You might think a double drum is best, but many NZ builders and landscapers choose a single drum roller compactor for their prep work and building foundations. To find out why, you will need to understand the differences between single and double drum roller compactors, and the particular features of each type of machine. In this post, Meiwa provides a handy guide and learn why a single drum roller compactor might be the right choice for you and your crews.
Benefits of a Double Drum Roller Compactor
Double drum rollers, as the name implies, have two barrels, one in front and one behind. As they drive, these devices level the surfaces in front and behind them with the two drums. While the lack of tyres on twin drum rollers limits their movement on uneven ground or in tight spaces, the second barrel boosts crushing force and efficiency.
Double drum rollers offer the highest flattening capabilities of any roller type, thanks to their dual barrels. When additional power is required to compact surfaces such as asphalt, twin drum rollers will provide greater strength to maximise your crew's work.
They flatten surfaces twice with each pass since they have both a front and back barrel. The extra barrel increases efficiency, allowing crews to finish tasks in less time and businesses to save labour expenses.
The Downsides
However, a double drum soil compactor roller comes with considerable downsides when it comes to working in small or enclosed spaces, or on uneven surfaces. They are mainly suited to large, fairly flat terrain and struggle on anything that requires great mobility or manoeuvrability. In short, a double drum is unwieldy and less adaptable and is only suited to particular types of large-scale surface compaction.
Benefits of a Single Drum Soil Compactor Roller
A small roller compactor with a single drum and specialised tyres at the rear is perfect for building foundations, prep work, sidewalk construction, roadways and other urban building works.
Single drum rollers have less weight and faster ground speeds. Their back wheels enable delicate movement in small areas and improve grip on uneven ground and sloppy dirt. Their power and mobility allow them to perform well in a variety of situations. These machines can tackle a variety of terrains, allowing workers to utilise a single drum roller for practically every task. That’s why we believe a Meiwa small roller compactor with a single drum is the ideal choice for most building and landscaping crews in NZ.
Contact Meiwa today to find out more about our range of single drum roller compactors. You can call us on 09 283 9658 and we will be happy to advise you on our products.