All about construction wheelbarrows

A modern construction site is a high-tech facility, but even now some traditional building attributes and operations, including those performed manually, cannot be dispensed with. Masonry, garbage collection, plastering and painting and many other types of work, despite significant improvements, and now remain very labor-intensive activities. It was to facilitate the hard work of builders that a manual transporter was once invented: a construction wheelbarrow.

The wheelbarrow was invented a long time ago, perhaps when the wheel began to be used. Animal carts appeared much later. The simplest design is one-wheeled. The axis is fixed at the point of convergence of the poles, the continuation of which serves as the conveyor handles. On these poles (bars) a cargo platform is installed, which eventually became a box or box. The design of the wheelbarrow has undergone a number of major changes in accordance with the scope of its application. Lighter garden wheelbarrows and reinforced construction ones appeared.

The scope of their application is very wide:

• delivery of materials directly to the place of their use, which is often impossible to do on a truck due to limited space;
• removal of construction waste directly from the facility;
• moving consumables on site.

Of course, all this can be done manually. But it will be very difficult to transfer several bags of cement and mortar weighing from 25 to 50 kg. It is also possible to move garbage in buckets, but the time and effort spent on the same work with a wheelbarrow can be reduced several times.

A modern construction wheelbarrow is a product that combines a whole range of technical solutions: a frame made of a steel pipe with a diameter of up to 4 cm, 1 or 2 wheels with pneumatic tires, often of a rather large diameter. At the same time, the wheels are mounted on the axles using bearings, which makes the movement of the vehicle quite easy. For the convenience of loading, stands are arranged from a bent pipe, often they are a continuation of the reinforced frame of the conveyor. The handles are rubber or plastic coated to prevent slipping. The center of gravity of a modern construction wheelbarrow is distributed so that during transportation the main load falls on its wheels.

The cargo container is made of steel or aluminum, with the help of stamping it is given a shape that is convenient for unloading without assistance. It is enough to tilt such a wheelbarrow, and the bulk cargo (for example, sand) rolls off itself under the influence of its own weight, which significantly reduces labor costs. The carrying capacity of construction one-wheeled wheelbarrows can reach 100 kg with a volume of about 50 liters. In two-wheeled models, these figures can be tripled. The most technologically advanced are modern reinforced construction vehicles with a motor. The cost of this equipment is quite high and is hardly justified for a private backyard, but for large construction companies or in a warehouse, such transport equipment can be cost-effective.

There are several types of construction wheelbarrows. There are quite roomy four-wheeled or lighter two-wheeled carts, the cargo compartment of which is located between the wheels.This type of conveyor is characterized by less maneuvering capabilities, as a rule, it is used for small transportations on a flat surface. The more common wheelbarrows vary in carrying capacity.

One of the external criteria is the number of wheels. Two-wheeled models have a reinforced frame and a larger cargo trough. The single-wheeled version, despite its smaller capabilities, provides increased maneuverability, which at a construction site can be much more important than the simultaneous transportation of 300 kg with the need to clear the real road itself.

Most often, construction wheelbarrows are used for sand, which is necessary for mixing large quantities of mortar. It is not always possible to drive him directly to the concrete mixer in a truck. For quick loading and unloading of such bulk cargo, the loading trough of the construction wheelbarrow is ideally suited. The galvanized surface of the trough protects its steel body from corrosion. Often the trough is made of thicker aluminum.

Various construction vehicles can be found on sale, from relatively cheap lightweight devices to reinforced heavy vehicles. Both domestic and foreign manufacturers are engaged in the production of high-quality transport equipment for construction sites. You can find a wheelbarrow under the brand name of well-known European brands, the price of which will not necessarily be determined by the merits of the model, but, as often happens, by the fame of the manufacturer.

Therefore, it will be useful to familiarize yourself with an overview of the manufacturers' products.

