Concrete base Layer

The dirt beneath your concrete slab is constantly moving. The base prevents the movement of the dirt from cracking the concrete slab by providing a layer that absorbs the differential movement often found in existing soil. When a gravel base is applied, runoff washes through the gravel base keeping your slab well supported and crack free. For hard to reach areas many contractors use pea gravel as a base for poring concrete.

Septic Tank Decommissioning

Decommissioning is the process of making the tank inoperative. For safety purposes it is required that a decommissioned tank be filled with sand, concrete or gravel. We provide the service of filling your unused tank with Pea Gravel through our blower service.

Before we can begin the job we need to know how many yards of material you will need. To determine the quantity of material, divide the gallons of the tank by 202.

202 gallons= 1 yard

Once you know the quantity, determine how far from the road or driveway the tank is located. Our truck is capable of blowing pea gravel up to 150 feet, however, additional charges apply for distances over 200 feet.

Slinger Truck Service — Fast, Accurate, & Low-Impact Material Placement

When you need to move material—gravel, pea gravel, soil, or fill—into tight spots, over long distances, or behind obstacles, a slinger truck is one of the best tools. At Aardvark Bark, our slinger truck service helps with backfill, septic tank decommissioning, under-slab fill, and other jobs where traditional dumping or manually pushing material would be difficult, messy, or too slow.

---

What Is a Slinger Truck?

A slinger truck (also called a material slinger, stone slinger, or simply “slinger”) is a specialized vehicle with a conveyor belt / slinging arm / chute system built into it. Instead of dumping material out of the back, a slinger truck “throws” or “slings” material (pea gravel, fill, sand, soil mixes) from its bed over distances, through small gate openings, behind structures, or into hard-to-reach spots.

Some of the features / capabilities of slinger trucks (general ones, and many similar to what Aardvark Bark does / could do) include:

• The ability to deliver material up to a certain distance from the truck (depending on the model).

• Remote/controlled conveyor arms and chutes for precision placement.

• The ability to use a variety of material types (gravel, pea gravel, fill sand, soil, backfill, etc.).

• Reduced site disturbance because the material is delivered to where it’s needed without requiring large equipment to drive through fragile or landscaped areas.

---

How Aardvark Bark Uses Slinger Trucks / Pea Gravel Blowing for Specific Jobs

While the website may call this service under “Septic Decommissioning & Back Fill” or “Blower / Slinger Service”, here are how we use it and what to expect:

• Septic Tank Decommissioning / Filling: When a septic tank is no longer in use, regulations typically require it to be filled (decommissioned) for safety. We fill unused tanks with pea gravel via blower or slinger service. For quoting, you tell us how many gallons the old tank was (convert gallons to cubic yards) so we estimate needed material.

• Backfill under slabs or concrete: Sometimes you need a stable fill base (e.g. pea gravel or other fill material) beneath a concrete slab or foundation. The slinger / blower method lets us get material under structures without driving heavy equipment across fresh concrete or through tight spaces.

• Hard-to-access fill: Areas behind buildings, garages, between fences, over irrigation lines, or where bulk trucks have limited access. Slinger or blow/pea gravel service helps deliver material precisely with minimal impact.

• Distance and reach: For example, Aardvark Bark’s blower trucks can handle hose-runs of 250 ft and connect hose sections to reach far interior locations; similarly slinger conveyor systems have limits of reach depending on the arm. In other service providers, slinger trucks may place material 30-60 feet or more from the truck bed. (Note: limits vary by truck and material type.)

---

Benefits of Choosing Slinger Truck / Pea Gravel Filling

1. Precision & Control — You can send material exactly where it’s needed: into septic tanks, behind structures, into pits, under slabs, etc., with less moving of material by hand.

2. Speed & Efficiency — These methods are much faster than manually hauling with wheelbarrows or small equipment. Entire fill jobs that might take days can often be done in a few hours.

3. Reduced Site Disturbance — Because material is placed via chute / slinger / blower, there’s less damage to landscape, lawns, paved areas, or structures.

