What Is a Trommel Screen?

A trommel screen is a rotating cylindrical drum with perforated screen panels. Material feeds into one end of the drum. As the drum rotates, undersized material falls through the screen openings. Oversized material travels to the discharge end and exits separately.

The design is simple, and that's the advantage. Trommels handle wet, sticky, and inconsistent material better than most other screening equipment. A shaker screen will blind and clog with wet topsoil. A trommel keeps turning.

Common Applications

Trommel screens work across a wide range of industries and materials:

• Topsoil and soil screening — remove rocks, roots, and debris to produce clean fill or garden-grade topsoil
• Compost processing — screen finished compost to uniform particle size for bagging or bulk sale
• Construction and demolition waste — separate recyclable material from debris on job sites
• Aggregate and sand processing — classify material by size for construction use
• Gold mining and prospecting — wash and separate gold-bearing gravel from overburden
• Municipal solid waste — sort and separate mixed waste streams at transfer stations

We see the most demand for topsoil and compost screening. If you process more than a few hundred yards per week, a trommel will pay for itself quickly compared to hand-screening or using a skid steer with a bucket screen.

Brands We Carry

Screen USA

Our own line, we’re able to skip the dealer markup and pass the savings on to you. These machines are purpose-built for high-volume soil, compost, and aggregate screening. If you want a trommel built by people who screen material every day, this is it.

CZ Screens

Czech-built screening equipment with a strong reputation for throughput and durability in commercial composting and topsoil operations. We carry new and used CZ Screens inventory.

McCloskey International

A global name in screening and crushing equipment. McCloskey trommels are common on large construction and waste processing sites. Browse McCloskey equipment.

We also carry used trommels from Vermeer, EZ-Screen, Screen Machine, and other manufacturers. Inventory changes weekly.

How to Choose the Right Trommel Screen

Four factors drive the decision:

• Material type — wet, sticky soil needs a trommel with aggressive screen cleaning systems (brushes, paddles, or star cleaners). Dry aggregate is less demanding on the machine
• Throughput — drum diameter and length determine capacity. A 5-foot drum handles small landscape jobs. A 7- or 8-foot drum handles commercial compost or topsoil operations running hundreds of tons per day
• Screen opening size — panels are interchangeable on most trommels. Common openings range from 3/8" for fine topsoil to 2"+ for rough construction screening. Make sure the machine accepts the panel sizes your operation needs
• Portability — track-mounted trommels move between sites under their own power. Wheeled units tow behind a truck. Stationary setups maximize output at a single location

If you're not sure what size or configuration fits your operation, call us. We've been matching operators to screening equipment since 1973 and can help you narrow it down. 770-433-2670 or request a quote.

Not sure whether a trommel or a shaker screen is the right fit? Read our trommel screen guide or our topsoil screening comparison.

Need replacement parts? We carry trommel screen drums, bearings, drive components, and screen panels for all major manufacturers.