Stabilizing Your Soil With Lime

Stabilizing Your Soil With Lime

20 September 2021
 Categories: , Blog


Soil stability problems can be a significant issue that you may have to address. This is particularly true when you are needing to prepare the soil for construction work or you are needing to limit the amount of erosion that is occurring.

Lime Stabilization Can Be Well-Suited For Clay Soils

It is common for soils that are clay-heavy to suffer from stability issues. Unfortunately, some people will assume that there is not much that they can do in order to stabilize their clay dominant soil, but this is not the case with the ability to use lime. The lime is able to effectively bond with the clay in the soil, which can allow it to hold the clay particles together so that the stability issues can be eliminated entirely.

Lime Stabilization Can Represent A Durable Solution

When you are needing to stabilize large areas of soil, it is important to choose a solution that is able to provide durable results. Otherwise, you will need to have the stabilization work done to the property again in the near future, which can be highly disruptive or more difficult if you have constructed buildings or engaged in heavy landscaping work. In many cases, lime stabilization can last for a decade or longer. In fact, this can be among the most durable solutions for stabilizing clay soils. Ensuring that this area has good drainage can help to prolong these results as it will limit the ability of rainfall to dissolve and wash away the lime that has been added to the soil.

It Can Take Several Weeks For The Lime Stabilization To Be Fully Effective

During the process of lime stabilization, it will be necessary to mix the lime into the soil. Once this has been done, the lime will need to wait several weeks or longer to fully bind to the clay and cause it to harden. Being aware of this potentially lengthy waiting period may be necessary for avoiding logistical complications with the scheduling of your project. The exact amount of time that is needed will depend on the quantity of lime that is added to the soil and the severity of the stability issues. Your soil stabilization contractor will be able to provide you with an estimate for the length of time that will be needed. It is important to closely follow this timetable as disturbing the soil before the curing process has been completed and can substantially reduce the overall effectiveness of the lime.

Keep these tips in mind when looking for lime stabilization services near you.