Kind

gardening wheelbarrow — a device for transporting soil, seedlings, fertilizers, harvested crops, boards, cement, crushed stone, tools. The wheelbarrow transports liquid and bulk substances. Such a device has a high permeability. True, in the process of transportation, it is required to raise the wheelbarrow, which is inconvenient and leads to employee fatigue.

garden cart — unlike a wheelbarrow, it does not need to be raised above the ground and is more compact. In terms of carrying capacity and cross-country ability, it is inferior to the previous vehicle, suitable for moving solid goods (bulk and liquid materials are transported only in packaging). The best option for harvesting beets, potatoes, carrots, watermelon, melons.

The main structural element of a gardening wheelbarrow is a body, a garden cart is a platform.

Cargo trolley — used to transport cylinders, boxes, rolls, boxes.

Barrel wheelbarrow — used to transport barrels or boxes.

• gardening wheelbarrow
• garden cart
• Cargo trolley

load capacity

The maximum allowable weight of the load for which the wheelbarrow / trolley is designed. For gardening, models with a carrying capacity are used 60-120 kg. In construction, devices are used in which this parameter reaches 150-320 kg. Most models will cope with increased loads, but this reduces the service life and increases the likelihood of unexpected breakdowns.

Most often choose a wheelbarrow / trolley with a carrying capacity 100-200 kg (depending on tasks). It is not advisable to buy an option of less than 100 kg, a model of more than 200 kg is difficult to manage, and significant physical effort is required to move it.

Important: buy a wheelbarrow / cart with some load capacity. This will save transport equipment from excessive and harmful load.

Body

Volume — the higher this parameter, the more cargo will fit in a wheelbarrow. At the same time, the actual capacity of the device exceeds the nominal volume, since many materials are loaded “with a slide”. Gardening and construction wheelbarrows have a body volume of 60-130 liters.

Important: if load capacity is taken into account when transporting solid heavy objects, then volume comes to the fore when it is necessary to transport lighter bulk or liquid materials. The load capacity is determined by the weight of the materials, and the volume is determined by their dimensions. It is worth considering that with the same volume occupied, the weight of the materials may differ.

Size — allows you to determine the depth of the body. The larger the body, the smaller its depth (with the same volume).

Form — comes in two varieties:

• trapezoidal – facilitates the unloading of contents, suitable for the transport of bulk materials and large items;
• square – ideal for solid, well-shaped loads.

Wall thickness — makes it possible to assess the reliability of the body. With an increase in wall thickness, the strength of the wheelbarrow / trolley and its weight increase. Also, the quality of the assembly also affects the strength of the product. The optimal size of steel walls in construction wheelbarrows ranges from 0.8-1.5 mm (steel), 0.8-1 mm (aluminum). For garden models, this parameter may be less — 0.5-0.8 mm.

Important: a high-quality car has a one-piece body — this feature extends the life of the product. A model with a welded body will quickly become unusable due to corrosion of the seams.

wheels

Type

Inflatable (pneumatic) — provide high passability, soft movement on delicate surfaces and long service life under significant loads. Often performed in large diameter. Inflatable wheels are sensitive to punctures, are more expensive than monolithic counterparts and need periodic air pumping.

Monolithic — simpler and cheaper than inflatable wheels, not afraid of punctures. These wheels do not need pumping, but they do not tolerate strong impacts and overload the wheel rim. They have a relatively small diameter and are not designed for serious loads. Made from plastic and rubber. To increase the patency, plastic wheels are often equipped with rubber treads.

Important: to move heavy objects, it is advisable to choose a wheelbarrow model with wheels on bearings.

Quantity — carts are two-wheeled, and wheelbarrows are equipped with one or two (much less often — four) wheels. A one-wheeled model is more maneuverable, a two-wheeled model is more stable and requires less physical effort when transporting goods.

