Hand trucks offer a faster, more ergonomic way to move heavy objects. Rather than carrying a heavy object in your hands, you can place it on a hand truck, followed by rolling it.
Hand trucks simplify material handling processes by allowing you to roll heavy objects. Also known as hand trolleys, they feature a wheeled base with a protruding lip and U-shaped frame. The lip is flat, allowing it to hold boxes and other objects. If you’re planning to use a hand truck over a curb, however, there are several things you should know.
Use a Stair-Climbing Hand Truck
For stubborn curbs, you may want to use a stair-climbing hand truck. They feature a similar design with a U-shaped frame and a wheeled base as other hand trucks. The difference is that stair-climbing hand trucks have two sets of three wheels rather than the standard dual-wheel configuration. This design allows stair-climbing hand trucks to “walk” up curbs and stairs.
Upgrade With a Stair-Climbing Conversion Kit
If you already own a standard hand truck, you can upgrade it with a stair-climbing conversion kit. As the name suggests, these kits are designed to convert standard hand trucks to stair-climbing models. Most stair-climbing conversion kits replace the two wheels with a pair of tri-wheels.
Remember to choose a stair-climbing conversion kit that’s compatible with your existing hand truck. Hand trucks are available in different styles and sizes, so you’ll need to ensure the kit is compatible with it.
Use a Ramp
Another option when moving a hand truck over a curb is to use a ramp. Most curbs are about 4 to 6 inches tall. Assuming your hand truck is fully loaded — and it doesn’t use stair-climbing wheels — you may struggle to lift it that high. A ramp offers a solution. After positioning the ramp over the curb, you can roll your hand truck up it.
Some hand truck ramps are made of plastic, whereas others are made of aluminum. Plastic ramps are typically lighter and cost less than their aluminum counterparts. Aluminum hand truck ramps, though, are more durable and have a higher load capacity.
Approach Head-On
Whether you’re using a standard hand truck or a stair-climbing model, you should approach the curb head-on. In other words, don’t try to push or pull the hand truck up the curb at an angle. Doing so may result in only one of the wheels gaining traction with the curb. Approaching the curb straight and head-on ensures that both wheels create traction, allowing you to easily move the hand truck over the curb.