What's the Difference Between a Shovel and a Spade?
Choosing the right tool is crucial for efficient and accurate gardening or landscaping. In general, choose a shovel for digging large holes or moving dirt. Choose a spade if you need to cut through turf or compacted soil to create precise holes.
Shovel: The Multi-Purpose Tool
Shovels are typically more versatile than spades. A shovel might have a wide, flat blade or a curved blade. Depending on the blade shape, a shovel is suited to dig or to scoop and move materials. Round-point, square-point and scoop shovels are the most popular types.
Round-Point Shovel
A round-point shovel is the most common digging shovel and is great for all-around use. The pointed tip on the blade lets you dig holes in different types of ground and the curved blade lets the shovel hold plenty of dirt. These shovels are ideal for planting trees or shrubs and digging trenches for irrigation or drainage.
Square-Point Shovel
A square-point shovel is also a popular type of shovel. Also known as a transfer shovel, it has a flat blade, and as the name suggests, a flat edge. It’s best for scooping and moving loose material and debris, but it’s not ideal for digging into the ground.
Scoop Shovel
A scoop shovel has a deep, rounded blade designed for moving loose materials like mulch and feed. A short handle is common, giving you better leverage when scooping. A scoop-style snow shovel is a lightweight variation with a deep blade that allows you to push snow off a driveway, sidewalk, etc. Read our snow shovel guide to see your options.
Spade: The Precise Digging Tool
Spades are more specialized than shovels. A spade has a narrow, rectangular blade that’s flat or slightly curved, as well as a long handle. The blade shape makes spades ideal for digging precisely shaped holes for bulbs, seedlings and small plants. Many spades are also great for edging garden beds with clean, crisp lines and removing small areas of turf. Garden spades and trenching spades are the most common types.
Garden Spade
A garden spade is the most popular type of spade. Its relatively flat, straight blade cuts through turf without damaging the surrounding grass. In addition to planting, a garden spade is useful when digging holes for sprinkler heads, transferring sod or creating borders between planting beds.
Trenching Spade
A trenching spade has a narrow, slightly curved blade, often with a pointed edge. This type of spade is popular with landscapers and is useful for digging narrow trenches to install irrigation pipes and drain lines without disturbing the surrounding ground.
Spade and Shovel Handle Materials
- Fiberglass handles are lightweight and strong and won’t rust or rot. They’re usually the most expensive option, but their long lifespans can make them good investments.
- Wood is economical, strong and has flexibility that reduces impact and vibration. However, a wood handle is vulnerable to sun and water damage without proper care.
- Steel is a less common handle material but it’s the strongest option. Its extra weight can be helpful when digging but increases effort. Steel is vulnerable to rust, so it takes extra care to keep a steel-handle tool in good shape.
A D-handle shovel or spade — named for its D-shaped grip — is more comfortable on your hands and provides leverage that makes it easier to dig or move heavy material.
Shovels vs. Spades: Key Points to Remember
Lawn and garden care is easier with the right tools, and knowing the difference between a shovel and a spade helps you find the best tools for your work. Keep these points in mind as you shop:
- Shovels are typically general-purpose tools for digging and transferring materials.
- Spades are more precise and often suit specific digging tasks.
- Round-point shovels excel at digging, while square-point and scoop shovels are best for moving materials like dirt and mulch.
- Garden spades help you plant and edge garden beds, while trenching spades are perfect for installing irrigation systems and drain pipe.
- Fiberglass handles are lightweight and strong, wood handles are economical, and steel handles have extra weight that can make digging easier.
Whether you need a shovel or spade, you’ll find one on Lowes.com that makes work easier. If lawn care and landscaping are major parts of your home improvement plans, it makes sense to get a couple of each. Visit your local Lowe’s and see how different types of shovels, spades and handles feel so you can find the most comfortable options. Talk to a Lowe’s Red Vest associate about your projects. They can help you find the shovel or spade you need for just about any task, as well as all the other tools you need to do the work right.
FAQ on Choosing Between Shovels and Spades
Use the answers to these questions to choose the right shovel or spade.
What’s the Main Difference Between a Shovel and a Spade?
Blade shape is the main difference between a shovel and a spade. Shovels have larger, wider blades for digging larger holes or moving different types of materials efficiently. A spade has a narrow blade, allowing you to dig small holes or trenches without disturbing the surrounding ground.
When Should I Use a Shovel Instead of a Spade?
For general digging and planting trees or shrubs, a round-point shovel is the best choice. If you need to move dirt, mulch or debris, a square-point shovel or scoop shovel is most efficient. If you need a small hole or trench, a garden spade or trenching spade is the right tool for the job.
Can I Use a Shovel and a Spade for the Same Projects?
You can use shovels and spades for many of the same projects, but it’s easier and more efficient to have shovels and spades suited to your specific projects: shovels for digging larger holes and moving material, spades when precise digging is necessary.
What Is a Flat Shovel Called?
The term flat shovel can refer to a garden spade with a comparatively flat, narrow blade. You might also consider a square point shovel a flat shovel, since it doesn’t have the curved blade of a round-point or scoop shovel.