3 Ways to Break Concrete

2024 Author: Jason Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 10:50

You may need to break a section of concrete to repair damaged underground infrastructure, or perhaps you are ready to turn your concrete area into a green area. The steps below will teach you how to complete this task and get rid of the waste.

Step

Method 1 of 3: Solving the Entire Area

Step 1. Contact your local infrastructure company

Always do this to ensure there is underground infrastructure under the concrete. Hire a professional if available; excavation above infrastructure lines such as gas or electricity is very dangerous.

Step 2. Use safety equipment

Breaking concrete creates sharp and dangerous shards and dust, so protect yourself and others you work with with safety glasses, a dust mask or respirator, heavy armor or other boots, thick gloves, and heavy clothing. protect your arms and legs.

• If you will be using heavy equipment, such as an electric drill, wear ear protection.

  

Step 3. Cover the concrete with a plastic sheet to collect dust and debris if possible

Plastic can cause you to slip and make it difficult to see the results of your work, but sometimes you need to use it.

• If you're not using plastic lining, protect nearby windows and glassware with plywood sheets to keep these items from getting crushed by the concrete.

  

Step 4. Use a large lever

Whether you're using a hammer or an electric drill, you may have to pick up pieces of concrete to crush them.

• This work will be completed more quickly if one person breaks the concrete and the other crushes the pieces of concrete.

  

Step 5. Consider using a regular hammer to crack thin concrete

If your concrete thickness is 10 cm or less, use a regular hammer.

• Start at the corners of the concrete edges if possible, the strength of the concrete increases in the wider sections. Elevating, or digging the soil under the concrete area may help you break it down more easily.

  

• Use a picker to pry up the pieces of concrete once you've cracked them.

  

• If you fail to make any significant shards or are exhausted after ten minutes, you may have to use a crushing hammer.

  

Step 6. Use an electric hammer

A 27.2 kilogram hammer will be strong enough to do most household chores. Rent a very strong electric hammer/torch only for very hard to break concrete.

• Use only a crushing hammer with a sharp tip. A hammer like this will concentrate the available power to give the best results.

  

• Let the weight of the machine do the work; You don't have to press it. If you press, the machine can be damaged and you can crush the ends.

  

• If the concrete doesn't break right away, stop hammering and move a few inches. If you keep hammering at the same point, the hammer can get stuck and you'll spend a lot of time pulling it out.

  

• Break it within 5-8 cm to reduce the chance of the hammer bit getting caught.

  

• Use a sledgehammer to pry up the pieces of concrete once you've cracked them.

  

Step 7. Manage the frame or support posts

You may find these two things as supports in the concrete you are breaking. Work the two together to separate the pieces of concrete:

• If the concrete is held together by wire, use wire cutters. Large welded wire will require special cutters, but 10 gauge wire can be cut with pliers.

  

• Metal frames will be more difficult to cut. Use a regular electric saw or a circular saw.

  

Step 8. Pull the pieces stuck with the pickaxe

If these pieces stick together so you have a hard time breaking the surrounding area, clear the debris around them and use a large pickaxe to pry them out:

• Swing the sharp end into the crevices of the cut and pry it out.
• Once the gap is wide enough, use the flat end and pry it out.
• Pick the opposite side of each existing piece if these pieces still don't move.

Method 2 of 3: Breaking a Small Part of Concrete

Step 1. Determine the location where you need to break the concrete

If you're looking for a broken water line, and you can pinpoint its location, you can save energy and money. Here are some things you should pay attention to:

• For plumbing problems, determine the location and depth of the underground pipe. Look for an outdoor faucet or cover an underground drain.
• For water problems, look for areas where water escapes through cracks in the concrete, or seeps through the edges of a plain.
• For power lines, you may have to locate a substation outside your area and dig as long as necessary to determine where the power line is going.
• For other repairs, or for installing new infrastructure that requires you to excavate an area covered in concrete, you should research the building plan to determine where to start.

Step 2. Mark the location of the concrete section you want to break

You can measure the distance from the edge of the concrete to make holes that are adequate and parallel if you want to make repairs that are less noticeable. Use a pencil or chalk to mark the location.

Step 3. Shut down other relevant infrastructure

If you are digging above a specific connection line or pipe, turn off the electricity or water before you start. You definitely don't want to be electrocuted or run into any other danger.

Always contact the infrastructure company to locate energy lines and other hazardous objects before you start any project that involves excavation

Step 4. Cut the line with a circular electric saw as deep as possible

Rent this tool or a crushing saw to break the concrete. Cut the lines evenly to create neat edges once your work is done. If you are looking for a damaged water pipe, you may have to enlarge the hole after the initial breakdown is complete.

Be careful with sawing. These saws are very strong and can cause serious injuries. Always wear a respirator or face mask to protect yourself from dust and follow the instructions for use. If possible, use a wet saw and provide sufficient flow of water to prevent dust and damage to the saw

Step 5. Pry the concrete around the cut

Use a large electric hammer drill to do this.

