preparing ground to lay concrete floor in small area

antoinolachtnai

I have a small area, where I want to put a concrete floor. There is a drain running through it, splitting the area. It's about 1.8m x 3m.

So we've taken out the old floor and gone down about 13 inches. Now we need to compact the earth so that it is ready to put in hardcore.

Question is, what's the best way to compact the earth? It seems too small an area to bring in a conventional whacker and too big to take a chance on leaving the soil uncompacted.

Is there some other way we can do it?

Best,

Antoin.

CJhaughey

Use a handheld tarmac tamper. Basically a large lump of cast iron on a handle.
I would still use a wacker plate, better settlement.

Martron

+1 on the whacker plate. better safe than sorry.

Martron

just thinkin. you could use a trench compacter. aka jumpin jack .

might be easier to control in small space.

antoinolachtnai

so something like

http://www.azhire.ie/equipment.hire.products.dublin.ireland.php?sectionnumber=104&number=172

http://www.azhire.ie/equipment.hire.products.dublin.ireland.php?sectionnumber=104&number=174

for the jumping jack, is it available in electric or only in petrol?

Martron

yep they are the ones.

jumping jackis petrol.

with the plate it only goes in one direction( well the lighter smaller ones do.) which would mean you need to turn it .

where as the jumping jack is partially airbourne. which means you can pivot it qouckly.

just to save your self any injury just try it out before you get into the hole.

( dont try it on any area you dont want to damage, try it out on the grass or something)

i would not worry about the amount of petrol you will need as one tank should be sufficient to cover the amount of ground you will need.

antoinolachtnai

i'm more worried about the fumes than burning petrol, don't worry!

i can use either of these to compact the hardcore as well, right?

I have been looking at videos of the JJ on youtube, and i have to say, it's a little scary looking. What sort of safetys do these things have? Can you control the intensity?

I'm in the city, so there's actually very little space to try it out! i only have a little yard.

Martron

if you are outside fumes should not be an issue.

you can control the speed so you can start off slow and get used to controlling it.

as for safety.....

the usual.

steel toe boots, ear plugs, eye protection.

definately the steel toe boots.