Masonry Magazine February 1995 Page. 49
Basic Tools & Their Uses
A discussion of the specific tools needed for the installation of interlocking paving stones and segmental retaining wall systems, covering excavation, base preparation and product installation.
By LEN BROWNING
Creative Paver Marketing, Ltd.
WHETHER YOU'RE an established contractor who is considering the added services of interlocking paving stones or segmental retaining wall systems as a new dimension to your business, or an individual who is planning to start a totally new business, the understanding of the tools necessary for installation of these products is of major importance.
In discussing the specific tools needed for the installation process, it will be necessary to break this process down into three areas of work: (1) excavation, (2) base preparation and (3) product installation.
Excavation-The excavation process in the most basic situation can be accomplished with the use of traditional hand tools, and as projects become larger and more complex the use of heavy machinery comes into play.
Grade stakes (whether wood or metal) are used to establish the layout of the area in both peripheral outline as well as required grade. The line levels are used as a basic method of insuring that the grade follows requirements, but a much more reliable and more accurate method of setting the grade requirements can be realized with the use of a transit or laser leveling system.
Once lines have been set, the contractor must continually monitor their condition to insure that they are tight (rain and humid weather causes lines to sag and loosen) and that none of them have been accidentally moved.
Hand tool excavation is expensive, labor intense and if at all possible it should be used as little as possible. A small amount of contractors will hire outside excavators to excavate their projects, but most contractors will dig out their projects themselves.
There are two options available to the contractor that is going to do his own machine excavation: rent a machine as needed or purchase a machine. When renting you may have limited choices in machines, but when purchasing a machine you make all the decisions.
Typically the machine that contractors use for excavation of this nature is called a skid-loader. There are many brands of skid-loaders available, but in making the decision of which machine is best suited for your operation you must consider the following:
Most machines are not able to pick up a full pallet of paving stones or retaining wall stones (a pallet can weigh between 2,000 and 3,000 lbs) and if you do find one that can, you have substantially increased the weight of