Ground Pressure Guide

Quick answer: what matters is not just the machine’s total weight but how it lands — wheels concentrate weight on small contact patches while tracks spread it. A ground-bearing concrete slab takes most electric scissors comfortably; suspended slabs, mezzanines and soft ground need the floor’s design load or ground condition confirmed first.

The one rule that matters

On any suspended slab, mezzanine or raised floor: do not proceed on machine weight alone. The design load must be confirmed by the builder or a structural engineer — in writing — before the machine goes on it. We ask about this on every hire because retrofitting a propped slab after the fact is a very expensive way to learn it.

Common questions

Why do tracked machines exist if wheels are fine on slab?

Tracks are for ground that is not slab: slopes, gravel, dirt and uneven sites. They spread the load and climb better than tyres. We do not promise that any machine leaves lawns or pavers unmarked, so send us photos of the route first.

Can I put plywood under the wheels?

Track mats or plywood help protect decorative and soft surfaces from marking, but they do not make an overloaded floor safe — they spread scuffs, not structural load.