What is the best way to begin to remove a section of concrete slab for drain plumbing?
I am expanding a bathroom on the bottom level of my split-level house, which sits on concrete slab. I am about to begin removal of the section of slab to get to the drain plumbing. I scored the area to be cut with a diamond blade, it was dusty. Now I am about to begin removal of the concrete with a sledge hammer. I am guessing the first chunk of concrete will be the most difficult to remove. Does anyone have any advice/tips/trade secrets that would make the removal easier?
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yeah use one of those straight ended drill thingys to drill into the ground, would be easy and less complicated that using a sledge hammer! (maybe if i could tell you the name of it) lol :)
I would have a jackhammer or hammer drill but the sledge will work ok too.
It will be easier than you think.
It will break up into small pieces , should be only about 4″ thick.
Bash your hole in it and then take some of the dirt out. If you shovel a bit of the dirt out from inder the edge of the slab it will be easier to break.
if your cut was deep enough for you to get one little piece out then get a prybar and try to raise the cut slab some…it will break easier if not in contact with the ground…you would have to have cut all the way through…
Have had to remove several slabs to raise my slab foundation. The best thing is a jack hammer. using a sledge will take hours when a jack will take about 45 minutes.
If you can seal the place in plastic you can use the diamond to cut all the way through the slab, but will still make a lot of dust but be contained (if you use a dry vacuum to clean up dust you may ruin the motor, so use a wet vac)
Once you are through the slab a rented jack hammmer is worth the money.
as others have mentioned a jack hammer can get rid of slab pieces quickly; only negative is irregular edge left behind, which you can fix with more concrete and cover with underlayment if looks are important.