@JimmyLewisMows]

Growing up my dad made and used something similar. Works great.

[@ColonelK0rn1]

RLD had an old baby crib sitting around and I just watched Mike's video on soil sifting. You guys should have done a soil sifting collab :D Oh, and when you upgrade from a single-wheel to a double-wheel wheelbarrow, your world will change. I'd never go back to a single wheel again.

[@ceeller]

ColonelK0rn Upvote for the double wheel wheelbarrow, it’s a game changer.

[@JBSwanstrom]

Good job Ryan, I still have one from about 20 years ago and four moves from IL to MN! I use it to screen compost for top dressing my lawn, which looks incredibly better since subscribing. Good luck on the side yard.

[@carlbates8381]

Connor Ward and Reel Low dad both had sifters on their channels this week. It must be “Sifter week”.

[@DonaldAJr]

Well done man. I never thought it would be that important with my Gravely Zero Turn. I run at 8 MPH and I'm done in 15 minutes unless I double cut it and then it's like 20-22 minutes.

[@JRH2830]

Awesome video my friend simple but very useful thank you for sharing the information

[@raulruelas9443]

Thank you for making this video!!

[@jaybbuilder]

Screwing a couple pieces of PVC pipe to the bottom of the sifter can help speed the sifting by sliding back and forth on top of the wheel barrel.

[@rickrogers2649]

Ryan Knorr's screen debut.

[@Irwhodunit]

I'm building one of these out of 1x2's rather than 2x4's because it's much easier to handle. I'm sifting decomposed dirt and leaves out of newer leaves, then tossing over the fence, so weight matters. When I'm not sifting stuff, the sieve does a nice job of keeping derbies out of the outdoor air conditioning unit when it's not being actively used.

[@robertweekley5926]

Smart Double Function planning! Saves finding a "Place to Store it" at the Same Time!

[@chirodocheilman]

Using the 1/4 inch screening will get the particle size super fine, but on a pile that size it will take so much longer to screen. Having the mesh be 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch expanded metal mesh will still make the particle size still desirable, but the expanded metal will last a lot longer and the screening time will go so much faster.

[@hsamcarney]

I wonder if leaving one top board removed so you could sweep leftovers off the side. Might save a lot of energy picking up and removing sifter each cycle.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

might be a good idea to try

[@RocketScientist]

Oh I'm doing this! This will work great using up my post-pool install dirt mountain.

[@sparkyheberling6115]

Ryan, how do you connect the pieces of wood? Just screws? What length screws?

[@Al-ds3sw]

Love the videos and the yard

[@coondogtheman]

So going to make this. I'm going to make it with legs so I can shovel dirt into it and screen out the rocks. I have the half inch wire mesh. I might put a small motor with an offset weight so it vibrates the screen like when a phone buzzes.

[@tammyepaz7657]

can i use this to remove grass as well?

[@TheRealBusyB]

thanks for the tutorial. can you share you break the bigger clumps up that dont fit through the mesh?

[@marcustomz]

Hey Ryan cool tool. You should do a video of a peat moss roller. And try it with your top soil. Might be a little harder to push around, but it sounds like a cool idea.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I haven't been able to find one around here to try out

[@TheLawnWhisperer]

I can't wait to find out what you're using to seed the park strip

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

So far it's washed out 3 times. ☹️

[@grass-patch]

Murphy's law strikes again. Before or after seeding??

[@XRTRACING]

I like turning my 2 bys sideways. Get a deeper sift and don’t have to worry as much about stuff flying over the edge

[@coondogtheman]

Made one of these from an old kids folding table and some stiff metal wire screen about 1/2 inch holes. Not sure how it will work but if it doesnt I'll try putting a massage gun on it to make it vibrate.

[@breebw]

I left one end open, and the mesh wraps around. After sifting I then drag the "waste" off into a box. Roots, stones. This way I dont have to lift the mesh off to empty the waste(I'm old)

[@SuperTA329]

I bought 5 cubic yards of what they said was screened. 1st 5 carts full and spread out makes the yard look like a rubble site. gonna try this method.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I have definitely been there before myself..it's disappointing but in the end the extra work is worth it

[@SuperTA329]

@@ryanknorrlawncare I was upset at first but got some help tonight and it looks to be worth the effort. thanks for the video.

[@clifftravis5171]

Great project!

[@zacharymatejka433]

So I am just getting into lawns care and just picked up about 2 cu yds of amended top soil to level and top dress my lawn. But there are a bunch of small little pebbles in the soil and they’ll go through the 1/4 screen. How do I get them out?

