Plate Compactor Hire or Purchase – Making the Right Choice
Compaction equipment can be crucial to the success of some construction projects, but it’s costly. Plate compactor hire is often a more cost-effective option. To ensure a building is stable and not in danger of collapse due to subsidence, the builder must begin by providing a firm foundation.
Only concrete has the strength to create the stable footings needed to bear the weight of walls and the additional structures they must support. However, the foundations’ stability also depends on the state of the soil beneath.
In its natural state, the soil is honeycombed with air pockets of varying sizes, which flatten and disappear when subjected to downward pressure. Those bubbles of trapped air explain why we often leave footprints even when walking on dry earth. Imagine the potential impact of an average, unfurnished house weighing between 70 and 145 tonnes, depending on floor space and the choice of building materials.
Plate compactor hire – choosing the right type
Whether you have decided to shop around for a plate compactor for sale or intend to rent one, you will want to be sure you pick the best tool for your intended task. There are multiple types to choose from, of which two are most widely used. There are also other parameters you may need to consider when choosing compaction equipment. Let’s explore these types first
This type is recommended for compaction and soil preparation prior to laying paving or floor slabs, asphalting and pouring regular housing foundations. However, they are only capable of forward movement, so they’re not the best choice for trenchwork.
At Turner Morris, we offer two different machine – the heavy duty SC440 heavy duty plate compactor powered by 9hp motor with a plate size of 450 by 500 x 16 mm, weighing 133kg. and the HCPC80 plate compactor powered by 5.5 hp engine and weighing 90kg.
- Reversible plate compactors:
If you need the best tool for compacting the soil in trenches and foundations,, a reversible plate compactor will be the most practical option. The ability to switch smoothly between forward and backward movement offers a welcome advantage when you must operate a compactor in a confined space, such as a trench.
In this range, we offer the TMCPC reversible plate compactor with the choice of thre different sizes, being the 180kg machine fitted with a5.5 hp engine, the 240kg machine fitted with a 9hp engine and the heavy duty machine of 330 kg fitted with a 13hp engine. All three models are available for rent or sale and are available fitted with a petrol or diesel engine.
These plate compactors generate between 27 and 45 Kilonewtons of compaction force. They have a fully hydraulic reversing mechanism with flexible manoeuvrability the allows the machine forward, backward and on-spot-compaction. There is a closed style frame which protects the engine and the high quality shock absorber absorbs vibration.
Many fall into the trap of believing that owning their compaction equipment is the more secure option. However, plate compactor hire offers several desirable benefits.
Plate compactor hire – the benefits:
Many fall into the trap of believing that owning their compaction equipment is the more secure option. However, plate compactor hire offers several desirable benefits
- Renting will avoid unnecessary capital expenditure.
- Your maintenance costs will be lower.
- You will have no long-term storage requirements.
- Hiring avoids redundancy issues.
- Depreciation and market fluctuations don’t affect rented equipment.
Wherever you live in South Africa, you should find a branch of Turner Morris to assist you with the purchase or hire of world-class construction equipment. If you have any further questions, please click here and address them to a branch near you.
