Compaction equipment compresses soil, gravel, and asphalt on projects ranging from roadwork to backyard projects...Show More
Compaction equipment compresses soil, gravel, and asphalt on projects ranging from roadwork to backyard projects. Compaction ensures that surfaces are free of air pockets, which may cause them to shift unevenly during construction.
There are different types of compaction equipment for each stage of the construction process, but they are generally separated into two groups: single drum ride-on rollers and double drum ride-on rollers. Single-drum ride-on rollers have one drum at the front and pneumatic tires at the back, making them easy to maneuver. Double drum rollers have a drum at the front and the back, making them powerful and efficient. Both machines can have smooth or padfoot rollers. Check out the FAQs below to learn more.
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Compaction equipment rental costs vary depending largely on the size of the machine you choose and your location. For example, a 26-inch double-drum walk-behind roller can cost you about $188 a day, $690 a week, or $1,638 a month. A 66-inch single-drum ride-on smooth roller can cost approximately $383 a day, $1,202 a week, and $3,058 a month. And a 84-inch single-drum padfoot roller is at the top end of the rental scale costing $546 a day, $1,529 a week, and $4,368 a month.
Ride-on rollers work best for large work areas such as roads or parking lots. Walk-behind rollers, such as cylindrical rollers, are relatively lightweight and designed for narrower areas, including sidewalks, bike paths, and driveways. They’re also good for patching and backfill jobs. Cylindrical rollers are pushed, while other types of rollers are powered by an engine.
A single-drum roller has just one roller, on the front, with special tires mounted on the back. It’s smaller than a double-drum roller, which has a second roller in place of tires. A single-drum roller is lighter and has more traction than its double-drum counterpart, but it may not roll over some terrain because it’s heavier in the front.
A double-drum roller has the advantage of being able to compact areas in front and to the rear of the machine at the same time.
Pad foot rollers, also known as sheepsfoot or tamping rollers, are used to compact materials such as silt and clay before putting in a road’s foundation. These rollers aren’t smooth, but instead come with tapered lugs or “feet” that allow the drum to knead the soil and compact the earth at greater depth.
When you’re working on a project with fine soils or wet clay, the sheepsfoot roller makes the best choice. When needing to compact large, gradual surface areas, such as asphalt, sidewalks, and foundations, you should choose the efficiency of a smooth wheel roller.