[@pmario89]

How big of a difference if you use 1/2 inch, 1/4 inch currently out of stock at my HD

[@myk1200s]

hey Ryan i understand that you are restoring and leveling your lawn but i'm wondering why nobody uses compost ?

[@ReelLowDad]

R Ryan compost will break down over time. A good thing, but it will cause low spots to form. Topsoil is the better choice when filling in the low spots. Less organic matter to break down.

[@XBizzle06]

Did the same thing a few years ago.

[@AsLawnandLandscaping]

Nice video man! I’m going to build one of these myself!

[@popeyeyankee5477]

How many times do you top dress your lawn?

[@JS-cb7rx]

What size did you cut the 2*4s

[@andrewf.909]

How did you you kind of measure some 2x4s? Did you or didn’t you measure?

[@Simpleboneguy]

Hi Ryan, What is the size of the mesh you used for making this sieve? Hope youre keeping well!

[@endlesswaltz9051]

Awesome!! Thank you!!

[@MichaelSodapop]

I think the sandwiched 2x4s would make it a little heavy, I'm building my first one now using 2x2s with the screen just screwed to the bottom with washers.

[@sfbenfica2000]

how did come out using the 2x2s?

[@MichaelSodapop]

@@sfbenfica2000 It works fine, the only thing I'd change is dimensions. I made it a little too long for some wheelbarrows.

[@gregpodrasky110]

What was cost of soil in the video? 10cu/yda?

[@danielfisch655]

Thanks for sharing!!!

[@dareckmaurice9435]

Can you share what "type" of soil can one purchased please? thx I will be top dressing my lawn, looking for types/brands I can use, thx

[@pkrbkr13]

When you sift and put the soil down and then roll it level. Do you put a little loose soil on top of that for the new seed to grab?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

You can lightly rake it in and roll again or see if rolling along will still push it into the soil

[@spencersteinmann8651]

Ryan- did you find any use or any practical way of further breaking up the larger soil debris?

[@mattestelle7359]

I have the same question with about 3 yards of clumpy soil left afterwards...

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

First Aussie 😁. Have you been watching Reel Low Dad latest video..? A Great idea Ryan, I might have a go and make one myself. 😁👍👍

[@GoSloSho]

Siiiiiccckkkk shirt man 😉

[@NAVYOHIO]

great info....similar soil sifters go for 60 bucks on amazon

[@bethrossignol9746]

Thank you!!!!

[@davekernan]

What kind of top soil do you order? I'm looking to top dress as well this fall and found places that sell either 3/4" screen or 1/4" screen. I'll end up going with the 1/4" and hopefully not need to do this but I def understand your concern on having clumps.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I don't know exactly what it was screened to but seeing it I'm sure it wasn't 1/4" like I'm doing now so if you can get that, definitely go that route.

[@jayfirebaugh]

You are the handy man! Are you worried about what's IN that soil? Maybe try some bags of Scott's Lawn Soil?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Bags are far far too expensive for the amount I need

[@jimmyjohn8008]

How low are you hoping to be able to cut this lawn with a nice even look?

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Around the same height I'm at now or slightly lower. I have been cutting all season at 3/4"

[@sun9912]

That's a great idea bruh

[@ReelLowDad]

I prefer using my baby crib frame!!

[@RVALawnLove]

Reel Low Dad crazy you two put out sifting videos hours apart

[@ReelLowDad]

RVA Lawn Love seriously had no idea. #nocollusion

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

The kids could have pushed the soil around the sifter as a game, free labour. 😁🤣

[@trevormuggeridge4560]

You could have woken them up. Sweeten the deal with a lollypop😎🤣

[@TrehanCreekOutdoors]

Would you please do a full length video of you screening that entire dump truck load of soil two shovelfuls at a time and using your hand to work the soil? How many WEEKS does it take to do a full truck load? I can see using a device like that for screening out rocks and big clods for 100 gallons of soil to fill one of my 4 x 4 raised beds but even that would likely take an hour or two. I'm always amazed at people who show a dump truck load of several tons of soil being delivered and then show themselves screening it out a teacup or two at a time. Great concept but suitable only for very small jobs.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Took me a day for the full load. I like to work hard so sorry that bothers you.

[@TheLawnGuardian]

How neat is that?!

[@claudiasevilla1378]

What are the measurements?

[@Adasdream]

How much you charge for a phone consultation?

[@neilreynolds5647]

Works great but it is back breaking work hunched over that sifter at only a minor angle.

[@troyyoung8167]

Any reason why you didn’t just put higher sides on it, put it on the lawn, fill it with soil and drag it along.

[@Leth0]

everysingle hardware cloth or chicken wire i find that's 1/4 is like 50' long i cant find a 2' x 5' anywhere.

