How to Crush Concrete (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

You may need to crush a segment of concrete to get to an underground pipe for repair, or perhaps to transform a paved area into a green space. These steps will teach you how to complete this task, and later, how to dispose of the waste produced.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Remove the entire plate

Step 1. Call the utility company

Always call your local supply company to make sure there are underground pipes underneath the concrete layer. Hire a professional if there are any; digging above a utility line such as gas or electricity is very dangerous.

Step 2. Use safety equipment

Removing the concrete creates dangerous dust and sharp fragments, so protect yourself and everyone who works with you by using safety glasses, dust masks or respirators, padded or steel-toed boots, thick gloves, as well as clothes to cover arms and legs.

• If you use heavy tools like the jackhammer, use ear protection.

  

Step 3. Cover the plaque with plastic foil to contain dust and debris if you can

This process will make the surface slippery and also increase the risk of tripping, but in some situations it can be convenient.

• If you don't use plastic sheets, protect any nearby windows and fragile objects with plywood sheets to protect them from concrete fragments.

  

Step 4. Find a crowbar

Whether you're using a blacksmith's hammer or jackhammer, you'll still need to lift the concrete parts up to tear them apart.

• This work will be much faster if there is one person crushing the concrete and one lifting it.

  

Step 5. Consider using a smith's hammer for thinner slabs if the concrete is 10cm or less thick

• Start at a corner or edge if possible. The lateral strength of the cement increases as the width of the cross sections increases. You may find it convenient to "weaken" or remove dirt from the depths of a small area of the plate to make crushing easier.

  

• Use the nail hitter to crumble the concrete blocks after crushing them.

  

• If after ten minutes you are unable to crush concrete significantly, or you are tired, you may want to try a demolition hammer.

  

Step 6. Use an electric hammer

A 30 kg hammer will be enough for any kind of housework. For extremely hard concrete, rent a heavy jackhammer.

• Use only a chiseled tip to break up the concrete. This will concentrate strength for better results.

  

• Let the weight of the machine do the work; it is not necessary to add force to normal pressure. Forcing the tip can damage the machine and the tip itself.

  

• If the concrete doesn't crack immediately, stop the hammer and move forward a few inches. Insisting on a point could block the tip and force you to waste time pulling it out.

  

• Break the concrete into pieces 5 to 8 cm apart to reduce the chance of the tip getting stuck.

  

• Use the nail hollow to tear apart the crushed concrete pieces.

  

Step 7. Deal with any reinforcing webs or bars you encounter

You can find supports in the concrete where you started cutting. Take care of it while you separate the pieces:

• If the concrete is held together by a web of cables, you will need to cut them with a pincer. Large soldered cables need sturdy pliers, but a No. 10 can also be cut by thinner tongs.

  

• The reinforcement bars will take longer to cut. Use a reciprocating saw or an angle router with a sharp blade.

  

Step 8. Break the stuck pieces with a pickaxe

If the pieces stick together, making it difficult to work on the surrounding area, clear debris around and use a heavy pickaxe to crush them:

• Shake the irregularities in the crack between the two pieces and shatter them.
• Once the crush is wide enough, switch to a flatter tip and keep lifting.
• Try lifting the other side of each piece if it still can't give way.

Part 2 of 3: Remove a Small Portion

Step 1. Determine where to break the concrete

If you are looking for a broken pipe, and you can locate the area where the damage is located, you can save work and a lot of expenses. Here are some things to look for:

• For plumbing problems, try to determine the point and depth at which the underground pipes are located. Look for an outside faucet or drain.
• For water issues, look for areas where water overflows from the cracks in the concrete, or drips off the edge of the slabs.
• For power lines, try to locate the line outside the plaque and dig up a section of it to understand how the underground path continues.
• For other types of repairs, or to install new utilities that require excavating a canal in an area covered with concrete, you may need to consult construction plans to figure out where to start.

Step 2. Mark where the portion of plaque you intend to remove is located

You may want to measure distances from the edges of the slab to dig a parallel, level hole for less visible repairs. Use a pencil or chalk to mark the exact spot.

Step 3. Shut down any important accounts

If you are digging around a line or pipe, turn off the power and water before starting. Don't risk being electrocuted or other such dangers.

Always call the utility company to find out the location of power lines or other dangerous devices before putting into practice projects that involve excavation

Step 4. Cut on the line as deeply as possible

Rent an abrasive or demolition saw to use on concrete. Cut the line regularly to create a neat margin once the job is complete. If you are looking for broken pipes, you will need to widen the hole once the crushing begins.

Be very careful while cutting. These saws are very powerful and can cause very serious injuries, even fatal ones. Always wear a mask to protect yourself from dust and follow the instructions carefully. For any application, where possible, use a lubricated saw and always keep the water jet strong to avoid overheating and damage to the saw blade

Step 5. Crush the concrete near the cut

Use a heavy air drill or chisel hammer to crush the concrete along the cut line.

