what is the easiest way to drop a wall

[fergus13]

Hi guys,
I am trying to knock down an internal wall, it is a two leaf wall without a cavity, it has the hardest cement i have ever come accross and it is also between the two leafs, when i try to use a sledge hammer nothing moves, it just smashes the fronts of the pre war brick,is there a better way?

 

[CJRatch]

Common sense firstly, make sure its not a supporting wall.

Try removing a couple bricks to begin with using a lump hammer and bolster. Drilling several holes around the bricks mortar then working with the hammer and bolster will get you going. Once you have a few removed it should get easier as you'll have clear space to allow the bricks to move when hit. With everything currently tied together and bonded top and bottom nothing can move. Once you get to one skin then consider, if you wish to blast it with a sledge hammer, although I'd recommend taking it nice and steady, brick at a time.

If your really struggling a kango/breaker will do the job much quicker but I think once you get a few removed it'll get easier.

 

[noseall]

Hire a medium duty breaker.

 

[fergus13]

Thanks guys, its not easy with the bricks being bonded on 5 sides, I was hoping to reclaim them but think i should be grateful if i get any. Breaker sounds like a good option.

 

[tony1851]

 

[Bilabong007]

Aldi are selling breakers for 100 at the moment

 

[Tigercubrider]

Pretty sure that once you loosen a few, the rest will be easier. Better to completely trash a few, than damage more by going at it like a mad thing. It gets easier the more space there is.

Expect a huge amount of dust.
Spending time making a timber frame and covering it with polythene may help but don't make the space too small or it's like working in a greenhouse. Tape up the seams. The will still be dust but I may minimise it

I am a fan of aldi/lidl tools v hire as they are ok and have a 3year warranty if you keep the receipt. But an HSS breaker is £30 a week plus transformer so balance up likely future use

 

[^woody^]

From the top with a chisel and crowbar on the joints to lever the bricks. Or similarly from a hole at the bottom, where gravity lends a hand.

Work on the joints not the bricks.