Wheelbarrows

and
mortar buggies
Equipment with improved design and power
assistance saves labor in transporting mortar
By Jim Camillo

hile some aspects of

masonry have changed
drastically in recent
years, methods of transporting
mortar have changed very little.
Masons today still rely on wheelbarrows and mortar buggies to
do the bulk of that work.
As in the past, wheelbarrows
still are used almost exclusively
at ground level; a laborer empties
just-mixed mortar into a barrow,
then wheels it to masons work
stations and shovels out a proper

amount onto the mortar board.

Mortar buggies (essentially mortar tubs with wheels and handles)
usually are loaded at ground level,
hoisted or forklifted to the scaffold, then rolled onto an inside
support floor, wheeled to workers
stations, and unloaded. However,
some modern barrows and buggies have been designed to make
them easier to move. And enginepowered buggies and wheelbarrows also are available. The result, according to manufacturers,
is a saving of labor, back
strain, and time.

Standard
wheelbarrows

Power buggies feature steel or

polypropylene trays with 10- to
16-cubic-foot capacities and come
in walk-behind, sit-down, and ride-on
models. They also have hydraulic
controls that enable the operator to
tilt the tray forward for dumping or
easy shoveling.

The standard construction wheelbarrow is a

manual, one-wheel model
with a steel frame (including legs and leg brace), a
10- to 18-gauge steel tray,
and wooden handles.
Construction wheelbarrows, usually purchased
at a supply house for $80
to $250, have level capacities from 5 to 614 cubic
feet, and heaped capacities from 6
to 7 cubic feet. Consumer models
sold at hardware stores are smaller, cheaper, and less durable.
Ranging in price from about $20
to $60, they generally have level
capacities of 3 to 5 cubic feet.

Although construction models

can hold up to 6 cubic feet of mortar, they usually are moved only
when 12 to 34 filled, contractors
note, because a 6-cubic-foot barrow full of mortar weighs close to
900 pounds. Thats too heavy to
move efficiently without spilling
materialand without suffering
some strain.
When empty, construction
wheelbarrows with steel trays
weigh from about 50 to 100
pounds. According to manufacturers, steel trays usually feature
a rolled top lip of 38-inch steel over
solid wire that protects the tray
from cracking when repeatedly
struck by a loaded shovel.
Trays usually feature a round
nose design, but are also available
with a square nose, said to allow
shoveling from either end and
ease pouring in narrow locations
(such as with dry mortar materials). Some steel trays are folded
and welded into shape rather than
machine-stamped, reducing the
chance of weakened steel at the
traybed/side seams. Some companies offer stamped trays covered
with baked-on enamel to resist
rust and corrosion.
Wheels measure 16 inches in
diameter and are replaceable.
Some barrows have tubeless tires
that eliminate the inner tube,
while others feature tubed 2-ply or
4-ply pneumatic tires. Contractors
and manufacturers agree that
tubeless tires are more prone to
flats and are harder to push than
pneumatic tires because added air
pressure creates more of a cushion. Workers also must be sure to
check the grease fittings near the
wheel hub frequently to make sure
theyre full. Clean the tray by gently tapping it with the back end of
a shovel, brushing out loose debris, washing it out with water,
and letting it dry in the sun.
Optional features, some of
which can be installed as retrofitted or replacement parts, include: polypropylene trays, steel
handles, and braceless frame.
Polypropylene trays are molded to

Steel handles offer increased

frame strength over wooden handles, but are weather-sensitive:
cold and hot weather makes them
uncomfortable to grab for extended periods of time. Barrows with
a braceless frame eliminate the
problem of operators banging their
shins on this metal piece while
working the barrow. Priced at the
high end (about $250), these units
are designed so the frame and
legs can support weight effectively without a brace.

Barrow innovations

This motorized wheelbarrow features

a 5-hp engine that drives it at 1 to 3
miles per hour. Barrow features a
6-cubic-foot steel tray that can be
replaced with a flatbed for hauling
materials like cement. Fingertip
controls allow the operator to quickly
change the units direction while
carrying up to 500 pounds of material.

the same measurements as steel

trays, and though much lighter,
are only about 5% less expensive.
Wheelbarrows with these trays
weigh only about 40 to 60 pounds,
but are more prone to cracking
when hit with a loaded shovel.
Manufacturers say the trays are
easier to clean and will not rust.

