Help moving these steps

[nod]

I have foundation problems. I have these steps that have to be removed to fix it. The steps are 5' 6" wide and 42 inches high. They are poured concrete. I need some ideas about how to remove them. The wall behind the steps is leaning in. I do not want to make it fall, it is a basement wall. I can't get a strap or chain around the top because the top of the steps are leaning in on the bricks.

 

[jrdepew]

What about using a hammer drill to make a hole, and anchoring or better yet, epoxying in a forged eye bolt? If you have a decent sized piece of equipment you could use that to pull the steps straight out.

I would do a quick calculation of the weight of the steps and make sure you get a correctly sized eye bolt...

You could also drill two holes and make a rebar "u" shape and epoxy it in the holes. Would be a lot cheaper than a quality eye-bolt.

The epoxy they make for this application isn't terribly cheap, but is extremely strong.

-Joe

 

[newbury]

Can you snake a cable around it through the cracks?

Start with a thin cable then pull a thicker one.

 

[MossRoad]

Yeah, I'd be careful about trying to tip them over from the top, as if the cable broke, it will fall back against the wall and good chance of damaging it more.

Have you tried digging down along the left side and front step and seeing how far down into the dirt they go yet? There may be even more mass of concrete beneath them.

 

[Billrog]

You could maybe try this stuff.
ECOBUST 11 lb. Concrete Cutting and Rock Breaking Non-Combustive Demolition Agent Type 2 (5F - 77F)-EB211 - The Home Depot

 

[Snobdds]

Just take them out and rebuild on a proper footing. Cheaper and better product when done.

Cement stairs are heavy and should be supported by footers or proper pylons.

 

[MossRoad]

Just take them out and rebuild on a proper footing. Cheaper and better product when done.

Cement stairs are heavy and should be supported by footers or proper pylons.

He's asking HOW to take them out.

 

[MossRoad]

You could maybe try this stuff.
ECOBUST 11 lb. Concrete Cutting and Rock Breaking Non-Combustive Demolition Agent Type 2 (5F - 77F)-EB211 - The Home Depot

Hey, I remember that stuff. I think there's some youtube videos on it. Seemed to work pretty well. If he can't get them out in one piece, this stuff might be his answer to breaking it up.

 

[MossRoad]

The stuff I remember was called DEXPAN.

How to break up concrete and rocks for removal? Dexpan Demolition

 

[MossRoad]

 

[Cataclysm]

Dig under all along the front of the steps. take multiple large, super heavy duty "C" clamps and place them along the front. Lace them with a cable so they all carry the same load and carefully pull them out. Be careful and don't rig anything that can come loose and throw those clamps.

Another way is to dig along the front again and take a large piece of heavy wall pipe. Cut a slot that will fit over the bottom step. Weld a couple of up rights on the top of the pipe so that when you pull the up rights the pipe rotates and bites the bottom step. Kinda like a pipe wrench grabs a pipe.

 

[Cataclysm]

I've used Dexpan. It works ok if everything is just right. Other wise it just pushes out the top. The longer the hole the better it will work.

 

[newbury]

BUT Definitely shore up the wall in the basement before you try anything.

 

[Snobdds]

He's asking HOW to take them out.

Moving Implies saving for later. Those should not be saved for later.

He he wants them gone..Is the tried and proven, jackhammer out of he question.

 

[Egon]

Jackhammer. Fast, can make little pieces to move easily.

 

[boggen]

open the old paper phone book and look up "machinery rental" places. and rent a 15amp or less 110v electric jack hammer. all you do is hold it up right. you let it do the hammering. no need to put your weight on them, for extra force. just let them hammer and just enough strength to hold them up right. only use your strength to lift them up and move them over to another spot. (and they can be rather heavy, 50 to 100lbs pending on size) make sure you get a heavy duty extension cord. not some cheap little extension cord.

get yourself 2 descent 6 to 8 foot long pry bars, some wedges, and a good 3 to 4 foot long handle sledge hammer. while electric jack hammers pretty much will bust it all up. it will not separate everything into chunks were you can physically get your fingers in and pry pieces apart. hence some pry bars, wedges, and a sledge hammer.

hopefully there is no rebar within the steps.

you might find, the actual center/underneath of the steps if lucky empty space and/or dirt. and you just need to break the 4 to 6 inches of concrete apart.

if you have a backhoe or mini excavator or even a skid steer (something) to help remove and/or lift up larger chunks of concrete. that for life will not bust up easily with jack hammer (no good spot to keep jack hammer on it to bust it up further, and/or to thick to whack apart with a sledge hammer)

==============
p.s. do not try to put a chain or cable around the steps to try and rip them out. you will end up just busting everything else and damaging everything else but the stairs. break it up then remove it.

 

[Egon]

The steps appear built in place and may not contain rebar. Can't tell if they are solid or filled with dirt.

If they are dirt filled jackhammer will make short work of it. Most time would be spent shovelling out the dirt to get at the back and side walls with the hammer.

 

[nod]

Thanks for all the ideas. Did some digging and it appears that there was no footing and it is not hollow. Maybe I'll call around for a jackhammer.

 

[nod]

What about using a hammer drill to make a hole, and anchoring or better yet, epoxying in a forged eye bolt? If you have a decent sized piece of equipment you could use that to pull the steps straight out.

I would do a quick calculation of the weight of the steps and make sure you get a correctly sized eye bolt...

You could also drill two holes and make a rebar "u" shape and epoxy it in the holes. Would be a lot cheaper than a quality eye-bolt.

The epoxy they make for this application isn't terribly cheap, but is extremely strong.

-Joe

I like this idea, I think I will try this before the jackhammer.

 

[bigtiller]

I broke out some steps just like that years ago. Hit the side of the steps with a sledge hammer a few times. I think you will find the sides will be easy to break out and the steps will probably be filled with sand. No way (well probably?) will that be one solid piece of concrete. Only the bottom step may be entirely concrete.

Sledge hammer or electric jackhammer - depending on your age.