The solidarity of your foundation is only as strong as the compaction of your soil. They can compress earth, concrete, crushed stone, gravel, or asphalt. Rollers rely on their weight which, combined with other mechanisms such as vibration and kneading, compress the surface.
At Ryno Hire, we have a range of rollers, including Padfoot and smooth drum roller hire to suit the needs of your project. Keep reading to learn more about what kind of roller you may need.
Different Types of Rollers
When looking at roller hire in Brisbane, you may have noticed various types, each with different specs and suited to different soil textures. To make your job easier, you will want to find the right roller to hire. Contact pressure, number of passes, layer thickness, and roller speed are all elements that influence compaction. The following are the different types of rollers and what they are suited to:
Smooth Drum Roller
Smooth rollers, or drum rollers, consist of large, smooth steel drums that impact, vibrate, and press materials such as sand, gravel, and ballast. The smooth drum gives them 100% coverage area. They can come as either a single, with one drum at the front, or a double, with a roller at the front and rear. Double rollers can be more efficient in soil compaction, while single rollers are better for manoeuvring and have great traction. Smooth rollers aren’t suited to soft surfaces but are more effective on sand than Padfoot rollers.
Padfoot Roller/Sheepsfoot Roller
Padfoot rollers, tramping rollers, or sheepsfoot rollers consist of a drum having many round or rectangular shaped bumps or ‘feet’. They aren’t much different from the smooth drum rollers, with the serrated bumps being the singular distinction. The bumps provide more force at every point of contact, which creates a kneading process. This can be extremely effective for wet soils, mud, clay, silty or heavier soil. They don’t work well on sand surfaces because the bumps almost plough the soil rather than compacting it.
Pneumatic Roller/Rubber Tyre Roller
Pneumatic rollers, rubber tyre rollers, or multi-tyre rollers use overlapping wheels, providing a rolling action that seals the surface. The exterior of each tyre is smooth, giving a thoroughly flat and smooth material surface. They can be used for initial compaction but are mainly used as the last steps for compacting soil for road work. They are also used to compact asphalt for sealing purposes.
Vibratory Roller
Vibratory rollers are very similar to smooth rollers, including the options of a single or double drum, but they have one major difference – they come with a specialised vibrating component. This means as the roller flattens and compacts the surface, the roller will vibrate, which helps to create a more solid and hardened surface. Soil, asphalt, and concrete have natural empty spaces that can cause a foundation to warp and sink. The specialised vibratory component helps to avoid this. This type of roller is also great at compacting crushed rock or gravel.
How to Choose the Right Roller
When considering roller hire in Brisbane, it is crucial to think about your site’s specifications and what your soil type is to get the right roller. It is all about getting the right compaction formula to complete the job efficiently and as solid as possible.
When getting roller hire in Brisbane, the first thing to consider is how much space your site has. When there is plenty of space on your site, this allows you to bring in a larger unit that will accomplish more in less time; however, if you are tight on space, you may require a roller that can be more precise. The terrain level may also impact your decision, as steep or uneven terrain may require a roller capable of functioning at an angle.
When using roller hire, you must know and understand the soil type you want to compact. There are two main types of compactable soil, cohesive and granular. Cohesive soil has slits and clays bound together, whereas granular soil can be anything from fine sand to medium gravel. Different rollers will work better on different soil types, but as a general rule, cohesive soils use impactful force, whereas granular soil requires vibratory compaction.
Choosing the right roller type will depend on the site’s soil type and the space you have, as you will need to consider the density and depth you want with your soil compaction. The three main types of rollers are:
- Impact: This type of roller uses either rectangular, triangular, or pentagonal bumps to drive into the soil with force, resulting in deep compaction.
- Vibratory: This roller type uses vibration to separate soil clumps and utilise friction to allow the soil particles to fall close together.
- Static: These rollers use their weight to compress the soil.
Projects You Can do with a Roller
There are plenty of projects you can complete more effectively and efficiently when you get roller hire in Brisbane. These are some of the projects that rollers can help you with:
- Landscaping: Rollers are excellent for preparing the ground for hardscapes, such as driveways, paved or concrete pathways, patios, and even retaining walls.
- Plumbing & electrical: Rollers can securely bury pipes to prevent cracking and surround electrical cables with high-density soil to create low thermal resistance.
- Backfilling: Rollers can be used after excavating by returning and securing the soil.
- Construction: Creating foundations is what rollers do best, whether it is a foundation for a house, pergola, pool, or pond.
Hire a Roller for Your Next Project From Ryno Hire
To build a solid foundation for anything, you need top-notch soil compaction first. Soil compaction can be made easy when you get roller hire in Brisbane.
At Ryno Hire, we specialise in dry hire and let you take control of your project. We have a range of rollers, including Padfoot rollers and smooth drum roller hire.
To build a solid foundation for your next project, look at our soil compaction equipment. To make the rest of your project a breeze, we also have plenty of other equipment for dry hire. Contact us for more information or a free quote.
23 March 2023