A two-wheeled wheelbarrow has better cross-country ability, which is important when working on soft ground. A wheelbarrow with one wheel moves well on a hard surface — asphalt or concrete. In terms of carrying capacity, the two-wheeled model outperforms the single-wheeled one.

Important: when choosing a two-wheeled model, consider the width of the gate and tracks, the number and degree of «steepness» of turns. Such a wheelbarrow requires considerable space to turn around.

Diameter — determines the depreciation characteristics of the wheel and the passability of the wheelbarrow / trolley. A model with large wheels (35-45 cm) rides softer and moves better over rough terrain.

Handle type

H-shaped — Convenient to hold with two hands. This handle is difficult to hold with one hand. A good choice for transporting heavy loads on a unicycle.

Important: When choosing a product with an H-handle, make sure that the person’s body can fit between the two handles. This will reduce the load on the spine and increase the maneuverability of transport equipment.

U-shaped — Designed for one- and two-handed grip. True, holding with two hands is less comfortable for the user. This handle is convenient when using a two-wheeled wheelbarrow.

There is also a handle that combines the design features of the previous options. A versatile solution suitable for various situations. Trolleys are equipped with a similar handle.

Important: The handle should be long enough for a comfortable grip. It is good if the handle is equipped with a corrugated plastic or rubber coating that has an anti-slip effect and reduces the likelihood of blisters on the hands.

Execution

Galvanized construction – increases the resistance of the wheelbarrow / trolley to corrosion. Extends the life of the product.

Undercut — facilitates the unloading process when tilting the wheelbarrow forward. The strut also acts as a support if you need to dismantle the wheel.

Front body support – supports the wheelbarrow and thereby increases its reliability. Models with such a support are well suited for transporting heavy objects.

Support leg — used as a support during parking. There are two types of support stand:

• removable — allows you to reduce weight and increase the maneuverability of the wheelbarrow, which is useful when traveling over rough terrain;
• non-removable — much stronger than a removable support, but less versatile.

Garbage bag – makes it possible to collect and transport weeds, grass and garden debris. Found in some garden carts.

Body and frame material (frame)

Metal (steel, aluminum) — a strong and reliable material, but it is heavy and subject to corrosion. Steel is stronger than aluminium, but heavier and more prone to corrosion. Metal fixtures have the highest load capacity.

Important: for construction, it is better to choose a model with a frame made of solid pipes — such a wheelbarrow / trolley is highly durable. The design with a bent-welded frame is less reliable, but suitable for gardening.

Plastic — lighter than metal, not afraid of corrosion, but more fragile and sensitive to external influences (heat, frost, hail, fire).

Important: in a reliable wheelbarrow, the frame tightly covers the body from all sides. Particularly durable construction has frontal stiffeners. This model is good for transporting heavy solid objects. But liquid and bulk materials are more convenient to move in a wheelbarrow, in which the body is elongated and rounded (the latter feature reduces the risk of injury to the user).

The weight

This parameter determines how convenient it is to transport cargo using a wheelbarrow / trolley. A light fixture is easier to manage and move, but a heavy model has a higher load capacity. The optimal weight of a construction wheelbarrow is 30-35 kg, and a garden wheelbarrow — 10 kg.

Parameters of garden wheelbarrows based on the area of ​​the site:

• 6-10 acres – unicycle model with a carrying capacity of up to 100 kg, a body volume of up to 80 liters, a weight of up to 10 kg (plastic or aluminum body);
• 10-25 acres – unicycle model with a carrying capacity of up to 150-180 kg, a body volume of up to 100-110 liters, and a weight of up to 15 kg (aluminum body);
• up to 50 acres – two-wheeled model with a carrying capacity of up to 200-220 kg, a body volume of 100-110 liters, a weight of up to 20 kg (steel or aluminum body);
• over 50 acres – two-wheeled model with a carrying capacity of up to 300 kg, a body volume of 220-250 liters, a weight of 25-28 kg (steel body).