8 Tips to Make Concrete Demolition Just a Little Easier

Sledge Hammer or Jackhammer

The surest way to decide whether to use a sledgehammer or a jackhammer is to experiment a few days before you begin full-scale demolition. Just take a few whacks at the slab with a 12-lb. sledgehammer (Photo 1). Within 10 minutes, youll know whether its a job for a sledge or a jackhammer. Consider renting an electric jackhammer to make the job easier. It wont save you much time, but its a lot easier on your body.

If your slab is large or extra thick, rent a pneumatic jackhammer (with a hose, bits and a trailer-mounted compressor; Photo 2). It has much more power than an electric jackhammer. But its also heavy (90 lbs.) and difficult to maneuver. Dont automatically assume you should rent this as your first choiceits overkill for most home concrete breakup projects.

Tips for using a jackhammer

Rental jackhammers come with an assortment of bits, but only use the chisel-point bit. The point concentrates the jackhammers force and cracks the concrete faster than the wider bits can.

Heres an important jackhammer warning: If you try to crack off large pieces, the jackhammer will literally drill itself into the concrete and get stuck. Youll spend more time getting it unstuck than it takes to crack more but smaller pieces. So move the bit no more than 2 to 3 in. back from the nearest crack before you hit the trigger.

As with a sledgehammer, breakup is faster and easier if you have a helper pry up with a long bar as you work.

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