Tilt the drill so that the side you're lifting the cut from is loose, not the side you want to keep

Step 6. Gradually dig the hole deeper

Using the same tool, work the area around the cut, piercing deeper each time you reach the bottom of the concrete. This is the hardest part of the splitting process, as the pieces you break don't get released until there's room for them to fall.

You may have to let the pieces of concrete stick together tightly until the surrounding concrete breaks and is removed

Step 7. Pry in to enlarge the existing gap

As soon as there is a gap between the concrete you want to remove and the concrete you want to retain, pry it up with the same tool to increase the gap to at least 8 cm, or enough so that you can remove the pieces of concrete.

• Keep your drill bit tilted into the initial hole as you work, so it won't go straight down without crushing some of the concrete. If the drill bit goes too deep, it can get stuck in the hole and be difficult to remove.
• If the drill bit is really stuck, you may have to use a new drill bit to break the surrounding concrete and free the snag.

Step 8. Break up the larger pieces with a crusher or electric hammer

Once the gap is wide enough to allow you to avoid damaging the part of the concrete you want to keep, you can use the methods below to completely remove the cracked part.

• Use the lever for the fastest and most effective results.
• Do not use an electric hammer or other electrical equipment if you are near water pipes, power lines, or similar objects.
• Remove broken pieces and small pieces of concrete from the hole as you enlarge it, so that the other pieces have room to fall off without snagging. This will also make it easier for you to locate pipes and electrical cables.
• Use a wire cutter to cut the wire and a hacksaw to cut the frame.

Step 9. Clean the edges of the hole walls

Once all the necessary concrete has been removed, pry up the vertical wall of the hole to make it level. This will ensure a stronger fix (or a more attractive edge if you're not planning on replacing the concrete).

Step 10. Locate the damaged pipe (if possible)

If you're trying to locate damaged infrastructure such as a water pipe, look for signs to help you pinpoint the location of the pipe (such as a seepage or shower). Once you find it, you may have to continue breaking the concrete to the required length to find the damaged part.

Avoid hitting the sledgehammer against the metal frame or PVC pipe, as both of these are fragile and easily damaged

Method 3 of 3: Removing Cracked Concrete

Step 1. Use the fractions as filler

If you have a large hole in your yard (perhaps from your previous repair project), use some of the shards to fill it back up. Cover pipes or other objects with soil beforehand so you don't damage them.

Step 2. Use a heavy object push

Transfer the concrete shards to a larger container using only the push of a heavy object. Concrete is very heavy and will damage light loads.

• Do not load concrete beyond the pushing capacity. Make multiple trips with less payloads to maintain thrust life.
• Consider renting a boost with a larger capacity.

Step 3. Rent a large trash can from a disposal company

If you want to get rid of a large amount of concrete, this is your best bet. Many disposal companies provide lower prices for removing clean crushed concrete that can be recycled or used as a foundation.

Ask in advance about the capacity of these bins, or you will be forced to remove the excess or pay them to do this

Step 4. Take the trash can to your destination

Be careful - your truck won't be able to carry as much concrete as you think. Use a powerful pickup truck and do not fill the entire backroom.

• You can also use a multipurpose trailer for your truck, but be careful when you load the concrete into it. Trailers that are too heavy will crush your truck or spill when you try to stop.
• In some locations, only construction companies that accept "C&D" (Construction and Demolition) materials will accept concrete, and rates may be high.
• Building supply and equipment companies may be able to receive your concrete for free if you call them in advance and agree to deliver it yourself.

Step 5. Build a wall of concrete fragments

Or use it to elevate the surface of flower containers, create paths, or create urban grunge decorations.

Tips

• Look for specialized concrete breaker tools and accessories at hardware and equipment rental stores if you only need them for one job, as these machines are very expensive.
• For areas larger than 4.5 to 6 square meters, rent an electric hammer or hire a professional crusher.
• Use smaller tools for close work, such as near pipes and other fragile components.
• Use the largest hammer drill or rotary hammer handy for your job. Both of these items are expensive, so if you only need to do one job, rent it to make it more economical, don't buy it.
• Avoid damaging the concrete frame and base as much as possible, so that the frame will retain the same strength against the adjacent concrete.

Warning

• Wear thick shoes, gloves, and protective eyewear when you do this job. For crushing hammers, or electric hammers/drills, wear ear protectors.
• The rotary hammer has great power. Make sure you use the help holder attached to it.
• Use a dust mask or respirator when you are dry cutting concrete, and, if possible, use a wet cutting system. Concrete contains silica which can damage your respiratory system. Older concrete contains asbestos; check it before you start working on it if you have any doubts about it.
• Cracked concrete can have very sharp edges. Use gloves.
• Be careful when breaking concrete that may contain live power lines or compressed gas lines. Contact your local infrastructure company to protect your life and money. Look in the phone book.
• Read all manufacturer's information about the supplied equipment and follow its safety instructions. Do not use the equipment until you fully understand how to operate it safely.