UK-40D Plate Compactor

A rule of thumb is that a compactor will compact 1 inch of material for every 1,000 pounds of compaction force it exerts. You should also consider the machine's vibration frequency, measured in vibrations per minute. Higher vibration frequency (around 5,700 vpm) is good for compounding thin layers of material.For the first steps in a paver project, compacting the excavated subgrade and then the gravel base, ICPI recommends a 7,000-pound plate compactor, likely a reversible. "You could get away with a 5,000-pound machine, but it will take a lot longer," Bowers points out. After laying the pavers, you need to compact them.