Top 10 Benefits of Using a Compactor Machine for Your Projects

Laying a new driveway or working on the extension of a house? Either way, a solid foundation is the keystone to the success of your project. A compactor machine is arguably the most important piece of equipment for this task, yet it is often overlooked.

Proper soil and material compaction isn’t just about getting a flat surface. You’re establishing a stable, long-lasting base to support your construction projects that hold up over time.

Here is a list of ten benefits to using a plate compactor machine from BW Machinery. A list that will surely convince you to grab one of our plate compactors the next time you’re laying a garden path or paving around a new swimming pool.

1. Improved Soil Stability

Arguably the most important benefit to your project is improved soil stability. Proper compaction of the soil removes air voids, potential places where moisture can creep in and cause havoc through freeze-thaw dynamics. Also, voids in the soil are areas where the soil can compact later when weight is applied to it.

Improving soil stability gives you increased load-bearing capacity. The foundations of your project are unlikely to sink and move over time due to this strength and stability.

This Crommelins CC70RP plate compactor is popular with paving contractors because of the heavy duty build and 610 x 460 mm plate size. Easy to use, comfort grips to help protect the operator, it can thoroughly compact the soil so no movement or sinking happens post development. It is a quick machine too, being very efficient over large areas.

Features: 

• Soft grip handle
• Powerful 6.0 hp ‘EX’ OHC engine
• Fast travel speed for increased productivity
• Reversible handle with easy to reach throttle control
• Compact design with central enclosed exciter for even compaction force

2. Prevention of Settlement and Structural Damage

Step 1 leads to step 2. Improved soil stability means in the future your foundations won’t settle further, causing cracking of walls and foundations and other structural damage. The repair costs for underpinning or foundation repair can be astronomical. Getting in at the ground level with a plate compactor can save you a lot of grief later.

3. Increased Durability and Longevity

Compacted surfaces are more resistant to environmental wear and tear. Less likely to erode and crumble. This results in longer-lasting foundations and structures, which reduces material costs over time.

4. Labour Efficiency

Using a plate compactor produces uniform results over a given area. This reduces labour time to prepare an area for foundation or pavers. This helps meet project deadlines without stress.

5. Optimised Drainage and Moisture Control.

Dense, compacted earth helps control water seepage and runoff. This can prevent water penetration that can weaken the soil structure, reduce foundation stability and lead to structural damage through erosion or frost heaving. This is where water freezes and expands.

This is important when laying pavers around a gardening bed, or landscaping around a pool, where water runoff can be common after the fact.

6. Reduced Construction Costs

Having compacted groundwork at the beginning of a project saves time further down the track. Lessened need for expensive repairs or reworking from an unstable base. This is a significant long-term cost saving.

7. Versatility Across Applications

Different types of compactors are designed to work across different kinds of materials, such as clay, asphalt and granular soil. This makes them ideal for a wide variety of projects. You can use them in landscaping and large-scale civil engineering projects.

BW Machinery’s heavy duty BWM C125 reversible plate compactor is just such a compactor. It handles itself on sand and gravel, literally in the trenches with cohesive soils and on large construction projects.

Ideal for medium jobs, such as backyard landscaping, or the larger civil engineering jobs, where you need consistency in application and finish.

Features:

• Best ideal for medium to large industrial works
• Reversible adjustment control lever for easy direction change.
• Centrally mounted fully enclosed exciter
• Powered by Robin EX17 Engine
• 22KN centrifugal force

8. Waste Management

When used correctly, a plate compactor reduces the volume of material. This saves valuable landfill space improving landscape management efficiency.

9. Improved Safety and Operational Control

Our compactor machines are quite easy and comfortable to operate and control. This minimises risks of injury to people on the worksite operating these machines.

The BWM C60 plate compactor is best for light to medium work. It is very easy to control, with the design enabling it to pull itself through soft material, helping you with your work. It’s great around gutters and curbs, tanks and other curved spaces due to its ease of use.

The handle is a soft grip, increasing the comfort of use. And with built-in heavy-duty shock mounts, it reduces vibration to both the handle, and your arms, and to the engine.

