concrete breakout

[RB]

We have a massive concrete step that I'm going to replace. The question is whether or not I can bust it up with a sledge, in place.

The piece is 3'W x 4'L x 8"Thick.

Will whacking on it with a sledge finally break through that 8" thickness and start shattering pieces off?

The reason I'm asking before trying is because, if I can bust it up, it will have to stay in place and maintain function and appearance for a short interval until I can figure out how to rig it out there in one piece.

I'm hoping sledge blows will put fault lines though the mass and start it breaking up.

[RB]

Ooops....meant to say if I "can't bust it up, it will have to stay in place.........."

[JimL]

Yes, it will bust it up. Always!

It likely has some steel in it and will tend to hold together somewhat so have at it.

[Eric Tonks]

A sledge hammer "will" eventually start to break it up, but it may take more energy and time than you have. Sort of like those people who pounded on the Berlin Wall for days and weeks, and eventually broke through.

I think renting the biggest electric jackhammer you can find would work faster. Even it will take some muscle power and time to do some damage to 8" thick concrete. Hopefully it is a weak mix concrete, and not one of those extremely hard batches.

[JimL]

I rented an electric jackhammer when I needed to bust up my kitchen floor. Keep that in mind during your ordeal..

[trader4]

Yes, it shouldn't be too hard to a step that size with a sledge.

[Joseph Meehan]

It will take some work, but chances are you will be able to do it. The only think I could not get though was a 4 foot single pour cube. My uncle was a strange man. Nice man, but strange. :-) I hope to be remembered just like him.

[BobK207]

Yes you'll be able to bust it up

My suggestion get a 20 year old to do it for you or use an electric jack hammer.

If you use the sledge, distribute the blows evenly, hitting it about every 6 inches or so; repeatedly. (will you be able to keep up the sledge hammering for MANY minutes without tiring?)

Continuing this process, you will eventually break the thing up into manageable pieces rather than rubble.

Concentrating the blow will locally fragment & destroy the concrete while leaving the remainder intact.

I feel tired jsut thinking ou the last time I did this.

cheers Bob

[HeyBub]

Drill hole. Pound wedge.

Alternate:

Drill hole(s). Insert wood wedges. Fill with water.

[bill a]

i've been doing quite a bit of this lately. you can maybe break it up with a hammer, but i wouldn't try it unless you have a large prybar to get under one end of the slab to lift slightly. without a bit of air gap under the slab, it could be very tough going. if no big prybar, rent an electric breaker hammer. btw, the electric hammers are kind of fun.

bill

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Sure it will. How old are you and do you have any plans for the next five or ten years?

[stretch]

Wear safety glasses while doing it so you don't go blind.

Stretch

[Harry K]

That is the answer if you are going to use a sledge. Pry up and block one end up an inch or so. The whole trick is to get clearance under it and put it under at least some stress. Keep hitting a line across the the block. You don't need to use round-house, full power swings. Solid blows concentrated along the same line will crack it sooner that you think. I have removed 3 very solid sidewalks (one 6" thick) this way, removed a complete set of steps 3 high,and a 8" thick knee high school foundation including the footings using the same method. The steps were about 4" thick poured over rock filling. I broke em up to sizes I figured I could manhandle. Fortunately none had rebar it it. Be sure to wear a face mask - there is going to be a lot of fragments flying fast. Something very satifying (as well as sweaty) to the work. Thrilling to hear a dull 'thud' vice sharp ring as it cracks.

Harry K

[I R Baboon]

last time i busted up concrete, i rented the jackhammer everyone's talking about. paid 40 USD for 4 hours. worth every penny of it

[TPutmann]

Drill a hole in it, insert a stick of dynamite, and kaboom

[satellite]

The last time I busted up a slab, I had a massive heart attack. I died in the hospital the following day.

[Stormin Mormon]

Ah, the list grows.

Carrying scissors with the points up running with sharp sticks looking at an eclipse self abuse playing with a BB gun

and now breaking concrete. Hey, if I see a guy with a guide dog should I walk up to him and ask if he was busting concrete?

More seriously, yes eye and ear protection is essential.

[kzinNOSPAM99]

I had to break up a 16x8x6 slab some years ago.

Started out by hand and as some of the slab had already cracked and settled it was easy enough to get a wedge under pieces as was previously suggested. As the demo continued I discovered that the slab covered a set of patio steps. These things laughed at my sledgehammer. Whoever poured them must of wanted to finish up the concrete they had because these things were massively overbuilt.

Headed to the rental place and rented an electric jackhammer. I forget how much that was for 4hrs but it was in the neighborhood of $30. It went through the steps in no time and made me realize how stupid I'd been to do the slab by hand.

Spend the money and rent a jackhammer. You won't regret it.

ml

[Jim R]

Yep. Get it off the ground with a prybar, whack it with a 16 lb sledge. It ain't half as hard as it sounds. I took out a 20'x 2' sidewalk in an afternoon and ended up with a bunch of nice landscape blocks.

[World Traveler]

I am about to start the same project -- removing a long concrete sidewalk that slopes the wrong way. I have to be careful because it's next to a section of new paving blocks that I don't want to damage. The sidewalk already has a couple of breaks in it, and my plan was to use a diamond blade in an angle grinder or a portable saw to score the concrete a couple of feet away from one of the breaks, then use a mason's chisel to deepen the score line before using a sledge to break it up. I figured once I got the first sections out the rest would come a lot easier.

Did you try cutting or scoring the concrete before removal or did you just go out and whack it apart? TIA -- Regards --