I know that wheelbarrows come in all sorts of sizes...but I was wondering, for the standard size wheelbarrow one might get at Ace Hardware or Home Depot, how much dirt one can carry...not so much that it spills as its carried. I'm basically looking at a ball part figure.
I need to get 8-10 cubic yards of soil and was wondering how many trips (approximate) I'll need to make to get it from the front yard to the back yard.
6 cubic feet is typical. Over 20 trips.
depends on how much weight your willing to move at one time....
I prefer a little less with more trips
knowe anyone with rider mower or tractor with utility cart?
If you were hauling mulch I would think about the capacity. When you are wheeling dirt, think about weight. 2-3 cu/ft is about all you want to push (300-400 lbs). There are certainly laborors who push 5 cu/ft or more around all day but if you did that for a living you wouldn't be asking the question ;-) It is better to make a lot more trips than to kill yourself on the first few.
I GARR-ON-TEE that if you hire a Mexican to do it, he will do it in half the trips, and you can flatten the tire.
Swear to God!
Steve
I live in southwest FL and you are not kidding. Those folks work like robots, are twice as strong, cost less, and can perform at 100 degrees F and
90% RH!That's why President Bush wants to get them green cards (Jeb Bush convinced him that FL will have to shut down if we deport them).
Not a smart-assed response, BTW. The Mexicans here are hard workers and do jobs that I, even in the prime of youth, could never have done.
And that is a job that should not be tackled with the idea to finish it in one shot. Do several trips a day and it disappears faster than you might think.
Harry K
There is no such thing as "Standard Size". I own several wheelbarrows and each holds a different amount. Why not measure the amount by building a one foot square box and filling it. Then see how many fill the whellbarrow.
Good idea to do the volume experiemnet but use a 5 gallon bucket
1 cu ft = 7.5 gallons5 gallon bucket = 5/7.5 cu ft
I think figuring 3 to 4 cu ft per load would be about right
I estimate about 8 or 9 loads per cu yd.
cheers Bob
That makes sense and saves building a box. I think you are about right on those amounts. If I recall correctly, I purchased an extra large wheelbarrow last year and I think it said
5.5 Cu Ft. Most new ones are labelled, but the labels are paper and fall off.
I have gone to the local nursery area and hired them more than once. They moved dump trucks full of dirt, pavers, gravel, and pallets of flagstone. You had to make them take a break. They chose a sledge hammer over a jack hammer to break up concrete. It's like any other group, the bad ones give the good ones a bad name. These workers have my respect. I pay them good, provide lunch and bottled water, and I so far have gotten my money's worth. If they complain, at least I can't understand what they're saying. I've had other races walk off the same work.
Steve
How much it will hold is moot in any case. He isn't going to be able to wheel it if he fills it full.
Harry K
replying to Charles Schuler, Hammer Slammer wrote: Dear Charles, I have a little different story it's a true story. I retired a construction manager. I was born and raised in Arizona in the Phoenix area.. frankly I never met a man Mexican or other wise that worked the trade you described that was twice as strong or worked any harder than I. I worked in the blazing sun untill I was about 42. Mexican workers have flooded the construction industry since the mid 80's. I think you basically like a historical perspective on the construction industry in the labor market. Sincerely Michael, PS raise a poor white boy
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