Features:

• Best ideal for light to medium works
• Super lightweight and portable design for easy transportation
• Front exciter
• Powered by Robin EX17 Engine
• 12KN centrifugal force
• Foldable soft grip handle
• Heavy-duty shock mounts reduce vibration to the engine and handle

10. Consistent Finishes

Precise control from operators, and the right machine, can bring a uniform density of foundation across all layers. This is essential for a professional finish and stability of foundation for all projects.

What can Happen if you Don’t Use a Plate Compactor

What can happen to your projects if you don’t use the best tools out there? If you feel you don’t have the time or money to get one of our plate compactors, and simply level off your soil with a hand tamper, for laying pavers, what can happen?

• Settling and Subsidence. Over time, non-compacted soil settles thanks to the weight of construction above it, even light weight pavers. This leads to uneven gaps between foundations, driveways and path pavers, and the ground. Structures tend to tilt or sink or even crack.
  
• Paver and Driveway Failure. With pavers in particular, if you haven’t compacted the soil, after the first heavy rain, water gets into the voids in the soil and will make the soil sink. Your paved driveway or pathway will ripple and wave unevenly.
  
• Erosion and Washout. Loose soil is highly susceptible to erosion. Heavy rains can wash away boundary soil, making anything on top unstable and prone to failure.
  
• Freeze-Thaw Damage. When water gets into the voids beneath foundations, during winter it can freeze and expand. Then when the temperature rises, during the day for example, it melts, eroding the soil around it. The cyclical nature of this severely weakens the soil and can cause significant damage.
  
• Significant Long-term Costs. The costs to repair warped and damaged driveways or concrete slabs can far exceed the cost of the initial construction. If you’re looking at foundation repair, it may be upwards of $50,000 to complete the job.

What Plate Compactors Is Right For You

BWM C80 Plate Compactor – Robin EX17 6HP Engine 14KN With Wheels

Easy to control, lightweight and highly manoeuvrable, this compactor can smooth a surface quickly and efficiently, allowing you to get on with your project on time and on budget. This machine can pull itself through soft material with ease, helping the operator.

Features:

• Best ideal for landscaping works
• Super lightweight and portable design for easy transportation
• Front exciter
• Powered by Robin EX17 Engine
• 14KN centrifugal force
• Foldable soft grip handle
• Heavy duty shock mounts reduce vibration to the engine and handle
• Built-in wheel included

BWM C330 Commercial Reversible Plate Compactor – Robin EX40 14HP Engine 38KN With Wheels

This powerful beast is the most powerful compactor we stock. It has a reversible plate at 600mm x 400mm in size. Simple controls for easy change of direction, this compactor is best for large sites and big projects.

Features:

• Best ideal for large industrial works
• Reversible adjustment control lever for easy direction change.
• Centrally mounted fully enclosed exciter
• Powered by Robin EX40 Engine
• 38KN centrifugal force
• Handle folds to 90 degree position for ease of transportation.
• Open plate design reduces build up of dirts

FAQ

Q: What’s the difference between a forward plate compactor and a reversible plate compactor?

A forward plate compactor moves in one direction and is ideal for smaller jobs like garden paving or landscaping. A reversible compactor can move both forward and backward, making it better suited to larger commercial jobs, confined spaces, and deep foundation work where more flexibility is needed.

Q: What brands of plate compactors does B.W. Machinery stock?

B.W. Machinery stocks plate compactors from two trusted brands –  BWM and Crommelins – with a range of models to suit light-duty through to heavy commercial applications.

Q: What does compaction force (KN) mean, and why does it matter?

Compaction force is measured in kilonewtons (KN) and indicates how much pressure the machine applies to the ground. A higher KN rating means deeper, denser compaction. B.W. Machinery’s range starts from 9KN for light surface work and goes up to 38KN for heavy-duty commercial and civil construction projects.

Q: Are there finance or buy-now-pay-later options available?

Yes. B.W. Machinery offers interest-free payment options through Humm90, Afterpay and Zip, available on selected items. They also have other finance options available. Visit their finance page or speak to the team for more details.

Q: Does B.W. Machinery offers repairs and servicing for plate compactors?

Yes. B.W. Machinery has a repairs and servicing department and operates as an authorised service centre for the brands they stock. Whether your compactor needs routine maintenance or a repair, their team can assist.