Hardcore base - Prepping ground for block paving

[JP2011]

Hi guys,

I am just about to start block paving my front driveway. It seems fairly simple as it is about 60m2 and it's is a big square with a slight run downhill towards the house. The problem I have is my Dad is helping and he is mr know it all! I am going do hire a machine to dig up what we need and then I will prep the hardcore sub base. Now I want to hire a whacker for compacting the type 1 but my dad says no we are not wasting money on things we don't need. His suggestion is to track all the type 1 in place with the mini digger I hire. Would this work??? I don think it will but it's then the argument with my dad who has "years of experience in the building game"

Thanks for your help

[seanandruby]

hire a decent wacker. Tracking it in will do no good at all because the weight of the machine is a spread load rather than a point loading. your drive will be unlevel due to differential settlement

[lutonlagerlout]

A roller would be better for the sub base than a wacker
but as sean says tracking it in wont work
if you get a heavy duty diesel wacker that will be ok
weighs about 85kg
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

tracking in hardcore only effectively works on machines over 6 ton with steel stracks as they have the weight to crush the subbase, and still even with our 16 tonner its not as good as a roller

as the lads say hire a whacker, especially for type1 mot.