Digging Deeper: Choosing Between a Shovel and Spade

Choosing the right tool is crucial for efficient and accurate gardening or landscaping. A shovel is ideal for moving dirt or digging shallow holes, while a spade is better suited for cutting through compacted soil or creating precise holes.

A shovel is best for loose material, while a spade is better for tough, compacted soil. Knowing the differences between these tools can make a difference in the success of your projects.

Here are the differences between a shovel and a spade, and examples of the different types of tools and when to use them.

Shovels have a flat, wide blade with curved edges attached to a long handle. The blade is designed to scoop and move materials like soil, gravel, sand and snow. Shovels come in different shapes and sizes and are made of a variety of materials depending on their use. But most shovel and spade blades are made of tempered steel for strength.

A round point shovel is the most common shovel and it’s great for all-around use. Round point shovels are designed for digging holes in all types of ground. The rounded tip lets you dig a hole without damaging the surrounding area. Its wide scoop will hold plenty of dirt.

A square point shovel is the next most popular type of shovel. It has a flat blade ideal for scooping and moving materials.

A scoop shovel has a deep-rounded blade made for moving loose materials like snow and mulch. Snow shovels are a type of scoop shovel that has an extra-large scoop that is usually made of aluminum or fiberglass and has a D-shaped handle for maximum leverage.

Shovels are more versatile than spades. Shovels are ideal for digging holes for planting trees, shrubs, or flowers and digging trenches for irrigation or drainage. They can also be used to clean debris and break up hard soil.

Spades are a more specialized tool than shovels. They have a flat, rectangular blade attached to a long handle. Unlike shovels, spades have a straight edge, which makes them ideal for cutting through turf without damaging the surrounding grass. A spade can also dig straight down to create a more precise-sized hole.

A garden spade is the most popular type of general-use spade. Its straight edge cuts through turf without damaging the surrounding grass. A garden spade is often used to install sprinkler heads, transfer sod or create borders between beds.

A trenching spade is popular with landscapers and invaluable for digging narrow trenches for irrigation pipes and water lines without disturbing the surrounding soil.

Spades are ideal for digging precisely shaped holes for planting bulbs, seedlings, and small plants. They are also great for edging garden beds to create clean, crisp lines between different areas of your yard or garden. A spade is also a tool to use to remove small areas of turf grass.

Handles for spades and shovels can be made of fiberglass, wood or steel, all of which have benefits and drawbacks.

Fiberglass is the most popular handle material for shovels and spades. It has the best strength-to-weight ratio and is rust and water-damage resistant. Fiberglass handles are usually the most expensive shovel handle option, but their long life makes them a worthy investment.

Wood is the lightest and cheapest material for spade and shovel handles but is prone to sun and water damage. Over time the wood will deteriorate, especially if left outside. This weakens the handle and can cause the surface to fray and splinter. On the positive side, wood handles have a natural flex that can lessen fatigue in your hands.

Steel is the least common type of handle material, but it is the strongest and heaviest. The extra heft can be helpful when digging, but the extra weight can make moving dirt a more tiresome task. Steel can also rust when put away wet or left outside.

Most spade and shovel handles are straight, but a D-handle shovel – named for its D-shaped grip – is more comfortable on your hands and provides leverage that makes it easier to move heavy material.