Tilt the chisel so that the side you are removing the debris from is loosened, not the side you are holding the plate from

Step 6. Drill a gradually deeper hole

Using the same tool, work in the area around the cut, penetrating deeper and deeper until you reach the bottom of the plate. This is the hardest part of the job, because the shattered pieces won't break free as long as they have some space to fall into.

You may need to leave jammed pieces in place until you shatter and remove the adjacent plaque

Step 7. Shatters from the inside to make the void larger

Once you have created the space between the concrete you are removing and what remains, continue splitting with the same tool to widen it up to 8 cm, or at least enough to remove the broken pieces.

• Keep the tip of the chisel tilted towards the beginning of the photo as you work around it, so it doesn't penetrate directly without breaking a section of the freed concrete. If you go deeper, the tip will get stuck and it will be difficult to remove.
• If one tip gets stuck, you may need to use another to break the concrete around and free the first.

Step 8. Break larger pieces using a blacksmith's hammer or an electric hammer

Once you have formed a gap large enough to avoid any damage to the cement that will have to remain, you can use the methods described to remove the entire plaque.

• Use a crowbar for better and faster results.
• Do not use jackhammers or similar tools if you are near water pipes, power lines, or similar paths.
• Remove the shattered piece and concrete spikes from the hole as it spreads out, so subsequent pieces will have plenty of room to fall off without getting stuck. This will also make it easier for you to find pipes and electrical cables.
• Use tongs to cut the reinforcing nets and an angle grinder to cut the bars.

Step 9. Clean the walls of the hole

Once all the concrete is removed, crush the vertical walls to make them smooth and level. This will ensure you get a better repair (and a better looking margin if you don't intend to apply the cement again).

Step 10. Look for the damaged pipe (if possible)

If you are looking for a damaged utility such as a plumbing hose, look for signs that can help you (such as puddles or water stains). Once you find the pipe, you may have to keep breaking the concrete along its length to find the damaged part.

Avoid hitting cast iron or PVC pipes with the jackhammer, as they are fragile and could cause other damage

Part 3 of 3: Remove the Shattered Concrete

Step 1. Use the debris as a fill

If you have a large hole in your garden, such as a repair done, use some debris to refill it. Cover any pipes or objects with soil to avoid damaging them.

Step 2. Use a sturdy wheelbarrow

Move debris to a dedicated container using only a very sturdy wheelbarrow. Concrete is very heavy and could break light wheelbarrows.

• Do not overload the wheelbarrow. It is much cheaper to make more trips with smaller loads.
• Consider renting a sturdy wheelbarrow.

Step 3. Rent a litter box from a disposal company

If you want to get rid of a large amount of cement, this is the best choice. Many disposal companies have subsidized rates when they have to dispose of concrete that can be recycled or used for the cliffs.

Ask for the bearable load in advance, otherwise you will be forced to keep the excess out and have to pay for that too

Step 4. Take it to the landfill

Be careful - your truck will not be able to carry as much concrete as you think. It uses a powerful pickup and "doesn't" fill the entire trailer.

• You can also use a serving cart, but be very careful in this case. A truck that is too heavy may crash into the truck or overturn when you try to brake.
• In some places, only landfills that accept "C and D" materials (construction and demolition materials) can receive the concrete, and the fee can be expensive.
• Construction supply companies can take old concrete if you contact them in advance and agree to deliver it yourself.

Step 5. Build a wall from the shattered pieces, or use them to create plant houses, a path or a rustic urban décor

Advice

• Look for specialized concrete crushing tools and accessories in shops that allow you to rent them if you only need to use them once, as these machines are very expensive.
• For an area larger than 2 square meters, renting a jackhammer or outsourcing the job to a demolition professional may be more cost effective.
• Use the largest hammer drill or rotary hammer suitable for the job. They are expensive tools, so if you only use them for one job, renting them will be cheaper than buying them.
• Use smaller tools for work near plumbing or other fragile plant components.
• Avoid damaging the reinforcing bars and mesh if possible, so the repair will have the same strength as the adjacent concrete.

Warnings

• Wear heavy shoes, gloves, safety glasses while you work. Ear protection is also required for pneumatic hammers, demolition tools or blacksmith hammers.
• Rotary hammers have a lot of strength. Make sure you are using a suitable handle.
• Wear a dust mask or respirator when cutting dry concrete and, if possible, still use a wet cutting system. Cement contains silica which can damage your respiratory system. Old cement can also contain asbestos; test it before you start if you have any doubts about it.
• Crushed concrete can have very pointed ends. Use gloves.
• Be careful as you break up concrete that may contain running electrical wires or compressed gas lines. A call to the utilities office can save your life and save you a lot of money. search the Useful Pages.
• Read all the production information on tools and follow all the rules. Do not use any tools until you have fully understood how they work.