Rollers play an important role on many construction job sites. Capable of improving and repairing surfaces, they are primarily used to compact soil. Choosing the right type of roller is crucial. Making the wrong choice can lead to undesired outcomes negatively impacting your project. That’s why it makes sense to rent a roller rather than buy one.
Your rental specialist can help you choose the right roller for your project. Renting is really beneficial when you are juggling many projects at once and don’t want to deal with the costs of maintaining your own heavy machinery. Renting a roller doesn’t require a large upfront investment, and can help you meet your deadlines while limiting capital expenses.
There are several different types of rollers on the market, each designed to serve a particular purpose. Consideration should be given to the location (indoors or outdoors), the surface type (rocky, sandy, clay, or asphalt), and the specific requirements of the project.
Rollers for Soil Compaction
Trench Rollers
Trench rollers are compactors that are ideal for challenging and narrow applications, such as pipeline construction, structural backfill, and foundations. Trench rollers are remotely controlled by an operator at a safe and comfortable distance from the compaction area. They are effective with multiple soil types and are highly effective in tight spots due to their maneuverability.
Smooth Drum
Smooth drum rollers consist of large, smooth steel drums that use a combination of impact, vibration and static pressure to compact materials such as sand, ballast, and gravel. They are the most effective in compacting silty or sandy soils with the fewest passes.
Vibratory Roller
A vibratory roller is used in construction and road building to compact or compress materials like soil, gravel, or asphalt. When choosing a vibratory roller, consider things like the range of vibration frequencies, noise, and portability. For an economically efficient solution that still delivers powerful compaction results, double vibrating rollers, also known as tandem rollers, offer a powerful solution. They consist of one or two smooth drums and either one or two vibration plates to produce a tamping action for compaction. This type of double roller allows faster compaction for thin lifts, tender mixes, joints or bridge deck.
Sheepsfoot or Padfoot Rollers
Sheepsfoot rollers stand out with their round or rectangular protrusions that provide a tamping action. They are used for compaction of soils in dams, embankments, sub-grade layers in pavements, and railroad construction projects. They are a great option for deeper compaction, especially with cohesive soils like heavy clay or silt, or when working in narrow or tight spaces. Most effective when soil moisture levels are elevated, they can help increase load-bearing capacity as well as reduce seepage rates significantly. Ride-on rollers are ideal for high traffic roads as well!
Rollers for Asphalt Compaction
When it comes to compacting asphalt smooth drum rollers are typically used. These rollers can be static rollers with single or double vibrating drum. Vibratory rollers feature a special vibrating component that increases the compaction efficiency and are used at certain asphalt temperatures. Alternatively, oscillating rollers can be used for specific applications like bridge decks. Pneumatic rollers are often the last step in asphalt compaction, performing the final sealing of the surface.
Additional compaction considerations
Smaller job sites and tight areas may require alternative compaction tools such as compaction rammers (jumping jack) or vibratory plate compactors. These are generally hand operated equipment easily transferable between job sites.
Compaction is an important part of most construction projects and understanding compaction requirements and which equipment will be the best solution are important reasons to speak to your trusted equipment rental store.
The best way to find out which roller is the best option for you is to talk to a knowledgeable rental company like Talisman Rentals. They can help you determine which roller is the best solution for your project and your budget, as well as provide tips on how to use the equipment safely. Renting a roller is often more cost-efficient than buying your own because you can take advantage of discounts and other deals on rental equipment. You’ll be glad you rented with Talisman Rentals when you complete projects on time with the best equipment available.
