I'll take a hawk and trowel over a mechanical paver any day on residential patios

Got into it with a younger crew on a job in Denver last spring. They were raving about this new mechanical paver they rented, said it would cut our time in half on a 400 square foot patio. I let them run it for three hours and they kept stopping to adjust the plate and fix uneven spots. Meanwhile I laid 80 bricks by hand in the same time with a level and a rubber mallet. Has anyone else found that the old methods still beat the new gear for small jobs?

3 comments

3 Comments

anderson.david14d ago

Did a buddy try that machine on his driveway and return it the same day?

holly_walker7614d ago

@anderson.david I get why someone would try that, but returning it same day usually isn't an option unless the store has a super loose policy. Most places like Home Depot or Lowe's have a 48-hour return window on power equipment, but they check the hour meter and will prorate the refund if it's been run. I saw a guy try that with a pressure washer last summer and they knocked off 30% because the oil looked used. Best to just rent one from a tool library or Sunbelt if you're not sure you need it long term.

grace_bailey14d ago

Yeah actually most stores check run time now so that trick barely works anymore.