Tools and Tips for Managing Heavy Landscaping Projects

Rock, paving stones, bricks, and shaped concrete can all be employed to create cost-effective landscaping features for any homeowner willing to put the work in. Beautiful stone walls; walkways of gravel, cobblestone, or pavers; water features, and stone patios are a few examples. Stone features are timeless additions to anyone’s property, and are also generally inexpensive and, with the right tools and know-how, fairly easy to install. That being said, the process isn’t necessarily entirely user-friendly. All stone building projects share a common hurdle: the weight of the building medium. Thankfully, it’s a hurdle that you can overcome with the right equipment—sometimes the solution is as simple as a 2 wheel dolly.

Plan the Routes

Before you start moving loads of stone building material, plan out the route between the location of the project and your material storage location. Check for holes or bumps, inclining or declining grades, tripping hazards, stairs, and any other potential hazards. Clear or otherwise mitigate any of those hindrances. Fill in holes, move hoses, lay ramps over stairs, cover soft ground, and so on.

Acquire the Right Tools for the Job

You can mitigate the difficulty and danger of heavy loads by using the right tools. Wheelbarrows are great for some loads, but they’re certainly not a universal solution. Some loads call for hand trucks—a far more stable and convenient tool. Hand trucks, or dollies, also benefit from coming in several configurations, with accessories for different situations. For instance, there are convertible dollies that can be used vertically and horizontally. 

There are also relatively inexpensive attachments that can transform traditional dollies into dollies that climb stairs. (Not to be confused with the powered dollies that climb stairs for commercial and industrial applications. One of those might be a bit of overkill for the average homeowner.) Having both a hand truck and a wheelbarrow is always a good plan. Loose materials can be transported with ease using a wheelbarrow, while stackable, contained items can be placed on a hand truck or dolly for efficient transport.

Lifting and Moving Strategy

If the large stone, brick, paver, or block is too close to where it needs to go for a hand truck or wheelbarrow to be effective, try “walking” it. Walking a heavy object involves partially lifting it and tipping it from corner to corner, or simply flipping it repeatedly until you’ve reached the destination. You might also wish to try carrying straps, which use modern design techniques to distribute weight and reduce the strain on your arms and back.

Whatever method you choose, always wear the appropriate personal protective equipment, follow safe lifting best practices, and know your limits. Waiting for someone to help you out is going to be a lot less painful and inconvenient than sustaining an injury from overdoing it.

About Magline

Magline is easily one of the best-known and most trusted names in the material handling industry. The name is such a byword for trusted and valued material handling equipment that any hand truck, no matter its original brand, is often referred to as a “Magliner.” Unfortunately for those brands, being called a Magliner is no substitute for the real thing. Magline has been engineering and producing the sturdiest, the most reliable, and the easiest-to-use material handling equipment in the industry for over 70 years. Along with their renowned classic hand trucks, they offer a wide selection of more specialized options, including their line of U boat carts, a stair climbing cart selection, a convertible/collapsible hand truck series, and a whole lot more.

Lift your profits, move your business forward, and elevate your home improvement game with a Magliner, available at Magliner.com

Original Source: http://bit.ly/2YBGvB8