Re-handling Granite Stairs No Concern for New England Contractor on Eastern Connecticut State Job

Traditional means of manipulating large blocks of non-uniform sized granite or concrete can require a great deal of effort, alongside the potential for needing to re-handle materials when using cut timbers to set slabs on permanent foundations.

Sarazin General Contractors, Inc. (SGC) was hired by Eastern Connecticut State University to install 12 to 15 sets of granite stairs on grout beds; improving stability for pedestrians on two hills near an amphitheater.

Owner Paul Sarazin said all the existing granite was reclaimed for the project, which included removing the stones, pouring foundations, re-core drilling for new railings, and resetting each original piece.?

SGC is no stranger to Vacuworx Lifting Systems, having utilized the material handling technology on another previous job to pick slabs out of a trench. At Eastern Connecticut State, they incorporated a Vacuworx PHD Series lifter coupled with a diesel–powered Kobelco 35SR mini-excavator—both rented from New England-based Able Tool—to save time and keep more workers out of harm’s way.

The advantage for SGC equated to elimination of part of a process and fast project turnaround with no concerns related to safety and no extraordinary effort to position the stairs.

“These blocks weigh more than 1,000 lb each, they can’t be manhandled,” Sarazin said. “Forks would have required putting down on shims and sliding the blocks around. Then we would have dry packed grout around the perimeter and underneath the stone, pulling the sticks out and going to backfill after the stones were set.”

Vacuworx PS/PHD Series machines are engineered with extreme versatility in mind, built to meet material handling challenges on both interior and exterior job applications. Powered by a 12V 30 Ah rechargeable LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) battery, the PHD Portable Vacuum Lifting System is additionally outfitted with remote control and a two dual-stage pumps designed for faster operation—boasting a lift capacity of 2,500 lb (1.13 tonne).

The PS/PHD Series was designed by Vacuworx engineers to handle concrete, marble, granite, metal, steel, iron, wood planks and thick plastic materials with ease—CE compliant and conforming to ANSI/ASME standards section B30.20, ASME BTH-1 and AS 4991.

Compatible with an array of host equipment and ideal for applications where no power source is available, they can go to work anywhere.

SGC, based in North Windham, CT, specializes in a range of construction and renovation procedures, and has broad experience minimizing any interruption to operations or traffic flows while working in occupied areas such as hospitals, schools, libraries, office buildings and government sites.

SGC was founded in 1991. The contractor’s Eastern Connecticut State University amphitheater stairs project started and wrapped up between June and August 2021.

“This was a really safe thing to do,” Sarazin said. “It makes for a nice way to set stones where, at one time, you had to set up shims, to cut them to size and spend extra time to place and remove them. Vacuworx made it convenient because we just spread the grout down continuously over the whole thing.”

“When you put the grout down, you have time to move (the granite) where you want it, with no sticks to use and repack later,” Sarazin continued. “And nobody’s fingers are in the way. It worked out really nicely. It is all done in one shot.

“With this machine, you move it once and it’s set. Vacuworx eliminated part of the process.”

For more information please contact Vacuworx: [email protected]