On the right side of this terrace, about 80cm (31 inches) down to the lawn, a small staircase with 4 steps is needed.
It will be built from granite slabs and will be quite a solid block, likely only movable as a whole.
A gravel layer will be used as the base.
Based on my long experience observing construction sites, this layer should be compacted.
For that, a vibratory plate compactor is usually the best choice.
However, since this house is on a slope, and this is an ongoing issue, there is no simple way to get a 50-kilogram (110-pound) machine behind the house. Carrying it down the concrete steps and back up again would be quite a challenge.
The alternative would be a hand tamper — a rod with a flat plate at the bottom — which I would have to borrow somehow, but such a tool does not provide nearly the level of compaction that would be ideal.
I assume there is no solution to this problem and I simply can’t think of one, but maybe I am overlooking something?
K
KarstenausNRW28 Nov 2023 19:04xMisterDx schrieb:
Where is the problem with 67kg (148 lbs)? Lift it once with two people, then leverage the rest into place. You’re not carrying the material 500m (550 yards) down the street to your neighbor. Basically, there isn’t any. But if someone over 70 years old asks because they don’t even want to transport a significantly smaller vibrating plate, it might become an issue. Especially since the vibrating plate is more for people with less fine motor skills, while the palisades need to be lifted and set carefully. With proper installation, there’s not much levering possible anyway, since you don’t have a good leverage point (assuming they are set on lean concrete).
W
WilderSueden29 Nov 2023 08:37ateliersiegel schrieb:
Although stair construction is also an issue, my main focus here was on the options for compacting a gravel subbase. That’s why I didn’t put much emphasis on describing the stairs. You cannot separate the stair structure from its subbase. For a stepped foundation like this, even small plate compactors are far too large. And what the sketch shows as neatly chamfered, you will hardly be able to compact properly in practice.
ateliersiegel29 Nov 2023 10:02My question has been answered.
I thank you for the contributions so far.
I thank you for the contributions so far.