I have a concrete block that is too heavy to be moved without breaking into small chunks. The block is about 4 feet in diameter and 6 inches deep. It is also reinforced with wire. I tried using the jack hammer, but no luck. Suggestions?
I used a 5lb malet "John Henry style" (and I'm an older, petit woman, so it can be done) to break up a cement slab over a planter bed the previous owners had put down. the 2 slabs I broke up were abt 8 feet by 2 feet by 5 inches. since we live on a gravel road I used some of it to fill some potholes. a spike and malet might break your block up, but if it's still in decent shape and someone can use it, don't forget abt FreeCycle and Craigslist.
Try a concrete contractor and see if they will do the work while they are in the area doing a bigger job. This will save you some money. We did this recently with an old garage pad. Not cheap, but we saves a few hundred. The other thought is that you have to dispose of the concrete somewhere and they know where to take it. I don't think you're supposed to just put it in the garbage pickup
That could be used by your county workers when constructing/blocking roads while working on them and I would contact someone like that first before breaking apart or a gas station or other businesses in town and they could haul it for you and be put to good use.
Well, where is it, and what was it's original purpose? What is your purpose for the space now? One suggestion: dig a hole nearby, twice as deep as the piece is, lever it over, and bury it.
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Request: Removing Concrete (11/18/2009)
Not so long ago I moved houses, but my garden is all concrete. This is very peculiar, but I am assuming the people who lived here before must of put it down.
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Request: Removing Concrete
Archived on 11/18/2009
Not so long ago I moved houses, but my garden is all concrete. This is very peculiar, but I am assuming the people who lived here before must of put it down. I do not like it like this and wish to put grass down. Can anyone tell me how to get rid of the concrete as I am stuck?
Thanks, Joe
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RE: Removing Concrete
You will probably have to hire someone to jackhammer all of the concrete to bust it all up. Then bring in a skid-loader to scoop up all the concrete. After all the concrete is gone plant grass. That's about the only way I can think of getting rid of the concrete. (06/05/2006)
I agree, you are going to have to hire someone to remove the concrete for you if you have that much of it. Maybe you could recycle the concrete and make raised beds out of it? I imagine, that you will need to have some topsoil brought in before you plant grass. Perhaps, you could start slowly and have the concrete cut out in small sections and plant flowers in the spots where you removed the cement? Good luck in your endeavor. (06/05/2006)
If you know someone with a strong back and one of you has a heavy sledge hammer you could check to see just how thick the concrete is. We had someone use his professional diamond sawcut blade to start an area for us and then we just kept at it with the sledge hammer a little at a time in pieces we could pick it up. We didn't have to pay much to get the job finished, just brute strength. When you sledge hammer it into small pieces, it's not too hard. And we knew someone who took the pieces off our hands as he was looking for this kind of fill. You might also be able to cart it to your dump in small quantities so as not to strain your self.
(06/06/2006)
By Angelfire
RE: Removing Concrete
An acquaintance a long time ago wanted to have a concrete driveway that led to nowhere removed. She got about 10 estimates that ranged from reasonable to reasonable times 10.
Moral of the story, get estimates.
Actually, it seems as though the previous home owners didn't like to mow or had allergies.
This is actually an opportunity to grow a vegetable garden in a raised bed and not have to worry about weeds.
The dirt where I live is so poor that this is what many people do. (06/07/2006)
By Holly
RE: Removing Concrete
Concrete to extreme is too much. We know. We had the same problem. We brought in a backhoe and had it all out in a day. Brought in some top soil and started planting grass seeds. Done as a weekend project. Alot of work. But its so much better then concrete decor everywhere. (07/29/2006)
