Box Blade vs. Land Plane

Two effective tools, both capable of handling maintenance tasks around your property.

But which attachment is right for you?

When it comes to comparing box blades and land planes, you must first identify the strengths and weaknesses of each before determining which blade best suits your needs.

What is a Box Blade?

Shaped like a three-sided metal box, a box blade is 3-point attachment for the back of a tractor. It is a versatile implement that can be utilized for leveling, grading, backfilling, or spreading materials such as gravel or soil. Front and rear scraping blades can be found on the bottom of the rear panel, and the box blade is slotted with scarifiers that dig into the ground and break up the earth.

Box blades can be used to reshape and grade your driveway, carrying material with it as you go. They can also be used to move a lot of dirt, pushing it backwards or pulling it forwards.

What is a Land Plane?

A land plane may not be as versatile as a box blade, but that does not mean this implement is any less effective at grading and leveling. Land planes are very easy to use and consist of dual forward-cutting blades that contact the ground simultaneously. Dirt and gravel lifts up and flows over the top of the blades, feeding out the back. Material builds up between the two end plates and flows evenly and freely across its width once the land plane is full, leaving a smooth surface.

Land planes are frequently used to maintain gravel roads or driveways.

Box Blade vs Land Plane

Generally, choosing between a box blade and a land plane depends on the material you are working with and the task at hand. If you are smoothing out a gravel road, go with the land plane. But if you are looking to move dirt or another material from one point to another, opt for the box blade, which can carry more material than the land plane, which means making fewer trips.

If you are weighing whether to purchase one or the other, be sure to consider not only your present plans but also how you plan to use the attachment in the future. Land planes are perfect for giving your driveway a smooth finish, but the versatility of the box blade is tough to beat when you need an all-around tool that is going to help you manage your property. If in doubt, a TriGreen Equipment sales professional can talk with you about the use cases for your property and how a box blade or land plane might fit in!

Box blades and land planes are popular attachments for John Deere compact tractors like the 1025R and 3025E. You can explore land plane and box blade pricing and build your own tractor package at TriGreen!