Soil is typ about 1T/cu yd Sand is typ about 1.5T/cu yd Concrete, about 2T/cu yd
Wheelbarrow capacity is typ 1/6 cu yd
So, sizing with concrete's density in mind suggests it would never see more than ~700lb load.
Anything that you'd EXPECT to encounter with a wheelbarrow that would EXCEED that? (i.e., you wouldn't be lugging gold bullion around in one)
I am not sure what you're getting at with this post, but being a farmer, I have used wheelbarrows all my life. Mostly to haul manure. Never fill them so much that you have to struggle to use them. All it takes is one small hole in the ground and it will tip over if you cant hold it upright, and then you will have to scoop it all up a second time. NOT FUN!
Just fill it enough so you can handle it. Its better to make a few more trips with the wheelbarrow than to lose control of it and spill it, or hurt your back moving it. Concrete is heavier than manure. Half filled might be plenty. With manure I fill it to the top, but I dont pile it above the top.
You would never try to load more than about half of that much concrete in a wheel barrow and that would be for a guy who does it for a living. Your average homeowner is going to struggle with >250lbs over anything but a paved surface.
I'm not concerned with the homeowner/grunt. I'm concerned with what the *wheelbarrow* can be expected to handle.
Make sure the tire is properly inflated so it can support the weight. When you load in the 1/6 yard of concrete, be sure it in in the permanent position because you are not easily moving it. Nice lawn decoration though.
A commercial grade one will be OK with 450-500 but it will be a trick doing it. Paved surface, beefy guy, no sweat.
I've yet to find anything that defines what sort of weight it (any particular manufacturer's offering) can support! Lots of offerings but all they use to express capacity are volumes. I suspect they'd be hard pressed to support 2 cu yds of FEATHERS, despite the (lack of) weight!
Again, not concerned with moving it -- if the wheel bearings, tire inflation level, support arms, bucket, etc. can support the load (whatever # that might be).
Set the wheelbarrow on any surface you like. Imagine it need not be moved -- or would be moved by someone of superhuman strength.
The question I am asking is: what sort of weight load would you expect the wheelbarrow to be capable of handling? You can buy them in many "manufacturing grades", built of many different types of materials, etc.
But, aside from a volumetric capacity -- and the weight of the wheelbarrow itself -- there is nothing to tell you what the limit (or even "typical") weight loading they can support.
Dirt, sand and concrete come to mind as examples of the heavier sorts of "loads". You probably would NOT use a wheelbarrow to lug around steel blocks -- but might for cinder/concrete blocks (ditto stone).
*If* you loaded a wheelbarrow to capacity with (for example) concrete, would you discover that the wooden "arms" would snap if you tried to heft the load? Or, the tire's seal give way?A cheap wheelbarrow readily claims the same volumetric capacity as an expensive one. Presumably, the more expensive has other capacities that the cheap one can't match -- yet these are never spelled out (numerically -- saying things like "all metal construction" doesn't mean anything quantifiable)
"GardenHoses-WeightCapacity"? Interesting unit of measure...
None seem to handle more than ~400+ pounds. That suggests only
1/8 cu yd of concrete; 1/4 cu yd of dirt
The limiting factor will usually be the tire itself and that will be stamped on the side wall. When you are using the wheelbarrow correctly virtually all of the load will be on the tire. A 5/8" steel axle might deflect a little but it will not break and if the handles are hardwood they are not breaking either. That is why I said "commercial grade" There are some pretty cheap wheelbarrows out there.
I think you have to apply about 1/3 of the weight on the fulcrum in lifting force, so there's reasonable limits. I've got a cheap wheelbarrow, and only move about 250lbs in it. It gets tipsy beyond that. A well designed wheelbarrow will basically carry what you can handle - until something breaks. Think of it as a crowbar.
Probably why they don't give a weight rating. It will generally hold more than a man can move if loaded fully with something very heavy while some idiot will sue because he could not get 800 pounds of feathers in it.
Stationary, it can support a lot. Moving, it is a matter of balance and muscle. So you load it to capacity with gold bullion from under the bed and you want to take it to the bank. The unit can take the weight, but you lift and spill it because it is too heavy. You then sue the manufacturer because they said you can move 2500 pounds.
Just like a measuring cup, volume is what counts, the rest is common sense.
Again, I'm looking at the limitations of the *tool*, not the *user*.
You've just conceded that volume is NOT what counts -- as the density of the material also plays a role (feathers, gold bullion, cement, etc.)
I suspect they are described in terms of volumetric capacity simply because folks can more readily relate to that as pertaining to PHYSICAL SIZE.
I have a "conveyance" that is rated for 1200lb loads -- the frame, wheels, wheel bearings, etc. Chances are, that doesn't help you visualize the sorts of applications to which it would apply! (Hint: a refrigerator is typically in the ~300lb range.)
I imagine they are assuming most users are going to be carrying around yard waste, mulch and other things that are not that dense. If a homeowner is using a wheelbarrow for concrete, they are usually mixing it in the wheelbarrow and that will be a bag or 2 at a time. That is about all you can work.
Homeowners aren't the only folks who buy wheelbarrows.
They are the ones most likely to buy a cheap one. A good one is not going to break with any load a user can pick up. I have seen them loaded to the brim with concrete, too much to actually move without spilling it but the wheelbarrow was fine.
g: Give up. Don doesn't care about your answers, he only cares about his question. It's his typical "I asked a specific question and not only won't I tell you why I asked that question, I also don't want to hear anything that doesn't answer my exact question."
Just tell him that the industry standard for the average wheelbarrow is 674.32 lbs and be done with it.
But I'm not concerned with "how much weight a CHEAP wheelbarrow can carry".
I couldn't find a number. So, I looked at it from an "application" standpoint: how are they typically USED?
To lug dirt around. Dirt is about a ton per cubic yard. Wheelbarrows tend to be 4-6cu ft capacity. Guesstimate 4.5 cu ft (1/6yd) as a nominal load size (to account for angle of repose, etc.) suggests a wheelbarrow would typically see ~300 pounds -- when hauling dirt.
Ah, but there are things that are heavier than dirt -- like sand! At
1.5T/cu yd, that suggests a load of 450 pounds!Then, I recall seeing the grunts hauling the concrete from the cement truck into the neighbors' back yard in wheelbarrows. At ~2T/cu yd, that suggests 600 pounds.
I know "aggregate" is about the same density as dirt. And, I'll guess that "stone" (e.g., washed river rock) is about the same density as that.
I don't know anyone who hauls gold bullion or large quantities of coins around in a wheelbarrow. Nor anyone who hauls feathers. The folks at the metal yard have different conveyances for the large blocks of steel they transport. Wood isn't dense enough to even be of interest in the calculations.
Is there anything more dense than concrete that would likely be hauled in a wheelbarrow? Dunno. Let's ASK! (which brings me to my original post...) I've not heard anything denser ("more challenging") than concrete as a suggested typical load.
[I've seen landscapers transport large (potted) plants around a job site prior to planting. But, don't see that as much heavier than a big load of dirt -- the rootball]Note that Vic turned up some references that describe capacities (dimensioned by weight) that were all over the map -- presumably to reflect the various "quality levels" of wheelbarrow products Of course, differences in capacity may also be side-effects of other desirable features: someone wanting a light-weight wheelbarrow might be willing to settle for one that can't carry as much weight. Or, someone who wants something more "watertight", etc.
The real answer is any decent wheelbarrow will carry more than a user can handle.
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