[@Bigshoots86]

True value or ace hardware has the shorter stuff

[@freethinker3161]

that's a great idea.

[@dlandes14]

Hey Ryan, I just spot treated for some crab grass and other weeds in my lawn with Ortho Weed b Gon (it really wasn't that many weeds) and the recommendation on the label is to wait 4 weeks before seeding new grass. Is this legit? If so that sucks, I was hoping to overseed in like 2 weeks.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

I can't think of a reason it would affect anything and especially waiting 2 weeks yet

[@LawnDad]

Crime Scene Detectives use these when sifting through dirt looking for evidence and bones 🦴. 🤪

[@kevinl5171]

literally made almost exactly the same thing not two days ago.

[@YardGuy]

I feel like a crib frame might have worked better.

[@ryanknorrlawncare]

Blasphemy

[@derekgordon4972]

@reellowdad Why is Ryan duplicating...nevermind? Lol

[@DIYAllied]

What do you mean? Who is reellowdad?

[@stapeley100]

Put it on stilts and at a angle . It is the method people have used for centuries .

[@dsynergist]

If you would have made this cylindrical then job would have been much easier. Make it cylindrical and roll directly on the lawn

[@mdinatale12]

Why is everyone sifting dirt this week wtf! Lol

[@fk319fk]

wow, the first time you did a video where not only I disagreed with you, but I think you were wrong. I will say that I have a lawn tractor-trailer that is rectangular, maybe 4 ft^3. For the long ends of my screen, I took a 2x4 and ripped it in half so it was 2x2. These were laid on top of the long side of the trailer. I then took another 2x4 and put it in/on the short side of the trailer so that it fits half inside the trailer box and half outside with the 2x2's. The long ends extended 6" past the end of the trailer and it looks like a [people] stretcher. I then put the screen over the frame and used screws to hold the screen. The screen is placed so I could push the dirt off the short ends, ie the raised part of the screen ran the long way of the trailer. The screen fits on top of and inside the trailer snugly, one of the two mistakes I made was it fits very snuggly. (It was fine till I wrapped in the screen and screws.) It is tough work doing it my self as I have to switch tools and break my rhythm, but when my son "helps" I can get a lot more done. I would shovel and spread the dirt on the screen and he would use a garden rake, upside down, and get the loose stuff to drop through and when it is just large rocks then he would push it off the end, into another trailer. I would lift the screen three times, twice to spread the dirt in the trailer and the third time to move the trailer to where I want the dirt. I do have another screen, smaller, that I do use on a wheelbarrow. If I were to make another one, it would fit around or in the wheelbarrow so it would not slide as I used it. The other mistake I made was I need a backstop. After the third trailer full of dirt, my aim is not so good and not all the dirt stays on the screen. I have not come up with a good solution as to how to construct it.

[@floridalawns509]

1st 😎👊

[@floridalawns509]

@Striperman i think it may have been a tie that time 😂

[@HeavyMetalLawnsAndLandscapes]

Excuse me gentlemen, but do you ever notice how I do not flaunt my firstness? I may just leave a quick little pearl of wisdom and split. Like I did about 12 minutes ago.

[@floridalawns509]

@@HeavyMetalLawnsAndLandscapes lol flaunt it if you got it babyyy 😎 Love those pearls of wisdom though!

[@VW.907]

Oh gosh, you guys did copy each other....ugh hah.

[@deotossou]

How many tons of topsoil did you get?

[@edgarscers6773]

What would you recommend to separate yard waste (weeds, rocks, etc.) from dirt? Larger holes? Thank you!

[@robertweekley5926]

The Example he Built, was a "Batch Mode" sifter, and used, as he said, 1/4" sized construction cloth. It can also be had in 1/2" Spacing (1/2" x 1/2"), if you want a bit faster Flow through of higher volumes of feed. Also, as Ryan has "Framed" the Sifter on all 4 sides, if you designed it, with 4 frame pieces under, but 3 on top, with a exit for the dirt, Leaves, Twigs, etc, that was oversized, in could Flow out faster, eliminating the need to pick it up, to empty it each time! Just add a tray or lip extension on the opening so the Oversized items falls further away from the Wheelbarrow! To secure the Construction Cloth, give it a 3-Sided "Wrap" on the Opened Space, especially, as well as Stapling it on top, edge, and Bottom of that wrap. Hope this idea helps! Also, as another poster said, building one with a Second Carrier Frame, with Some form of Rollers, Wheels, or Casters (non Swiveling) so you can agitate the Sifter with a back & forth sliding action, simplified it's use, and meant not having to hand spread out the Load, and was easier and faster!