Land rakes and root rakes both look like a row of steel tines on the end of your dipper, so it's easy to assume they do the same job. They don't. A land rake is a finishing tool for combing stones and debris out of loose topsoil. A root rake is a heavy clearance tool for ripping out roots, brush and buried debris. Use the wrong one and you'll either bend the tines or waste hours.
What a Land Rake Does
A land rake works through loose, already broken ground. You draw it through the topsoil and the tines catch stones, roots and larger debris while the soil falls through. It's the tool landscapers and groundworkers use to get ground ready for turf, seeding or planting.
Our excavator land rakes are built on a grading bucket shape rather than a flat frame, so as well as raking they can scoop up what they collect and carry it to a pile or skip. Tines are spaced 75mm to 100mm apart, and widths run from 1200mm for 1–2 tonne minis to 2000mm for 17–25 tonne machines.
What a Root Rake Does
A root rake is built to go into the ground and pull out what's buried in it. Its tines are thicker, curved to bite in, and serrated so they tear through roots and compacted vegetation. It's the tool for clearing overgrown land, forestry work and sites where old roots need to come out before anything else can happen.
Our excavator root rakes use S355 structural steel tines reinforced with an HB400 wear plate, so they don't bend or wear quickly under heavy prying loads.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Land rake | Root rake | |
|---|---|---|
| Main job | Finishing: stones and debris out of topsoil | Clearance: roots, brush and buried debris |
| Ground | Loose, already broken ground | Overgrown, rooted or compacted ground |
| Tines | Straight, spaced 75–100mm | Thick, curved and serrated |
| Digs into the ground? | No, works the surface | Yes, built to penetrate and pry |
| Carrying material | Scoops and carries in its bucket-shaped body | Gathers and pushes material into piles |
| Typical users | Landscapers, groundworkers, turf preparation | Land clearance, forestry, site preparation |
Which One Do You Need?
Start with the state of the ground.
- Overgrown, full of roots or brush: start with a root rake.
- Already dug, stripped or cultivated, but stony: a land rake will clean it up.
- Both: use them in that order. Clear with the root rake, then finish with the land rake before seeding or turfing.
Don't use a land rake to rip out roots. Its tines are made for sifting loose soil, not prying, and they'll bend. A root rake, on the other hand, leaves the surface rough, so it isn't the tool for a final finish.
Where Riddle Buckets Fit In
If stones and rubble are mixed right through the soil rather than lying on top, raking won't get them out. Dig the material and sort it with a riddle bucket instead. Our excavator sorting buckets range covers all four tools: land rakes, root rakes, riddle buckets and screening buckets.
Sizing Your Rake
Match the rake to your excavator's operating weight. A wider rake covers more ground per pass, but a small machine will struggle to pull a big rake through heavy ground. As a guide, a 3 tonne mini digger suits the 2–4 tonne land rake or 2–4 tonne root rake, and an 8 tonne midi suits the 6–10 tonne land rake or 6–10 tonne root rake. Have your pin and dipper measurements ready so the rake arrives with the right linkage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a land rake remove tree roots?
Small, loose roots in cultivated soil, yes. Established roots anchored in the ground, no. That's a root rake's job.
Can I level ground with a land rake?
You can spread and roughly level loose soil with it, because the bucket shape lets it carry and redistribute material. For an accurate finished level, use a grading bucket. Our guide on how to grade ground with an excavator explains the method.
What tine spacing should I choose?
Narrower spacing catches smaller stones but lets less soil through. The standard 75mm spacing suits most topsoil work, while our largest rake uses 100mm spacing for heavier material. Other spacings can be made to order.
Can one rake do both jobs?
Not well. A root rake can drag debris off the surface, but it won't give you a clean finish, and a land rake isn't strong enough for clearance. If you do both kinds of work, it's worth having one of each.
Planning a full clearance job? Our step-by-step guide to clearing overgrown land with an excavator shows how the two rakes work together. For help choosing, send us your machine details.
