Lifting huge stone flag....

[bill.shitner]

"Any suggestions on how to approach? "

Sneak up on it, is my recommendation. Don't let the bugger know you're coming.

Bill.

[Martin Brown]

I don't think it will take fright and run away.

Wedges to lift it gradually and scaffold poles to roll it out of the way would be my first idea. It is a serious dead weight and crushing hazard.

[Adrian Caspersz]

Don't go alone, you need another hand for support.

[John Rumm]

That's going to be something like 350kg if its a uniform 4" thick!

Sounds like you will need to lever it up from the front edge (propping as you go) until you can get it on end, so you can relay the supporting screed.

To relay it, treat it like you would a large shower tray. Slap a couple of runners into the screed so the tops stand proud of the wet mortar. Say a couple of lengths of 40mm waste pipe running front to back. Get and end of the slab on the runners, and then slide it into position. Then pull the runners out to drop it onto the mortar bed. You may need someone on a long level to take the weight off the edge to get the runner out.

[Robin]

Get someone to send a really convincing anonymous tip to the police that the previous occupier...

[Brian Gaff]

Gawd this takes me back. I seem to recall the council at least starting the lift using a big thick plank to place a couple of jack things on which went to blades pushed under the stone, then it was kind of tilted up until some kind of clamp could be attached and a winch on the back of a tractor hoisted it almost vertically. It looked bloody dangerous to me at the time.

I often wonder how councils cope when they need to dig up these wonderful looking town squares made from Genuine Chinese York Stone faced paving slabs. Brian

[Robin]

If I've found the right density and done the sums right[1] it's around

360kg. I can see 40mm uPVC taking that when spread evenly over the 2 lengths but wondered about when the slab is only partly on. Fill the pipes first? [1] 0.15 cu m at 2400 kg/cu m

[Clive Arthur]

Lidl had some inflatable air bags recently, don't know if that sort of thing would help. Like these...

Cheers

[Jethro_uk]

Well the thieves seem to manage ... wasn't there a whole street that got lifted one weekend of antique stone (in Liverpool, amazingly) ?

[Nick Odell]

I was having a coffee in a place on Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester a few weeks ago and outside the shop council workmen were renovating the big heavy flagstone pavement and replacing the broken stones. (I mentioned the location so if you don't know it you can look at it on Streetview.)

First, there were a lot of workmen so DON'T try and do it by yourself. Second, they had some pretty neat equipment including suction grippers and frames to lift the flags and turn them and roll them out of the way.

I have no idea if a hire shop would have them/get them for you/know what you were talking about but I think I'd start there. If that fails try the local council highways dept? Now that our council hasn't any money they are getting much more collaborative with residents about getting things done and if they have the kit (and maybe a couple of experienced blokes they could hire out for the day) it could be a goer.

Hope this helps.

Nick

[alan_m]

Lever up with mattock

Slide a plank of wood under the bit you have just levered up - repeat so you have two planks under the edge. Use the mattock to lever up and out from the opposite edge. The slab should slide on the planks. If too heavy to lift use a car jack to push it further on to the planks.

Whatever you do always prop up the edges you have levered up on wood blocks, or similar, so if you fail to lift it you still have room to remove your fingers when dropping the slab back down again. I have moved slabs much smaller than yours and they were effing heavy.

[alan_m]

Is it rocking? Ff so just level up the side that appears to drop and shovel in the mortar on that edge/corner. Bearing in mind the weight and size I doubt if you need to re-bed the whole slab - gravity will keep it in place.

[charles]

I thought it was genuine Indian York stone.

[spuorgelgoog]

Pictures of lots of exciting things here

pick one that looks suitable and then try a local hire place.

Owain

[John Rumm]

Slap some wooden battens down them if unsure. Having said that, I can easily stand on a solvent weld pipe without crushing it or making much impression at all - and that is >100 kg as a point load. You could just use timber, but the pipe would probably be more slippery.

[John Rumm]

Perhaps there is another expanding foam storey in the making... like:

[Robin]

On 19/02/2019 18:36, John Rumm wrote: <snip>

Thanks John.

It seems even the oddment of uPVC I had is inferior to your pipe :(

[spuorgelgoog]

Burley bloke or blokette on each side

Owain

[spuorgelgoog]

£76 for first day.

But I bet a couple of council blokes would do it for twenty quid and a bacon roll.

Owain

[ARW]

Sub contract it to a Polish/Latvian/Estonian before Brexit and make a bit of free money.