4. Lower Labor Costs — Less manual labor, fewer crew hours needed, and fewer breaks or delays because of difficult access.

5. Safety — By reducing the need for heavy lifting, moving material through tight spots, or using more equipment in constrained spaces, there’s less risk of injury or damage.

6. Regulatory & Code Compliance — For septic decommissioning, fill under slabs, foundation backfill etc., you often need specified material (like pea gravel), compaction, and proper fill. Our service helps meet those requirements.

---

What Impacts Pricing & What You Should Know

Before booking slinger truck / pea gravel fill / backfill jobs, these are the cost-influencing factors to consider:

---

Typical Use Cases & Examples

• Septic Tank Decommissioning: You converted an old septic tank into something else. You need to fill it with pea gravel to meet safety standards. We compute how many yards needed (e.g. gallons converted to cubic yards), then sling or blow pea gravel in.

• Under Slab Backfill: Concrete slab base or foundation has voids or needs aggregate under it. Rather than haul material in, we use slinger to place pea gravel or similar fill.

• Trenches & Utility Backfilling: When pipe trenches or utility lines need to be backfilled (often with gravel for drainage), slinger service can drop in material over the trench without disturbing surrounding ground.

• Landscape Finish Work: In decorative or functional beds, walkways, or patios where you want pea gravel or fill stone evenly and cleanly placed.

---

FAQs

Q: How many yards of pea gravel are needed to fill a septic tank of known gallons?
A: At Aardvark Bark, one rule of thumb: 202 gallons = 1 cubic yard. So if your old tank was, say, 2,020 gallons, you’d need about 10 cubic yards of gravel.

Q: How far can your slinger / blower reach?
A: Our blower trucks can blow pea gravel up to 150 feet in ideal conditions. If the distance is over certain thresholds (say > 200 ft), that may incur additional charges. Access, elevation, and obstacles will affect performance.

Q: What kind of material can be slung or blown with this service?
A: We can handle pea gravel, fill gravel, sand, possibly other fill materials depending on size / consistency. If a material is too large, coarse, or wet, it may not blow/slings well.

Q: Does slinger fill compaction matter?
A: Yes. For structural fill or under slabs, drainage, or septic tank fill, proper compaction may be required after filling to prevent settling. We provide the material; in many cases, compacting may be done separately or by you / your contractor.

Q: Will the fill damage my property (lawns, plants, fences)?
A: We take measures to avoid damage. Because material is delivered by slinger / blower, there’s minimized tracking or driving through soft areas. Still, we’ll coordinate how to protect plants, surfaces, driveways, etc.

---

How to Request Slinger Truck / Back Fill Pea Gravel Service

Here’s a step-by-step to get an accurate quote and smooth installation:

1. Measure or Estimate Volume — If it’s a septic tank, tell us its gallons. If it's a trench or area, measure length × width × depth in feet, convert to cubic yards.

2. Measure Distance & Access — How far is the fill point from road or truck staging area? Are there gates, fences, or obstacles? Height or slope? Can we drive close or need long reach?

3. Choose Material Type — Pea gravel, fill stone, sand, etc. Ask about clean, screened pea gravel if needed for septic/regulation.

4. Check Minimums — See if your required volume meets our minimum load for slinger/blower service. If not, there may be a surcharge or you may need to add extra material.

5. Schedule — Pick a date when conditions are good, access is clear (gates open, obstacles moved), and you’re ready.

6. Prep — Clear the fill area, move items that might block the path, protect surfaces if needed.

7. Install & Inspect — Our crew will deliver and place material, then check depth, fill amount, clean up (excess, overflows, etc.).

---

Why Aardvark Bark for Slinger / Fill & Backfill Service

• Local expertise in Washington and the Puget Sound area, so familiar with local codes, soil conditions, common septic regulations.

• Reliable delivery systems (blower and likely slinger / blower mix) able to place pea gravel or fill through distance and obstacles.

• Clean service: minimal mess, cleanup included, finishing touches to avoid overshoot and protect property.

• Transparent quotes: we’ll tell you up front material volumes, access issues, any surcharge for distance or obstacles.