88 Tons of Gravel in 5 Minutes - Scatman

My last weekend with the Bobcat before selling it. I needed to get the last 88 tons on gravel to finish the raised portion of a 3,000 sqft patio in 3 days and had this song in my head the whole time. You need to go up no more than 4-5" at a time to ensure good compaction with a small compactor like this.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• bobcat
• gravel
• raised
• patio
• ep
• henry
• pavers

[Zbrogan54]

oh and fyi I never said anything about hogging it in at once. 4inch lifts are standard.

[pcasciola]

@Zbrogan54 Oh, I see. I thought you meant dumping it all in one shot. Believe it or not, I've seen contractors do that here, up to 2 feet or more!! Granted it took extra time the way I did it, but at the end I drove my Jeep up on it to drop off some cinderblocks I needed, and you literally couldn't even see where I drove when I was done it was so compacted.

[Zbrogan54]

Not trying to put you down or anything but you put it on the internet so you kinda set your self up for criticism. If could see me lay a out a big fill with a dozer or a small fill with a skid you would be amazed. Work smarter not harder. I would have been grilling and enjoying a cold one for the weekend while i watched you next door play paddy cake.

[pcasciola]

@Zbrogan54 Well, I kinda put it up as a joke, and the song and dance are a movie reference that most people wouldn't get, from Nothing to Lose. I do still think that this is the best method for a homeowner doing their own patio. The Bobcat is a pretty easy machine to use, and compacting every 3-4" ensures good compaction with little skill, but a lot of patience.

[Zbrogan54]

I would use a smaller ride on smooth drum to roll it. I never saw you watering the fill before you compacted it, witch is key in getting compaction. I am a third generation excavator, work for a large company and build mostly roads, bridges and main line pipe. (water, sewer). I work with engineers that actually test compaction and must pass at 98%. Most cases we sub-ex pipe from 8 to 30 ft deep and work fills up to 40 feet on big jobs. I know how to do it right and efficiently.

[pcasciola]

@Zbrogan54 I appreciate the feedback, but we are talking about a 3' raised patio here, not building roads. With a drum roller or a larger compactor, you risk blowing out the wall with this type of wall stone. This is why EP Henry engineers recommend this method. Good suggestion on the watering. I did this extensively and made at least 5-6 passes on each 3-4" layer of gravel with the compactor. Too much water causing clumping under the tamper so that was a little tricky.

[Mattbabyjack]

Techo bloc's web site has a lot of info.on specifics regarding compaction. Check it out it was and is very helpful.

[Zbrogan54]

Right on happy trails..

[pcasciola]

@rwkaiser58 That all depends on the definition of pro. I think of a pro as someone who does the best job possible. What you guys are talking about are contractors and handymen, who are usually the lowest bidders, but not necessarily turning out the most professional work.

[rwkaiser58]

I did a 3' raised patio using the same method of compaction. It hasn't moved an inch and the pavers are level. I think @Zbrogan54 is saying you couldn't run a profitable business this way. However, I think this (and the dance) is what would differentiate you from the average 'pro' (as there are many levels). I for one would pay more to have something that would last simply by spending extra time on the most important part. Professor/Professional....stil­l not rocket science.