Demolition Tips and Tricks

Demolition is used by both big and small construction companies and even independent contractors. 

Most home projects require some sort of demolition process or material removal. And the larger the project, the more material that needs to be removed.

Having the right equipment to a safe and effective demolition process is essential. 

Demolition can be be dangerous and challenged if it’s not performed by the proper individuals.

Here are the top demolitions tips you need to know.

Demolition is a loud, noisy, and potentially illegal activity if you don’t have the proper equipment, people, and permits.

Consult with your local government in order to learn the proper rules and regulations, as well as get the permission/permits to do your work. Notify your team of the rules and regulations to make sure that they are followed at all times.

It’s also a good idea to notify those nearby the demolition area. Neighbors are often not the happiest during demolition or renovations due to all the noise pollution.

Any kind of work that involves heavy machinery and the removal of infrastructure means the probability of injury or something going wrong increases.

Demolition can be especially dangerous due to falling debris, dust, and other contaminants.

Wearing the proper equipment such as safety vests, hard hats, steel-toed boots, safety goggles, and a dust mask is a must.

Remember, 99% of accidents are preventable!

Sometimes the difference between a serious injury and going home after a shift is wearing your safety equipment.

Know what you’re removing, including the material is essential for any demolition job.

Older houses are likely to have asbestos and other contaminants.

Many materials will need to be removed before the demolition starts to avoid endangering nearby residents and the environment with harmful materials.

In some cases, certain material and structure is harder to remove than others, and will require extra effort and or time.

In a total demolition process, it’s also a good idea to shut off the water, electricity, and gas for obvious reasons.

Before starting any demolition process: inspect, plan, and prepare.

A clean demolition project is a safe one.

Demolition is the art of destruction… which can get messy.

Cleaning helps keep the project and work area/site safe.

Ever heard a jackhammer or excavator operating on a nice Saturday morning?

It’s loud, annoying, and obnoxious to the nearby residents.

Let others know before going through with demolition.

Also keep quiet hours in mind. On weekdays, typical quiet hours are between 10pm and 7am. On weekends these quiet hours extend from 10pm to 9am.

These hours could be entirely different from city to city and change based on local laws, so be sure to check with your local town/city office for more information.

There a wide variety of tools used for demolition and removing infrastructure.

Here are the most common tools and their uses.

HYDRAULIC HAMMERS

Also known as demolition hammers, these tools can be attached to excavators and other heavy construction equipment for trenching, removing pavement, breaking down rocks, and many other jobs in a quick and safe manner.

Hydraulic equipment are some of the most powerful tools you can rent, which help speed up the process and give your team the extra punch to grind through a job.

GRAPPLES

Similar to hydraulic hammers, these pieces of equipment can be attached to excavators, skid steers, and other heavy machines.

Grapples help grab, rip, and tear through materials, walls, and flooring to remove everything in their way with total ease.

They’re also great for the clean up process and can move entire mounds of debris into dumpsters or waste areas.

BETONAMIT

A non explosive cracking agent, Betonamit is used to break up rocks and concrete for demolition projects.

How does it work?

Betonamit is mixed and poured into the cracks or drilled holes of concrete or rock. After a few hours, expansive pressure builds up and splits the rock or concrete in pieces.

A safe, easy, and effective way to break up any hard surface and move on to cleanup.

No explosions, no flying debris or fragments, and super safe for you and your team.

SLEDGEHAMMERS

Whether it’s knocking down walls or breaking up pavement, sledgehammers are an easy and cheap way to be a one man demolition team.

They’ll break just about anything you swing them against.

And who doesn’t like swinging a massive hammer around destroying things!?

Sledgehammers make demolition a fun process and give you a great workout!

CROWBARS AND PRYBARS

Used for leveraging and prying out wooden boards or nails, these tools come in handy with most homes are framed with wood bolted down with nails.

Crowbars are strong, sturdy, and come in all shapes and sizes.

Using a crowbar can give you up to 100 times more force than you would if you just tried to pull out a nail with you a hammer.

Remember, the longer the crowbar, the more leverage and force you get out of it.