You might be surprised to hear that asking for a compactor or a roller will not give you the same piece of machinery. The key difference between the two is that a roller is a larger machine that needs an operator to ride on it, whilst a compactor is much smaller and can be controlled by hand. Understanding this will help you to choose the right type for your task and project, but there is a good way to help you achieve this.
Working with a plant hire company that has experience and a reputation to trust, will help you, as you can have an honest conversation about what it is you actually need to do in terms of compaction, size of site, budget, etc. From here, the specialist plant lease expert will guide you to hire the best compactor or roller for your specific needs, boosting productivity, efficiency, and safety.
Both rollers and compactors have been around for quite a long time, and both have become more efficient as technology has improved, especially in recent years.
Hiring a roller
Rollers are larger machines that have an operator ride-on function. They are used to flatten the surface and to help with the compaction of different layers. On top of this, in certain tasks and functions, the roller is used to compact debris and other materials into rubbish that can be safely disposed of, off site. Roller hire is almost always the best approach to take when you have a large surface area, such as a road that needs to be compacted as part of a project.
Compactor hire
For tighter spaces, where space is at a premium for movement, it might be better to look for compactor hire to help you with your project. Compactors are much smaller than rollers, and they can be pushed by hand instead of requiring ride-on operation. There are loads of smaller spaces where a compactor can reach that a roller cannot, and this makes it an attractive hire option in many circumstances. There is less variation and lower efficiency levels when working with a compactor, so they are not ideal to be used on the larger surfaces, such as roads.
Choosing between roller hire and compactor hire will most likely depend on the size of the surface that is up next as a compaction task. For smaller spaces, the compactor is much better, but for larger road surfaces and the like, compactor hire will help maintain high standards of efficiency over a much larger surface area.
The compaction of any surface, whether it is the smoothing of a driveway before it is completed, or for a larger road surface, you’ll have a choice between hiring a roller or a compactor for the job. Finding a plant lease company that offers compaction rollers for hire is a great start, as it ensures that you have access to the very latest models of machinery, have access to industry expertise in the form of your plant hire contact, and have the best chance to deliver high standards of efficiency and safety on site as you complete the compaction tasks.
