I'm having a slab poured in an existing garage and I'm doing all the prep work. I leveled all the dirt, packed it and then put gravel in. 4 inches of gravel, I only have a hand tamper at the moment and I started packing it and it seems like I could just keep packing it forever. It never gets firm like I feel like it should be but maybe I'm thinking it will get harder than it should.. Also while I have your guys attention, should I just rent a compactor, or can I do it with the hand tamper? I don't mind the workout, slab is roughly 16x21. Thanks guys!!
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
How hard should compacted gravel be?
- Thread starter 55stone
- Start date
Shawn S
Well-known member
By hand 4" is way too deep. When I am running my plate packer i usually do it in 2" lifts. So if I neeneed 4" I spread 2", pack that, and do 2" again.
Have you whetted the gravel down? Is it crushed quarry stone or crushed river rock, with a rounded side? Is it crusher run with a lot of 'fines' in it? All these play into how well things pack. Any way you go, I would rent the plate compactor.
lg
no neat sig line
lg
no neat sig line
topp64
Well-known member
Proof roll it. Is it possible to drive a heavy vehicle on the area in question? If you have good compaction there won't be any ruts.
Hilltopmasonry
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 12, 2015
- Messages
- 2,168
Rent a walk behind plate ********....it should be less than $50 for 4 hours
Soak the gravel pretty good and run the ******** over it
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Soak the gravel pretty good and run the ******** over it
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
4” is thick for a small packer. Get a 750lb plate packet from a rental store. Wet it and let the water soak a bit and then pack it tilll the packer will bounce.
I would assume you don’t have the ability to lift a 750lb packer... I would see if said rental company would pick up and drop off for a fee. Imo the money is worth it over fill that isn’t properly compacted.
I would assume you don’t have the ability to lift a 750lb packer... I would see if said rental company would pick up and drop off for a fee. Imo the money is worth it over fill that isn’t properly compacted.
rustyjames
Well-known member
I'm having a slab poured in an existing garage and I'm doing all the prep work. I leveled all the dirt, packed it and then put gravel in. 4 inches of gravel, I only have a hand tamper at the moment and I started packing it and it seems like I could just keep packing it forever. It never gets firm like I feel like it should be but maybe I'm thinking it will get harder than it should.. Also while I have your guys attention, should I just rent a compactor, or can I do it with the hand tamper? I don't mind the workout, slab is roughly 16x21. Thanks guys!!
What gravel did you put down? If it's clean crushed 3/4"-1" size it pretty much self compacts, although I run over it with a plate compactor. If it has fines in it then it needs to be done in lifts with correct moisture content.