What layer thickness should I compact in?

In granular fill, layers should not exceed 20-30 cm; in clay, 15-25 cm. Spread thicker and the bottom of the layer never compacts, so the ground settles later. Each layer takes 3-6 passes.

Plate compactor or rammer?

Plate compactors suit granular soils such as sand and gravel. A rammer reaches deeper in cohesive clay and is also the choice in trenches and around foundations where a plate cannot work.

How far apart should poker insertions be?

The radius of action is roughly 8-10 times the poker diameter — a 50 mm poker covers about 40-50 cm. Keep insertions no further apart than 1.5 times that radius so the zones overlap.

How deep does a concrete saw cut?

Roughly a third of the blade diameter: about 125 mm with a 350 mm blade, about 145 mm with a 400 mm blade. Deeper cuts need a larger blade or a wall saw.

What is the difference between core drilling and breaking?

A core drill opens a full-diameter hole with a clean edge and leaves the surrounding concrete undisturbed. A breaker shatters the concrete, leaves a ragged edge and risks damaging reinforcement.

What happens if I hit rebar while core drilling?

A diamond bit will cut it, but progress slows and the bit wears. Cutting reinforcement in load-bearing elements carries structural risk: the position should follow the structural design, and a rebar scanner is worth using first.

Wet cutting suppresses silica dust and cools the diamond segment, extending its life — that is the standard choice. Dry cutting belongs only with proper dust extraction and bits rated for dry use.

What is a water tank on a compactor for?

It stops the plate sticking to hot asphalt. Water is fed onto the plate in a controlled trickle, which protects surface quality on patching and new-laid asphalt.

What does a reversible compactor gain me?

It travels back without turning, which shortens the work in trenches, against walls and in tight spaces. It also allows compaction in place, working forwards and backwards over one spot.

Brand

Sort

Construction Machinery

Construction machinery moves the heavy part of site work from muscle to machine: compacting ground, driving air out of fresh concrete, and cutting and drilling concrete once it has set. Those four jobs decide how the structure performs — under-compacted fill settles, under-vibrated concrete loses strength. This page explains which machine does which job and the figures that decide the choice.

Product Types

Go straight to the product type you need.

1–24 of 66 · page 1 / 3

Which machine for which job

Site machines divide into four jobs. Compaction raises the bearing capacity of the ground; vibration lets concrete fill the formwork; cutting and drilling work on concrete that has already set.

Machine	Job	Deciding figure	Typical use
Plate compactor	Ground compaction	Plate size, centrifugal force	Paving sub-base, patching, fill
Rammer	Compaction in tight spaces	Impact energy	Trench backfill, around foundations
Concrete vibrator	Driving air out of fresh concrete	Poker diameter, speed	Walls, columns, slabs
Core drill	Full-diameter hole in concrete	Bit diameter, motor power	Service penetrations, test cores
Asphalt / concrete saw	Controlled cut in a surface	Blade diameter, cutting depth	Utility trenching, joints

Compaction: the layer thickness rule

Compaction is done in layers, not in one go. In granular fill the layer should not exceed 20-30 cm; spread thicker than that and the bottom of the layer never compacts, so the ground settles later. Each layer takes 3-6 passes depending on the machine and the soil.

Soil type also decides the machine: plate compactors work on granular soils such as sand and gravel, while a rammer reaches deeper in cohesive clay. The wrong machine will not reach target density no matter how many passes you add.

Granular fill: 20-30 cm layers, plate compactor.
Clay / cohesive soil: 15-25 cm layers, rammer.
Asphalt patching and paving sub-base: plate compactor; the water-tank model stops asphalt sticking to the plate.
Reversible models come back without turning — the choice inside a trench.

Concrete vibration: time and radius of action

A poker vibrator's radius of action is roughly 8-10 times its diameter: a 50 mm poker works over about 40-50 cm. Insertion points should be no further apart than 1.5 times that radius, so the zones overlap.

