Browse Forums General Discussion 1 Aug 23, 2011 10:11 am Hi folks We need to remove a decent portion of our concrete driveway. (Eventually it all needs to be removed but for now we just want to remove approx. 5m from the end and make a paved outdoor area). Is it as simple/easy as hiring a jackhammer and just getting into it?? Ie, can we do it ourselves? Or is there a bit more to it? Any tricks or tips that we should know about? It looks to be about 3 or 4" thick. (just want to check before we go ahead and hire a jack hammer and start hammering away that there isn't something else we needed to consider or do). Thanks folks HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 2Aug 23, 2011 11:06 am If you're only doing a portion of the drive, I would hire a concrete saw on a trolley to get a nice straight cut line and the jackhammer you're talking about. It will be a gruelling job though and it might almost be worth seeing if you can get a guy with a tipper and bobcat. You might find he would do the same thing for a couple of hundred cash and save your back and be done in an hour or two tops. Re: Digging up concrete 3Aug 23, 2011 11:22 am Yeh good point phippsy, will def. consider that... and thanks for the tip re the concrete saw for the edging too - good idea. HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 4Aug 23, 2011 1:28 pm You will definitely need a concrete saw (also known as demolition saw) as the drive way will most probably have reinforcement in it to prevent cracks. Re: Digging up concrete 6Aug 25, 2011 9:00 pm Motef, I measured today, the area to dig up is about 6.5m x 3m wide (5m was a guestimate). I rang a hire company today, they suggested a concrete/demolition saw for the edge - as per Phippsy and iknowboonie's suggestion (thanks guys). But they said that we could actually try cutting up the concrete with that and then we might be able to break it up/dig it up from that alone. Or, if not, then to come back and get the jackhammer but to hire and try the saw on its own first. He then suggested a bobcat for picking up the rubble if we can't do it ourselves or it's too much or whatever. He said something about a dingo possible buckling under the weight (that some he's hired in the past have had the 'scoop' (whatever it's called) buckle so I think he was trying to steer me away from using one of those. Anyway, we'll start with the circular saw and see how that goes. Thanks for your help and input everyone. HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 7Aug 25, 2011 9:26 pm On a budget i'd try a concrete saw to make manageable pieces and to cut the steel reo then sledge to break it up. Building with Jandson Homes - Eclipse 18. http://adgnetworks.blogspot.com/ Re: Digging up concrete 8Aug 25, 2011 11:47 pm As above, I'd cut it up into strips and smack it with a sledge hammer. And just another thing to consider is that area will be approx half a tonne of concrete you'll need to remove and dispose of (generally a 6 x 4 trailer can legally carry 500 - 600kg depending on its tare weight). Plus tip fees etc etc. It'll be a fun job! (says me who has 2m3 of dirt to dig out before Monday...... ) Re: Digging up concrete 9Aug 26, 2011 12:48 pm What the 2 above have said is a good idea, but you will need to check when you hire the machine if and how much they will sting you for blades usage. Most places measure the diamond blade before and after a hire, up to an amount of mm will be included but over that they will charge as the blades are very expensive. Saying that there are some hire places that don't charge blade usage. And cutting 6.5 x 3 into small managable pieces with a demo saw will take all day. Re: Digging up concrete 10Aug 26, 2011 8:28 pm Thanks again guys... all tips and related advice taken on board. Sledgehammer... hmmm... another option. As for the rubble, we will probably end up hiring a skip?? phippsy And cutting 6.5 x 3 into small managable pieces with a demo saw will take all day. Phippsy, are you saying there is a better way? Do you think making small cuts with the saw but then using a jackhammer is the way to go?? Is a jackhammer quicker/easier in your opinion?? For the record, we are saying 6.5m long because that is where the current line in the concrete already exists. But, it is quite a bit further back than what we need, so we may only end up doing 4m or 5m (haven't measured it all out properly yet to work out what space we want for the paving). I guess even 1m less work (x3m wide) all helps. HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 12Aug 29, 2011 9:19 am not saying there is a better way as such, just thinking that by the time you hire a demo saw, jackhammer or similar and a skip, you would easily pay for a bloke with a tipper and bobcat for a morning. Those guys love cash jobs. Re: Digging up concrete 13Aug 30, 2011 8:39 pm Yes, sorry Phippsy.... I see what you are saying. I think I got sidetracked again when I rang to get prices from the hire company and he advised that you only use the bobcat to clean up the rubble - but you still need a saw or jackhammer to dig it up. So then I lost sight of 'the bloke with the bobcat'. And I figured he would still need a skip so essentially I would still be paying for a skip and the jackhammer etc - but probably with interest. Out of interest... where do I find 'the bloke'? What do I 'look up' on internet or yellow pages 'bloke with a bobcat' might not get me very far I would be interested to make a few phone calls and get some prices but not sure where to look. HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 15Aug 31, 2011 8:53 pm Thanks Phippsy. We are in SE Melbourne. That is what I was thinking, but I just wasn't sure if that would be the bobcat itself as opposed to 'the bloke' included . But I guess some will say if they come with the added extras. Thanks for your help. Will report back to advise how we got on. HHCIB Re: Digging up concrete 16Sep 01, 2011 3:06 am I am not experienced with demolition, but I have done a little concrete removal and a fair bit of cutting. You should be prepared for very slow saw cuts that might take a day or two, cutting through 4 inches takes a lot of power and time which I doubt you will ever do with a demo saw. You need the trolley one. All the guys who do footpaths pick up the large pieces with a bobcat because it costs them too much to break it up. However, a driveway is thicker than a footpath concrete so that will cause more problems. It may be more difficult than you first thought. Re: Digging up concrete 17Sep 01, 2011 8:39 am Cutting across a 3mtr driveway with a demo saw on a trolley shouldn't take any more than an hour. I did 6+ metres at my sister in laws place in just over an hour and that was taking it slow. A demo saw is made for doing this, has the power and any decent Stihl demo saw from a hire place will do this with ease. Re: Digging up concrete 18Sep 03, 2011 5:46 am phippsy Cutting across a 3mtr driveway with a demo saw on a trolley shouldn't take any more than an hour. I did 6+ metres at my sister in laws place in just over an hour and that was taking it slow. A demo saw is made for doing this, has the power and any decent Stihl demo saw from a hire place will do this with ease. So if you have 5m of 3m width you may want to cut it into .5m*.5m blocks which would take around 10 hrs. Problem is that not all concrete is the same hardness or has the same hardness aggregate and not all hire companies use the same diamond blade, so it might take you twice as long. Just trying to help you figure out the possibilities. Then each block may weigh 30 kg. To my understanding early saw cuts are to control shrinkage cracks, so doing them now would be pointless. Control joints may reduce ugly cracking during periods of soil… 3 9830 Hi all I need a guidance on how far I need to space expansion joints in the concrete driveway and its type (keyway/foam.) Contraction joints are at 3m max for a 125 slab. Thanks 0 10926 |