A road roller is hired by drum width and by drum type. Walk behind trench rollers and small tandem drums run roughly $110 to $190 a day, a one to three ton ride on tandem $250 to $450, and a larger single drum soil compactor $400 to $700, with weeks priced at about three to four days.
Smooth drum, padfoot or vibratory plate
Smooth drums finish asphalt and compact granular base. Padfoot drums knead cohesive soils and clay, where a smooth drum only bridges over the surface. Below about a metre of width the honest tool is often a plate compactor or a rammer, which costs a fraction of the day rate and gets into places no roller reaches.
Compaction is passes, not weight
Material goes down in lifts of a few inches and each lift takes several passes at the right moisture content. Doubling the machine size does not halve the passes, and a heavy roller on a dry lift simply pushes material around. Ask the supplier of the base material what lift depth and how many passes it expects.
Getting it to site and off the trailer
A walk behind trench roller weighs as much as a small car and a ride on tandem weighs several tons, so delivery is the normal arrangement and it is charged each way. Where you collect it yourself, the yard will want to see a trailer rated for the weight, ramps and proper tie downs before the machine is loaded.
Noise and vibration on the ticket
Vibratory drums are loud and they transmit through the ground. Near occupied buildings, yards will suggest running in static mode or hiring a smaller machine, and neighbouring structures are a reason to check before starting rather than after. Hearing protection is expected on the machine and belongs in the plan.
Questions people ask about road rollers
What size roller do I need for a driveway?
For a residential driveway a walk behind tandem of roughly 24 to 36 inches, or a one ton ride on if the area is large and open. Bigger machines cannot turn without scuffing and cannot get near edges and gates, so the width of the narrowest point sets the size.
Can I hire a roller for asphalt patching?
Yes, and the small tandem drum is the usual choice, sometimes with a water spray kit to stop hot mix sticking to the drum. Check the spray tank works and is filled before leaving the yard, because a dry drum ruins a patch in the first pass.
Do I need a licensed operator for a ride on roller?
No operating license is required to hire one. On a worksite the employer is responsible for training and authorising whoever runs it, and the yard gives a familiarisation on the specific machine. For private property, read the manual and walk the ground for soft spots first.