Excavators are hired by operating weight in tons, and the ladder runs from a walk behind class under one ton, through minis to six tons, midis to ten, standard machines from thirteen to twenty five tons, and large machines above that. Weight predicts nearly everything else: reach, dig depth, bucket width, what can be trailered behind a pickup, and what the machine will do to a lawn.
The ladder, in the terms a yard uses
Under one ton is a micro that fits through a garden gate. One to six tons is the mini class and the bulk of a rental fleet. Six to ten is a midi, still trailerable but no longer garden sized. Thirteen to twenty five tons digs foundations and loads trucks, and anything larger needs a lowboy and often a permit.
Dig depth climbs with the class number
A one and a half ton machine reaches roughly six to seven feet down, a three ton about eight to ten, a five ton near twelve, and a standard twenty ton machine goes past twenty feet. Bucket width follows the same curve, so weight decides both how deep you get and how quickly the hole fills a truck.
Weight against the ground you are standing on
Tracks spread load, so a heavy machine can leave less impression than a lighter wheeled one, though the total mass still has to cross driveways, drains and septic lids. On a finished surface, ask about rubber tracks or track pads. On soft ground the real question is whether the delivery truck can get in at all.
Trailering, and where you stop being able to
The trailer and the machine together decide this, never the machine alone. A one to two ton mini on a suitable trailer sits inside what a heavy half ton or three quarter ton pickup may legally pull, a three ton is marginal, and five tons upward is a yard delivery. Nobody at the counter can raise your truck's rating.
Questions people ask about excavator sizes and weights
What size excavator do I need for a foundation?
For a house footing on a normal lot, a five to eight ton machine digs the trench and still fits the site. A full basement with trucks loading points at thirteen tons or more. Depth and how the spoil leaves the site decide it more than the plan area does.
Is a mini excavator enough for a septic line?
For a shallow run through soft ground a three ton mini is usually enough, and it does far less damage to the yard. Rock, depth beyond ten feet, or a long run that must finish in a day all push the answer up a class.
Is the class number in tons or pounds?
Classes are quoted in metric tons of operating weight, so a three ton machine is roughly 6,600 pounds. Trailer ratings are written in pounds, so convert before assuming your truck can take it, and add the trailer and the bucket to the sum.