Five to fifteen seconds per insertion is enough; the signs are a sheen of cement paste at the surface and air bubbles stopping. Over-vibration causes segregation — coarse aggregate sinks and paste rises. Withdraw the poker slowly, at roughly 8 cm per second.

Cutting and drilling: how deep?

On a diamond blade saw the cutting depth is roughly a third of the blade diameter: a 350 mm blade gives about 125 mm, a 400 mm blade about 145 mm. Deeper cuts need either a larger blade or a wall saw system.

A core drill opens a full-diameter hole with a clean edge using a diamond-tipped barrel, and unlike breaking it does not disturb the surrounding concrete or the reinforcement. Wet cutting both suppresses dust and cools the bit; dry cutting belongs only with dust extraction and bits rated for it.

Job	Machine	Typical rating
Service penetration (Ø50-150 mm)	Electric core drill	1,500-2,500 W
Ventilation opening (Ø200-350 mm)	High-power core drill on a stand	3,000 W and above
Trenching in asphalt	Petrol/diesel walk-behind saw	350-500 mm blade
Walls and tight spaces	Handheld cut-off saw	300-400 mm blade

Site safety and inspection

Silica dust is the main risk in cutting and drilling: working without water or extraction carries a serious long-term respiratory risk. Hearing protection, eye protection and a dust mask are not optional in this group.

Work equipment is inspected regularly under the Regulation on Health and Safety Conditions in the Use of Work Equipment. On cutting and drilling machines, blade and bit condition, guarding and electrical safety should be checked by eye before every use.

Supply from Seza Global

We supply Factor, Biglift and Virax in this group, wholesale and on a project basis. The range covers plate compactors, petrol rammers, backpack and built-in-converter concrete vibrators, core drills and asphalt and concrete saws.

Send the soil type, layer thickness and the cutting or drilling dimensions and we will size the machine with you; blades, bits and hoses come from the same source.

Frequently Asked Questions

What layer thickness should I compact in?
In granular fill, layers should not exceed 20-30 cm; in clay, 15-25 cm. Spread thicker and the bottom of the layer never compacts, so the ground settles later. Each layer takes 3-6 passes.
Plate compactor or rammer?
Plate compactors suit granular soils such as sand and gravel. A rammer reaches deeper in cohesive clay and is also the choice in trenches and around foundations where a plate cannot work.
How long should a concrete vibrator stay in?
Five to fifteen seconds per insertion. The signs are a sheen of cement paste at the surface and air bubbles stopping. Over-vibration causes segregation; withdraw the poker slowly, at about 8 cm per second.
How far apart should poker insertions be?
The radius of action is roughly 8-10 times the poker diameter — a 50 mm poker covers about 40-50 cm. Keep insertions no further apart than 1.5 times that radius so the zones overlap.
How deep does a concrete saw cut?
Roughly a third of the blade diameter: about 125 mm with a 350 mm blade, about 145 mm with a 400 mm blade. Deeper cuts need a larger blade or a wall saw.
What is the difference between core drilling and breaking?
A core drill opens a full-diameter hole with a clean edge and leaves the surrounding concrete undisturbed. A breaker shatters the concrete, leaves a ragged edge and risks damaging reinforcement.
What happens if I hit rebar while core drilling?
A diamond bit will cut it, but progress slows and the bit wears. Cutting reinforcement in load-bearing elements carries structural risk: the position should follow the structural design, and a rebar scanner is worth using first.
Wet or dry cutting?
Wet cutting suppresses silica dust and cools the diamond segment, extending its life — that is the standard choice. Dry cutting belongs only with proper dust extraction and bits rated for dry use.
What is a water tank on a compactor for?
It stops the plate sticking to hot asphalt. Water is fed onto the plate in a controlled trickle, which protects surface quality on patching and new-laid asphalt.
What does a reversible compactor gain me?
It travels back without turning, which shortens the work in trenches, against walls and in tight spaces. It also allows compaction in place, working forwards and backwards over one spot.