Light Construction Equipment: For Concrete, Earth and Road Work

First define the job: compacting soil or paving, mixing concrete, compacting and finishing concrete, or cutting concrete and asphalt. Household class is enough for small volumes, while a permanent site needs professional equipment. See how to choose a concrete mixer and how to choose a plate compactor.

Concrete mixers range from about 120–180 l household models to 200–500 l professional ones, and the finished batch is usually 60–70 % of the drum volume. A ring-gear drive is simple and repairable, while a gearbox drive is quieter and better protected. Read concrete mixer drum volume, batch output and drive type.

Compare plate compactors by weight (about 60–100 kg for sand and paving, 100–300 kg or more for soil), centrifugal force (10–30 kN) and compaction depth, and use a rammer for clay soil and narrow trenches. For paving choose a plate with a rubber mat, and for large areas a reversible model. Read how to choose engine-powered compaction equipment: plate compactor, rammer and roller.

Choose the poker head diameter (about 25–60 mm) by the thickness of the structure and density of reinforcement, and the flexible shaft length (1–6 m) by the formwork depth. Vibrating screeds and power trowels suit slabs and floors. See how to choose a concrete vibrator and concrete vibrator poker diameter, shaft length and frequency.

Compare floor and road saws by blade diameter (about 350–500 mm), cutting depth (100–180 mm) and water cooling. Choose the diamond blade by material: concrete, reinforced concrete or asphalt. Read how to choose a petrol cut-off saw, floor saw or road saw.

Electric models are quieter and suit indoor work, while petrol and diesel engines (about 4–13 hp) give independence on site. Compare engine displacement, power and fuel consumption, and for electric equipment check the supply: 220 or 380 V. See engine displacement, power, torque and RPM: how to compare engine-powered equipment.

Wear safety footwear, gloves, ear defenders and glasses, never run engine-powered equipment indoors and never touch a rotating drum or blade. Take regular breaks when working with vibrating equipment. Read how to use a concrete mixer or plate compactor safely.

After work clean concrete off the drum and plate, change the engine oil regularly and check belts, shock mounts and the exciter oil. Prefer models for which spare parts are available. See how to maintain and store motor tools and engine-powered equipment and how to choose spare parts for light construction equipment.