• French company Haemmerlin, It has proven itself in the market of gardening and construction equipment and offers high-quality garden and construction wheelbarrows with a carrying capacity of up to 200 kg. The heavy-duty construction wheelbarrow features a robust, complex frame that supports the body and provides stability during loading. Cast tubeless wheels can be considered a feature of the product. This company owns one of the most lifting models of construction reinforced wheelbarrows. Thanks to the design of the frame and wheels, this rather large wheelbarrow can move loads weighing up to 300 kg with a body volume of 300 liters.
• Russian manufacturer Belamos can offer very high quality heavy-duty construction wheelbarrows. With a dead weight of about 17 kg, Belamos 700Р and 500Р transporters have a good carrying capacity: up to 200 kg. The volume of the galvanized steel cargo trough is approximately 110 liters, the edges are seamed twice, which, together with the stiffeners, increases the strength of the body. The shape of the frame prevents tipping over when loading and makes it easy to unload the wheelbarrow. Two wheels with a diameter of 38 cm are mounted on bearings at a distance of 0.5 m, which corresponds to the width of a wheelbarrow (0.6 m).
• Russian plant ALUMED, located in the Moscow region, also produces construction wheelbarrows with a carrying capacity of 100 to 220 kg. The volume of the aluminum body can be up to 110 liters. Pneumatic wheels on ball bearings.
• The cars of the Russian company have proven themselves well SIBRETECH. The products of this company are distinguished by very high payload rates (230-250 kg) and workmanship. In addition to the conveyors themselves, the company produces components for them, primarily various wheels.
• The company is no less famous "Kraton", producing a very wide range of construction wheelbarrows. The carrying capacity of the products of this company can reach up to 240 kg, and the volume of the body up to 150 liters.A feature is a small width, which makes the Kraton wheelbarrows quite popular on construction sites for materials and in household plots for soil.
• More and more actively develops the market of hand conveyors China. Products of Chinese companies are widely represented in Russian hardware stores. Against the general background of a variety of manufacturers, these cars stand out little. This does not mean low quality, rather, on the contrary, it testifies to a completely competitive product. The carrying capacity of Chinese transporters can reach a record 350 kg, at least as indicated in the technical documentation.

Expensive and still quite exotic transporters are self-propelled cars with an engine. This is a kind of evolution of the walk-behind tractor towards specialization in the transportation of goods. Both wheels and tracks can be used as a mover. On sale there are cars with a motor of both European and Chinese production. The Italian company Eurosystems, which produces gasoline and battery self-propelled wheelbarrows with a carrying capacity of up to 100 kg, is successfully working in this field.

The well-known brand Makita has released a three-wheeled self-propelled battery wheelbarrow with a carrying capacity of up to 130 kg. And again, the carrying capacity of Chinese self-propelled transporters turned out to be higher: battery models capable of carrying up to 300 kg are known.

When choosing a construction wheelbarrow, you need to consider a number of criteria.

• First of all, the nature of the use of equipment: for what goods. This will usually be sand. For bulk cargo, an aluminum or galvanized trough is very convenient, and for the transportation of bulky rectangular materials it will present significant difficulties. Bricks or cinder blocks are mandatory construction waste. The most convenient form for their transportation is a trapezoid. The bottom of such a trough is flat, the back and side walls are at right angles to it and to each other. And the front wall is sloped so that when the wheelbarrow rolls over, the load should easily roll under its own weight.
• It is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of who will use the wheelbarrow. A heavy two-wheeled, reinforced wheelbarrow may not be able to handle the elderly or teenagers.
• It is equally important to consider how you can use the wheelbarrow after construction is completed. If it is in fairly good condition, then it can serve in the household for many years to come as a universal transporter, including as a garden tool. Buying a reinforced model when building a private house or garage is hardly justified. It will be problematic to use such a unit in the future. If a wheelbarrow is purchased for the construction business and will be intensively operated only at a construction site, it is impractical to purchase a lightweight version: the inevitable regular overloads will lead to its rapid breakdown and the need to re-purchase.
• Reliability is an equally important indicator. Before buying, it is very useful to inspect the welded seams: the quality of their processing can say a lot, and even with a cursory examination, you will get an idea of ​​the professionalism and responsibility of the manufacturer.

For information on how to make a construction wheelbarrow with your own hands, see the next video.