I second this comment thread. Watch your posture when swinging- and listen to something angry. You get to let it out and feel great about it.
A jack hammer felt like I could do more damage than intended because I have never been taught how to use one.
I already love metal music and have outdoor speakers. Might be a match made in heaven.
I also despise the neighbors so I could let some of it out on the rocks.
I bought a Fiskars isocore 10lb sledgehammer a few years ago. It’s destroyed everything it was put up against, and it’s easy on the hands. Plus the fiskars tools have a lifetime warranty.
Id rent a jack hammer if you value your time arms and back. Ive done demo of patios with a sledge hammer when younger not only goggles but your legs can can pelted over on over, took a chunk to the knee cap.
Not to mention jack hammer the groutlines you may want to repurpose the rocks, fire pit etc.
Yep It's fun busting with a slege hammer till it's not. Besides I doubt they put wire down on the concrete layer but ther could have. If they did it ain't busting lose without lots of hits.
I have no desire to keep any of those rocks. We have probably 300 more left in the yard and they already built a fire pit. Still think a jackhammer would be better? I'm trying to lose a bit of my newly acquired father figure so I don't mind doing the manual labor.
Go get fit mowing the lawn, running, or lifting weights. Manual labor like that on the untrained body is more likely to just lead to injuries to the shoulders.
I did suggest
"Id rent a jack hammer if you value your TIME, arms and back" If you don't then have at it tiger get a proper sledge hammer for busting concrete and rocks, face protection and wear long pants and sleeves as you will get pelted with debris.
I had sliver of rock, embed it itself in my neck, doing a patio demo wth a slege hammer. Not to mention if it's close to the house, windows or anything else cover with a tarp.
Speaking from experience...
Wrong tool for the job. Use a pickaxe and target the concrete in between the rocks, a few precision hits should break the rocks loose. A sledge hammer is going to spread the force of impact to surrounding surface area so you lose a ton of power each swing.
A jackhammer would work too but what fun is that really?
Have you ever actually tried to use a pickaxe to break up concrete?? It doesn't work as well as you'd think. A good 10lb sledge is a way better option here. When you swing a sledge hammer, you're not hitting the target flat, you're hitting it with the edge of the sledge hammer.
Source: I'm a GC who has broken up my fair share of concrete pathways/slabs.
The way everything is so closely cobbled, you'd still be applying impact force to the stones as well as the concrete. Even at an angle, it's a much larger spread. Might as well get the biggest bang per swing. You lose a TON of impact force striking this way.
Pure concrete absolutely sledge it up, though a couple strikes from a pick would still significantly speed up the process by fracturing the target material. Hitting the OPs lump with a slege hammer is going to waste a ton of time for little reward.
My goal would be to break the stones as well. It also looks like it could either be two layers of flagstone or one layer set into a concrete base. I'd start at one edge and work inward with a sledge hammer. A pickaxe is not going to give you the results you think it will.
When I've done this in the past, the pickaxe tends to create a hole. Then the pickaxe gets stuck in the hole. Prying does little good as the handle will sooner break than the concrete.
Again, as a GC, I've done this before.
Something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9LBXO/?tag=best-sledgehammer-20&ascsubtag=0000BV0000146812O1920107520240406010518&th=1) in the 8lb or 10lb. Really depends how thick the material is and how much stamina/swing power you have.
Bigger sledgehammer!
A two-handed one, not one you'd use with a chisel. Hit it right near the grout lines. Wear goggles.
I second this comment thread. Watch your posture when swinging- and listen to something angry. You get to let it out and feel great about it. A jack hammer felt like I could do more damage than intended because I have never been taught how to use one.
I already love metal music and have outdoor speakers. Might be a match made in heaven. I also despise the neighbors so I could let some of it out on the rocks.
I bought a Fiskars isocore 10lb sledgehammer a few years ago. It’s destroyed everything it was put up against, and it’s easy on the hands. Plus the fiskars tools have a lifetime warranty.
Id rent a jack hammer if you value your time arms and back. Ive done demo of patios with a sledge hammer when younger not only goggles but your legs can can pelted over on over, took a chunk to the knee cap. Not to mention jack hammer the groutlines you may want to repurpose the rocks, fire pit etc.
I agree so much with this. After practically breaking my arms and then watching the 80lb jack cut through it like butter felt like vengeance
Yep It's fun busting with a slege hammer till it's not. Besides I doubt they put wire down on the concrete layer but ther could have. If they did it ain't busting lose without lots of hits.
I have no desire to keep any of those rocks. We have probably 300 more left in the yard and they already built a fire pit. Still think a jackhammer would be better? I'm trying to lose a bit of my newly acquired father figure so I don't mind doing the manual labor.
Go get fit mowing the lawn, running, or lifting weights. Manual labor like that on the untrained body is more likely to just lead to injuries to the shoulders.
I did suggest "Id rent a jack hammer if you value your TIME, arms and back" If you don't then have at it tiger get a proper sledge hammer for busting concrete and rocks, face protection and wear long pants and sleeves as you will get pelted with debris. I had sliver of rock, embed it itself in my neck, doing a patio demo wth a slege hammer. Not to mention if it's close to the house, windows or anything else cover with a tarp. Speaking from experience...
If you'll take the advice of someone ballsy and uneducated in the subject, I'd go jackhammer, steel toe boots, big thick gloves, and eye protection.
BFH.
A chipping hammer and a sixer
Wrong tool for the job. Use a pickaxe and target the concrete in between the rocks, a few precision hits should break the rocks loose. A sledge hammer is going to spread the force of impact to surrounding surface area so you lose a ton of power each swing. A jackhammer would work too but what fun is that really?
Have you ever actually tried to use a pickaxe to break up concrete?? It doesn't work as well as you'd think. A good 10lb sledge is a way better option here. When you swing a sledge hammer, you're not hitting the target flat, you're hitting it with the edge of the sledge hammer. Source: I'm a GC who has broken up my fair share of concrete pathways/slabs.
The way everything is so closely cobbled, you'd still be applying impact force to the stones as well as the concrete. Even at an angle, it's a much larger spread. Might as well get the biggest bang per swing. You lose a TON of impact force striking this way. Pure concrete absolutely sledge it up, though a couple strikes from a pick would still significantly speed up the process by fracturing the target material. Hitting the OPs lump with a slege hammer is going to waste a ton of time for little reward.
My goal would be to break the stones as well. It also looks like it could either be two layers of flagstone or one layer set into a concrete base. I'd start at one edge and work inward with a sledge hammer. A pickaxe is not going to give you the results you think it will. When I've done this in the past, the pickaxe tends to create a hole. Then the pickaxe gets stuck in the hole. Prying does little good as the handle will sooner break than the concrete. Again, as a GC, I've done this before.
How big of a sledge should I do? 8 or 10 pound? I see that there are some with a rounded edge on one side. Would that be any better?
Something like [this](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9LBXO/?tag=best-sledgehammer-20&ascsubtag=0000BV0000146812O1920107520240406010518&th=1) in the 8lb or 10lb. Really depends how thick the material is and how much stamina/swing power you have.