Standard Sack Trucks

Classic sack trucks for your workplace

When it comes to moving goods from A to B, you can always trust a hand truck. Invented hundreds of years ago back in the 1700's, they have been a go-to device for lifting and moving heavy, cumbersome items for centuries!

Whether you spend a large amount of time moving and handling, or just the odd item here and there, having a tool to help can save a lot of effort. Lifting heavy or bulky items unaided can result in repetitive strain injuries, even a one off lift and stretch in the wrong direction can strain a muscle or put your back out, thus resulting in longer term injury and the potential for being out of action for weeks.

Sack trucks inherited their name through their original use which was where they were used by young boys working at dock yards to move sacks. Over time they have become popular in a wide range of environments. Nowadays they're largely manufactured from metal, steel and aluminium in particular. Some traditional trucks were constructed from wood, but the maintenance involved with wooden trucks is less than ideal.

Standard sack trucks are mainly made from tubular steel which provides a good balance of strength and durability. There's a huge range of modern-day moving and handling equipment to choose from but you can't go wrong with a common or garden sack truck.

With such a wide range of sack trucks available how do you know which one to go for?

Probably the first thing to think about is what you will be transporting. How heavy will your loads be and what physical size. once you know the answer to these questions you can then look to source the truck to best suit your requirements.

If you intend to transport particularly weighty loads it's best to opt for a heavy-duty sack truck. Heavy-duty sack barrows are capable of carrying loads of up to 300kg, with lighter-duty trucks aimed at loads of around 100kg to 150kg.

Another consideration during your sack trolley selection process is the length of the frame, or height, depending on which way you look at it. They differ in length depending on the model, for instance there are industrial trucks specifically designed for transporting white goods such as fridges and freezers which are constructed with a longer frame to help spread and support the load.

To add to the conundrum, there are different types of toe plate to consider. Traditional trucks commonly have a fixed toe plate. This means they can't be folded or adjusted. Toe plates are the bit of the truck that your item sits on initially, and once the truck is tipped backwards, the load is spread onto the main frame.

Toe plates come in a variety of different sizes so you can go for a more compact option or one with additional length, again your decision will be based on the nature of the goods you plan to distribute. Trucks with dual toe plates and folding toe plates offer versatility and can aid distribution of a wider selection of cargo.

Wheels are the next important consideration. There are two main types of wheels generally used on sack trucks, which you choose will largely depend on the types of terrain that you will be wheeling across. If you want to use your truck over rough terrains, especially if you are transporting heavy loads, pneumatic tyres are a great choice.

Pneumatic tyres, or pump up as they are also known, offer more cushioning over bumpy ground, but beware that due to their air-filled nature, they can be prone to a puncture. So try to avoid any rogue nails that may creep onto your warehouse distribution area. A magnetic sweeper is ideal for collecting ferrous waste to help avoid such irritating incidents.

Other popular wheels are solid rubber or foam filled tyres, both of which are a good puncture-proof alternative to pneumatic tyres. The ride can be a bit bumpier but you won't need to worry about sharp stones or glass scuppering your delivery schedule.

There's even a range of folding sack trucks for further perusal. They're a really great option if storage space is tight, or if you are on the move. Many of the folding trucks are made from lightweight aluminium making them extremely portable and perfect for popping into the boot of your vehicle for compact, easy storage.

Classic sack trolleys are perfect for transporting and distributing on the flat and really help negate the need for tiring, taxing lifting. But, ascending and descending flights of stairs can be awkward. But no need to worry, of course, there's a trolley designed for that very task.

Stair climbing trolleys look very much like traditional hand trucks, but they have six wheels, three on each side which rotate on one axis, known as 3-star wheels. This allows your truck to glide up and down stairs with ease removing all the lumps and bumps that would occur on stairs with a normal sack trolley.

There's even a truck specifically designed for moving and handling stacks of chairs, perfect for community spaces where a hall has a multitude of uses and chairs are regularly put out and away again. The main difference with a chair trolley is the lengthy carrying arm which nestles beneath the seat of your chairs for a secure ride.

Of course there are a plethora of other vehicles available for your manual handling tasks, with the likes of pallet trucks, tilt trucks, cylinder trolleys and scissor lifting tables intended for those super heavy loads. For exceptionally bulky items or for transporting several packages at once, turntable or platform trucks provide a larger platform area, as the name suggests.

For any help and advice selecting your sack barrow, our team of experts are here to help, give them a call on 0808 258 1679.