What’s the trick?

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
I have a couple 4x4 foot slabs of concrete about 8 inches thick in my back yard. I think they used to be part of a walkway to the pool house. (Which is long gone)

I bought a big hammer drill. 11 amps.

Now I have a neat row of holes in one slab.

Do I pound it with a sledge hammer now?

I broke up concrete before but not 8 inches thick.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Yeah, the guy that built this place was a contractor and I think he had the concrete truck over here every time he ordered too much.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Ok, this may have to wait. I bought the hammer drill because I can’t swing a sledge with one hand.
 

pop-pop

Man with many vises
Corporate Member
Ok, this may have to wait. I bought the hammer drill because I can’t swing a sledge with one hand.
Maybe work like a rock splitter does with wedges? Thinking several overlapping holes so that a cold chisel could enter and whack it with a hand sledge one-handed.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
Maybe work like a rock splitter does with wedges? Thinking several overlapping holes so that a cold chisel could enter and whack it with a hand sledge one-handed.
I’ll try this tomorrow. I have heavy steel splitting wedges.
 

iclark

Ivan
User
At that size, you might consider checking with a local farmer or county agent about sources of dynamite or other appropriate explosive - like splitting rock - drill holes, insert explosive, split slab.
 

Mike Davis

Mike
Corporate Member
At that size, you might consider checking with a local farmer or county agent about sources of dynamite or other appropriate explosive - like splitting rock - drill holes, insert explosive, split slab.
I don’t think the wife would approve. Try wedges first.
 

Martin Roper

Martin
Senior User
If you can dig out some room on one side you could lay down a square of scrap plywood to use as a "floor" and lift up the slab with a floor jack. Shove a small log or post under where you drilled the line of holes to use as a fulcrum and then use the sledgehammer from there. I'd have to imagine if you have enough holes it should break easily enough.
 

Bernhard

Bernhard
User
you could get some Dexpan or a similar product. Basically it is a non-explosive swelling compound. Used it when I had to crack some rather large rocks. You already have the holes drilled, fill with Dexpan and -voila- the next moring it is all cracked.
Dexpan is some sort of bentonite-type compound, basically it swells and develops huge pressure that will crack the rock/concrete. If your concrete slab has rebar, that would have to be cut separately. and Dexpan does not work as well.
 

KenOfCary

Ken
Staff member
Corporate Member
It's probably the rebar that's still holding it together. Do you have a rebar cutter? Maybe you could borrow or rent one. The electrician I used to run power to the barn from the basement had one.
 

iclark

Ivan
User
If you shine a light in the holes, do you see any rebar?

If you drilled a lot of holes. I would expect you to hit at least one piece of rebar or coarse mesh if it was there.

You could also check for rebar by putting a small, strong magnet on a string and see if it finds rebar in one of the holes.
 

Gotcha6

Dennis
Staff member
Corporate Member
Plan B: Rent a Quickie Saw & cut it wet. They will cut rebar as well as concrete but it decreases the blade life. Some rental agencies simply measure the wear on the blade and charge accordingly.
 

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