Breaking up reinforced concrete

[HammieUK]

Hi All,

I'm in the process of demolishing an old prefab garage, everything was going well until I got down to the strip foundations, it seems the previous owner went a little overkill with the reinforcement and put 30mm thick rebar in it, which is causing me serious grief. The strip is about 300mm wide x 150mm deep, with 2-3 pieces of rebar, any suggestions on the best way to break it up?

So far I've been using a pick axe to expose the rebar, then cutting it with the angle grinder, but it's very slow going, and there's 20 meters of strip to break up. I could use a diamond cutting disc for reinforced concrete, but I think they may wear too quickly when cutting through such thick steel. Another alternative is to rent a hydraulic breaker, never used one before mind...

Any suggestions greatly appreciated!

 

[London Mike 49]

It's probably cheaper to buy a breaker and use it for what you want then sell it on eBay.
I borrowed a mates titan breaker and it broke up a reinforced path no problem.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb280drh-15-5kg-hex-shank-breaker-230v/67819

Mike

 

[r896neo]

A 5kg breaker to break up a reinforced footing Is a daft suggestion. You need a hydraulic breaker or a mini digger with a rock breaker.

 

[noseall]

Just hoof it out with a decent sized excavator. A 1.5 tonner will pull out most domestic found's.

 

[London Mike 49]

A 5kg breaker to break up a reinforced footing Is a daft suggestion. You need a hydraulic breaker or a mini digger with a rock breaker.

It's a 15.5kg breaker not the weaker drill type SDS breaker and the strip is only 300cm wide so it should do the job .

 

[Roger928]

Just hoof it out with a decent sized excavator. A 1.5 tonner will pull out most domestic found's.

A 1.5 ton machine is a play toy. Unless concrete is made from porridge where you come from.

 

[noseall]

A 1.5 ton machine is a play toy. Unless concrete is made from porridge where you come from.

Don't be silly Rog. I've lost count of the amount of conc footings I've hoofed out with 1.5 tonner.

It's about technique, patience and how you use the hydraulics. You get the most leverage power using the front bucket rotation. Once the conc has been freed/loosened from the soils grip it will hoof out.

 

[Roger928]

Its still too small.
Obviously you don't own the machine.

 

[noseall]

Its still too small.
Obviously you don't own the machine.

I'm sure everyone reading values your opinion.

 

[SammyInnit]

A 1.5 ton machine is a play toy. Unless concrete is made from porridge where you come from.

That sounds over the top. Whenever I've needed holes forming in concrete slab the guys that come in to do it generally use a decent sized breaker and diamond saw.

 

[russellsmiler]

I must admit i have broken out a bit of concrete in my time.

1st off forget hiring a 1.5 ton machine, this may well dig it out, but it certainly wont break it, especially as you say its re-inforced.
Look up your nearest tool hire shop and hire an Hydraulic breaker pack. the guy delivering it is duty bound to offer you operating instruction.
Use the point and basically break the concrete by using the tool from above, I would go at it and just break the concrete and get kit OFF hire.
Now eithr by hand or by way of excavator remove the footings. BTW, how deep are they?? can they not remain??

 

[JohnD]

only 150mm deep, he said, which would be trivial apart from the rebar problem.

 

[noseall]

only 150mm deep, he said, which would be trivial apart from the rebar problem.

Not to a 1.5 tonne digger. It will pull out a 150mm thick footing (reinforced or otherwise) without so much as a murmur.

 

[noseall]

1st off forget hiring a 1.5 ton machine, this may well dig it out, but it certainly wont break it, especially as you say its re-inforced.

LOL. A 1.5 tonne machine will pi$$ 150mm thick concrete reinforced or otherwise.

 

[Roger928]

LOL. A 1.5 tonne machine will pi$$ 150mm thick concrete reinforced or otherwise.

You haven't a clue.