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What is a Square Headed Earth Rammer?

What is a square-headed earth hammer?

Shop for Earth Rammers


square headed earth rammer with metal rammer head and fibreglass handle A square headed earth rammer has a square, flat-faced head, made from cast iron. This permits a thorough earth ramming along edges when compared with round headed earth rammers.

What is a square headed rammer used for?

square headed rammer on fine gravel It is most commonly used for large areas that need compacting, in instances such as roads, embankments, laying paving slabs and hard core compacting (the compaction of stone chips).
Close up of earth rammer ramming edges of a trench to tamp down soil One of the main advantages of using a square headed rammer is that its straight sides allow for the compaction of edges as well as being able to compact a large surface area due to its face size.

Does the head come in different sizes?

8 inches by 8 inches diagram of a square
The rammer head comes in two general sizes:

8in x 8in (200mm x 200mm) or 10in x 10in (250mm x 250mm).

10 inches by 10 inches diagram of a square

Which one should I be using?

The larger head would be more useful when compacting a larger area, whereas the smaller head could be used for more confined spaces or when compaction of edges or corners is needed. It can do this because of its long straight edges.

Types of handle

three earth rammers; wooden handled, metal handle and fibreglass handle There are three types of handle/shaft available on square headed earth rammers: metal, wood and fibreglass. 

Most handles have a cushioned top for comfort when using, although some wooden handles do not.

The length of the handle varies by brand, however, they can range from 107cm (42in) to 137cm (54in).

wooden earth rammer handle

Wooden handles

Wooden handles are not as strong as some other handles and they vary on whether they have a cushioned top or not.

metal earth rammer handle

Metal (steel) handles

A metal handle is generally the cheapest available. Being made from steel, it is strong but can be quite heavy. Metal handles do have a cushioned top.

fiber glass earth rammer handle

Fibreglass handles

Fibreglass handles are strong and lightweight.

cushioned fibreglass earth rammer handle Fibreglass handles also have cushioned tops.

Which type of handle is best?

Snapped wooden earth rammer handle For long term use, a fibreglass handle is preferable over other handle types.

Wooden handles have a tendency to snap under a lot of pressure and metal handles are much heavier than fibreglass ones which could cause back strain if working on a large project.

Fibreglass handles are, however, usually the most expensive.

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