The hardscaping industry has exploded over the last decade, with contractors laying massive, intricate paver patios and commercial interlocking stone driveways. The absolute foundation of these projects is the base prep. If the crushed aggregate base is not compacted to near-absolute refusal, the pavers will rut and sink after the first freeze-thaw cycle. For a long time, contractors tried to rely on large reversible plate compactors for this work. While plates are great, they can struggle on highly expansive commercial patios.
Enter the walk-behind vibratory roller. For base prep in hardscaping, these machines bridge the gap between a plate compactor and a full-sized ride-on roller. When I am grading out a massive patio base, the sheer width and static weight of a double-drum pedestrian roller allow me to achieve a perfectly flat plane. A plate compactor can sometimes "dig in" at the edges, leaving slight undulations in the grade. The continuous cylindrical shape of the roller drum spans across the aggregate, ironing out the high spots and identifying the low spots with surgical precision.
Furthermore, the dual-drum vibration ensures that the angular crushed stone locks together tightly. The maneuverability of the walk-behind unit allows the operator to get tight against the foundation of the house or the retaining wall edges without causing damage. It provides the density of heavy iron with the finesse required for high-end residential and commercial landscape architecture.