The new innovations in wheelbarrows are motorized units and

manual barrows with two wheels.
Two-wheeled barrows also are
more expensive than a standard
barrow: about $230 to $270. Like
a long-nosed tray single-wheeled
unit, the double-wheeled barrow
is designed so that when lifted,
80% of the loads weight is on the
wheel and 20% on the handles.
But the weight is distributed over
an axle rather than just a wheel,
eliminating sidesway and easing
handling of an uneven load.
Users say the motorized wheelbarrow increases traction in soft
or uneven terrain, facilitates climbing and descending slope, and
speeds retrieval and delivery of
mortar to masons. It features a

Available in 6- and
8.5-cubic-foot
sizes, mortar
buggies are
loaded at ground
level, hoisted to a
scaffold, then
rolled along an
inside floor to
workers stations
for unloading.

The standard construction

wheelbarrow features a single
wheel, steel frame and tray, and
wooden handles, and weighs from
50 to 100 pounds. This model,
however, features a polypropylene
tray.

gas-powered 5-hp engine that

enables a worker to move loads
up to 500 pounds at 1 to 3 mph.
Hand-grip controls let the operator
keep a firm grip on the handles
and still control machine direction, throttle, and engine stop.
Like most standard barrows,
its tray capacity is 6 cubic feet.
But the model is heavier (135
pounds) and much more expensive (about $1,400) than a pushbehind wheelbarrow. Besides
cleaning the tray, workers must
perform engine maintenance and
make sure not to allow mortar
into the engine area.

Mortar buggies
Most contractors and manufacturers define a mortar buggy as
a mortar tub with wheels. For a
long time, push-behind buggies
were the only type available. But
now contractors also can choose
motor-powered buggies, which
come in walk-behind, sit-down,
and ride-on models.

Some manufacturers say manual buggies are an effective alternative to wheelbarrows at ground
level. Contractors, though, say
the buggies caster wheels dont
give good traction on uneven or
soft ground. Most use them in
place of wheelbarrows only if
boards are placed on the ground
to form a walking path between
the workers and mortar mixer.
Standard buggies have a 6cubic-foot capacity and the same
design as a mortar tub. One end
slopes towards the center to allow easier shoveling. Theyre 20
to 24 inches wide, about 35 inches
including clearance for 6-, 8-, or
10-inch wheels. A standard buggy costs about $400 to $525, compared to $230 to $270 for a 6- or
10-cubic-foot tub. The standard
buggy is made of heavy-gauge
steel and weighs about 160 pounds
when empty.
Though heavier than wheelbarrows, buggies allow workers
to transport larger quantities of
mortar faster and more easily
than wheelbarrows, according to
manufacturers. One manufacturer
makes 8.5-cubic-foot buggies that
cost about $325.
Power buggies, designed solely
for mortar transport at ground
level, feature a triangular frame,
with single or dual (for sit-down
and ride-on) steering wheels and
single or dual front drive wheels.

Fork-like device slides in place under the barrows frame, allowing a

contractor to use an attached hoist or crane to raise the barrow.

They come equipped with either a

10- or 12-cubic-foot steel or 12- or
16-cubic-foot polyethylene sloped
tray that attaches to the frame
flatbed. The units are powered by
either an 8- or 11-hp engine and
weigh from 700 to 1,000 pounds
when empty. The trays are hydraulically controlled and can be
tilted forward to various positions
for easy shoveling or dumping.
Cleanup and maintenance are
similar to that for standard-wheelbarrow trays and engines.

Lifting barrows and buggies

Space confines sometimes pre-

PUBLICATION #M920468
Copyright 1992, The Aberdeen Group
All rights reserved

vent using a forklift or elevator to

raise a buggy or tub to the scaffold.
However, hoists are available that
wrap tightly around the buggy
and lift it straight up with little if
any spillage.
To lift a wheelbarrow, you
can use a special sling that goes
under the handle-frame joints
and nose piece over the wheel or
a fork-like device that hooks
under the barrows frame and
clamps at its sides. These devices
allow a contractor to use a hoist
or crane to raise the barrow.