Load Capacity and What Fills It
Capacity is the specification that decides the purchase, and it is stated in pounds on most listings. Ratings here run 33 to 1,800 pounds with a median of 500, and volumes run 35 to 500 litres or 2.2 to 28 cubic feet.
Weight fills before volume does.
Wet soil and compost run near 100 pounds a cubic foot, so a 10 cubic foot tub rated at 500 pounds is full at five cubic feet of soil and nowhere near full of bark or leaves. Buy for the heaviest thing you will move, not the bulkiest.
Wheelbarrows, Wagons and Dump Carts
Three formats cover most of the range and they handle differently. A single-wheel barrow turns in its own length and tips easily, which is why it suits narrow paths and awkward ground. A two-wheel or four-wheel wagon is stable and will not turn tightly.
Dump carts add a tipping bed and a release catch, which saves lifting entirely on heavy loads. They are the heaviest format empty, and that empty weight counts against the rated capacity on soft ground.
Folding and Storage
Folding fabric wagons collapse to a fraction of their footprint and carry the lowest capacities in the range, typically 150 to 300 pounds.
They suit households without shed space and do not suit moving soil.
Rigid steel carts store badly and carry the heaviest loads. That is the whole trade.
Wheels and Ground
Pneumatic tyres roll over rough ground and soft soil and go flat. Solid tyres never go flat and transmit every bump, which matters more on a long run than on a short one.
On soft ground the tyre width matters more than the capacity rating.
A narrow solid wheel under a heavy load sinks into a wet lawn and will not move, whatever the sticker says.
Rolling Seats and Kneelers
Rolling garden seats with tool trays sit in this collection and are a different purchase entirely. They carry a person rather than a load and are sized by seat height rather than by capacity, which puts them closer to the potting benches than to the barrows.
Cart Types Compared
| Format | Capacity | Volume | Stores | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-wheel barrow | 200 to 400 lb | 4 to 6 cu ft | Upright | $60 to $130 |
| Folding fabric wagon | 150 to 300 lb | 80 to 180 L | Flat | $50 to $120 |
| Four-wheel wagon | 400 to 800 lb | 7 to 12 cu ft | Poorly | $99 to $177 |
| Dump cart | 600 to 1,800 lb | 10 to 28 cu ft | Poorly | $150 to $400 |
| Rolling seat | One person | Tool tray | Upright | $28 to $90 |
Loads of soil and mulch are the usual reason a cart gets bought, and bark at roughly 20 pounds a cubic foot fills the tub long before the rating.
Garden Cart Questions
What capacity cart do I need?
Size to the heaviest load, not the bulkiest. Wet soil runs near 100 pounds a cubic foot, so a 500 pound rating is five cubic feet of soil.
One wheel or four?
One wheel turns in its own length and tips easily, which suits narrow paths. Four wheels are stable and will not turn tightly.
Are pneumatic tyres worth it?
On rough or soft ground, yes, and they go flat. Solid tyres never do and transmit every bump on a long run.
Do folding wagons carry soil?
Poorly. They run 150 to 300 pounds, the lowest capacities here, and suit households without shed space rather than heavy work.
What is a dump cart for?
Tipping a heavy load without lifting it. They carry the highest ratings here at up to 1,800 pounds and are the heaviest format empty.