Demolishion Advice Sought

[Mike the unimaginative]

As a long-time lurker, I now seek assistance! I'm wanting to demolish a building in my son's back garden - he describes it as a 'bunker'! I've taken off the roof (rotten ply with holy felting!), all that remains is the carcass - and that's the problem. It's about 8 feet high (and maybe 8ft by 10ft) built of single breeze- block, but it's very, very solid - heaven knows what the blocks are cemented together with, but it's more powerful than any other cement I've dealt blows to before! I've tried a few test blows with a sledge hammer, and am only making a token indentation into the building. Any advice (*any* advice) welcome!

[Lobster]

Seems surprising that a block structure is *that* strong; but if it isn't yielding to a sledgehammer, go hire yourself a small demolishion hammer from HSS and go for it...

If you have an SDS drill, might be worth attacking it using an SDS chisel attachment first?

David

[George]

SDS drill with a big spade bit to do the demolition,start at the low seams and you should be able to push it over, with a bit of luck it'll break up as it topples to the ground?

[Clive George]

Sounds like fun! I'd love to take a go with a sledge hammer. I'd say the first bit is always going to be the hardest, but once you've got it started it'll then come down ok.

(how big is your hammer? not a little one?)

cheers, clive

[meow2222]

Have you tried an sds? Use a sharp pointed chisel, not a flat one, to get highest pressure - sounds like you'll need that. That'll damage the joints, then once break up has started on a joint you can switch to flat chisel to break more at once.

NT

[Kevin Poole]

Freecycle: offer the blocks to anyone who'll take them down and away (and clear the site).

BTDTGTTS

[The Natural Philosopher]

Hire a diger, and simply pull it apart.

[stuart noble]

I've never known breeze blocks that you couldn't remove with a bolster and club hammer into the mortar. Whacking them in the middle isn't the same.

[Broadback]

I wonder, as a child I lived in a bungalow built in 1937. It appeared to be built of breeze block, but in fact they were concrete blocks. Before sds drills they were impossible to drill into. Mind you never tried to knock the bungalow down! ;-)

[Mike the unimaginative]

Thanks to everyone for the advice - the access is such that I can't get a digger in there. You've mostly confirmed one of my thoughts - get an SDS and attack it that way - but - the age of the property (and the fact that a some of the surfaces are covered with render) make me wonder about the concrete block idea - I'll recheck and see if they are breeze block or concrete. The Freecycle idea is *very* appealing!

Thanks All!

[robert]

I'm sure you have checked but is there any chance (given its height) that the concrete blocks are "hollow" and have had reinforcing rods fitted and the cavity filled with render/concrete.

[The Natural Philosopher]

If so get a big portable masonry saw and a diamond blade and cut throuh the bloody lot!

[Geo]

I don't understand why you are all trying to destroy this (obviously) beautifully constructed shed...

Geo

[dennis]

I have always fancied trying a thermic lance, how much O2 would I need to make one to cut through a wall like that, I have a concentrator that will do

10 l/min (unless air products ask for it back).