[wewantutopia]

Hello,

I'm working on rebuilding the front porch on our 1910 Craftsman Style bungalow.

I removed 2 of the post footings. They were only 18 inches deep but 24+ inches in diameter; well below the required 42 inches required to be below the frostline (well, not this year so far).

One of them I busted up in the ground. It took DAYS to do. The just wanting to work on the porch, the other I dug under it, attached a strap, and pulled it out with a truck figuring I could break it up at my leisure.

I now have a giant chunk of concrete sitting on my driveway I'd like gone.

I've messed with it for several hours using a 5lb mini sledge and a cold chisel, a 12lb sledge, and an SDS hammer. This concrete is just so dense I cant get it to crack more than a tiny piece at a time after too much time spent. I've ever experienced concrete like this.

Anyway, now I'm trying to think of unconventional methods to break this up and am looking for suggestions.

I was thinking of drilling holes in it with my hammer drill (which actually works fairly well), filling the holes with water, and letting it freeze to see if it will crack.

Anyone have any other ideas??

Thanks!

 

[joecaption]

A picture of it may help figure out what the best tool to use would be.
Renting a real concrete saw may work.

 

[Canarywood1]

One of these will make short work of it.


http://www.homedepot.com/c/demolition_equipment_rental#breakers

 

[wewantutopia]

One of these will make short work of it.


http://www.homedepot.com/c/demolition_equipment_rental#breakers

By SDS hammer I meant a generic Hilti rotary hammer. No luck.

I will add that I am trying to do this cheap i.e. no renting tools.

 

[oh'mike]

If time mean nothing but rental does---then drill a series of holes from the top--
As large as you can---fill with water and wait for the next hard freeze.

The expanding ice will cause cracks---
Drill more holes and repeat--by spring it will be well cracked---and ready to break with your big hammer.

 

[jomama45]

I'm not actually sold on the idea that ice will break it up. If it's that hard, it could very well be ready-mix concrete, which will likely have air-entrainment in it. If it has air, it will resist freezing very easily.

We carry a few of these around when we can't get a machine very close. Drill a few holes close together, and get it started so it's solid, then "go to town" with the 12# hammer on it.........

http://www.homedepot.com/p/ROCKFORGE-5-lb-Splitting-Wedge-GXB-551/202520559

 

[wewantutopia]

Thank you everyone for the advice/ideas.

As this is 100+ year old concrete, I'm fairly certain it is not ready-mix.

I'll give the sledge and wedge a go as well as the water/ice cracking.

Other ideas still welcome.

Thanks!

 

[Daniel Holzman]

Google concrete expansive agents, these are chemicals which can be poured into the holes you drill in the concrete, and will expand when they are wetted, and will break even the toughest concrete.

 

[Ron6519]

I'd call in local artisans to carve out gravestones for the family. Dates would be an a, will call basis.

 

[Canarywood1]

Thank you everyone for the advice/ideas.

As this is 100+ year old concrete, I'm fairly certain it is not ready-mix.

I'll give the sledge and wedge a go as well as the water/ice cracking.

Other ideas still welcome.

Thanks!

Believe it or not, but the first redi-mix delivered was 1913, and that's a fact.

 

[wewantutopia]

Believe it or not, but the first redi-mix delivered was 1913, and that's a fact.

Very cool fact indeed! Our house missed it by 3 years.

 

[joed]

Drill some holes and pound a pointed wedge into it. I did this with some old concrete and a 1" square bar I had.
It looked something like this except it was taper pointed more.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

Hello,
I now have a giant chunk of concrete sitting on my driveway I'd like gone.

You could probably call around for a landscaper with a bobcat and get this trucked out in one piece for short money. If the dimensions are right this is "only" about 700-800 lbs. I had a crew come in and take out 5' by 5' sections of concrete patio that were heavier than this.

 

[1985gt]

Roll, drag, push, pull it to the middle of the yard, advertise on craigslist looking for free dirt, pick up the dirt, spread around it and make a earth berm, plant some nice features and not worry about he concrete anymore.

Or rent the breaker from HD and for under $100 have it broken up in less then a day.

Or advertise it on Craigslist, you would be surprised what people will take for free maybe even offer a clean crisp $50 for someones troubles of hauling it away.

 

[joed]

Dig a hole and bury it.

 

[jomama45]

Believe it or not, but the first redi-mix delivered was 1913, and that's a fact.

I bet it was on one of "Stadry"'s jobs................

 

[Canarywood1]

I bet it was on one of "Stadry"'s jobs................

I thought the same thing,since he's only a Georgia transplant, but he's originally from i think New York, and the first delivery was in Baltimore Md. so couldn't pin that one on him.

 

[stadry]

cheap, in your case, = labor ( yours ),,, if i guess right, you're workin' for less than $1.00hr

& you other guys ? be nice - its the Christmas season !