Calculate cut or fill depth and catch point distance from centerline for slope staking on road and grading projects. Returns formatted slope stake notation for field crews.
Total stations and GPS rovers make slope staking faster and more accurate than traditional methods. Shop survey equipment at Express Tools.
Shop Express Tools →Slope stakes define the grading limits for road construction. Before a single pass of the dozer, slope stakes tell the operator exactly where to cut or fill — and how much. Every stake has two numbers: the vertical depth (cut or fill) and the horizontal distance from the road centerline to the catch point.
Cut (C): existing ground is higher than design grade — material must be removed. Fill (F): design grade is higher than existing ground — material must be added. The catch point is the outer edge of that work, where the cut/fill slope meets natural ground.
Slope staking is the process of locating and marking the point where the cut or fill slope on a road project meets the existing natural ground — called the catch point. Stakes are placed at each catch point to guide operators in grading to the correct cut or fill depth. Each stake is labeled with the cut or fill amount and the horizontal distance from the road centerline.
Slope stakes are marked with cut or fill depth and offset from centerline. Example: "C 2.5 / 15.0" means cut 2.5 feet at a point 15.0 feet from centerline. "F 1.8 / 12.4" means fill 1.8 feet at 12.4 feet from centerline. The numerator is the vertical depth (C or F), the denominator is the horizontal offset from CL.
The catch point is where the design cut or fill slope intersects the existing natural ground surface. For a cut slope, the catch point is at the top of cut where the slope begins. For a fill slope, it is at the toe of fill where the slope ends. The catch point marks the outer edge of the grading limits.
Cut slope ratios depend on soil type: 0.5H:1V to 1H:1V for rock and hard soil, 1.5H:1V to 2H:1V for cohesive soil, and up to 3H:1V or flatter for sandy or loose soils. Fill slopes are typically 2H:1V (2:1). OSHA and geotechnical recommendations govern steep slopes during construction. Design plans specify the slope ratio for each soil classification.
Set up on the centerline or offset control. Shoot an elevation at the estimated catch point location. Compare to the design elevation at that offset (accounting for the side slope). If existing ground is above the design slope line, move outward. If below, move inward. Iterate until existing ground equals the design slope elevation at your offset — that is the catch point.
e.g. 2:1 = 2H:1V (common for cut/fill slopes)
Roadway half-width at toe/top of slope