What do I need to hire to dig up this floor?

[julianf]

To be clear, not actually THIS floor, but another identical one on the same plot.

(Ie I don't need to discuss walls etc, just what's best to hack out the compacted stone surface)

It's just stone with soil, but it's a lot of stone and virtually no soil.

(The loose stuff in the foreground is not what I'm on about - someone just chucked that on top to build up that bit, but, again, it's not even that area - I'm talking about the compacted stuff further up the slope)
Someone said to get a hole started and then slice off the sides of the hole with a hydraulic breaker (?) but, really, I have no idea.

I'll be hiring the kit.

 

[xstian]

A mini digger if you have the head height.

 

[Other Daniel]

To be clear, not actually THIS floor, but another identical one on the same plot.

(Ie I don't need to discuss walls etc, just what's best to hack out the compacted stone surface)

View attachment 519183


It's just stone with soil, but it's a lot of stone and virtually no soil.

(The loose stuff in the foreground is not what I'm on about - someone just chucked that on top to build up that bit, but, again, it's not even that area - I'm talking about the compacted stuff further up the slope)
Someone said to get a hole started and then slice off the sides of the hole with a hydraulic breaker (?) but, really, I have no idea.

I'll be hiring the kit.

As @xstian suggests.
Even an 850kg one would make light work of that.

 

[brightspark]

depends on the aeria and depth of concrete , if its under 4 inch and not rock solid a 900 kango breaker will get that up no probs

 

[Other Daniel]

depends on the aeria and depth of concrete , if its under 4 inch and not rock solid a 900 kango breaker will get that up no probs

My understanding is that it's not concrete. Just compacted stone.

 

[More Amps]

If it's just compacted stone and soil with no concrete or mortar, a pickaxe and shovel would do it - but if you want to follow standard operating procedure as per this forum's standing orders then you'll be needing a mini-digger plus dumper truck to cart away the spoil plus optional risk assessment and method statement...

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Kango with a spike might be able to do it...once you've opened up a section then it should all just break away easily if you work the edge backwards if that makes sense.

 

[brightspark]

If it's just compacted stone and soil with no concrete or mortar, a pickaxe and shovel would do it - but if you want to follow standard operating procedure as per this forum's standing orders then you'll be needing a mini-digger plus dumper truck to cart away the spoil plus optional risk assessment and method statement...

along with about 15 posts a week after asking when it only takes a days work to complete

 

[jo1010]

I'd suggest verifying the composition before hiring kit .... first dig a trial hole in a few places with a digging bar (or pick axe or whatever)....if there is no concrete then a grading bucket on a 1.5t mini digger may just do it....but if there is concrete a mini digger will struggle and you'll need the hydraulic breaker (or a breaker mounted on a heavier digger)....a grading bucket will get the arisings away into a pile outside ready for a hiab pickup (unless your gonna re-purpose it)...

 

[Agroshield]

Big bulldozers have a ripper on the back of them.

I think it is possible to have a single tooth ripper as an attachment to a normal digger should you go the hire route. That might loosen the material faster than any bucket.

 

[roblane65]

A couple of lackeys from down the pub would be my bet and pay em in beer tokens

 

[Mark 5]

depends on the aeria and depth of concrete , if its under 4 inch and not rock solid a 900 kango breaker will get that up no probs

I agree, I would have thought a Kango of some type would do it.

 

[Agrismith]

I'd suggest verifying the composition before hiring kit .... first dig a trial hole in a few places with a digging bar (or pick axe or whatever)....if there is no concrete then a grading bucket on a 1.5t mini digger may just do it....but if there is concrete a mini digger will struggle and you'll need the hydraulic breaker (or a breaker mounted on a heavier digger)....a grading bucket will get the arisings away into a pile outside ready for a hiab pickup (unless your gonna re-purpose it)...

A grading bucket is completely the wrong tool. A grading bucket is for grading loose material to grade. Using them for digging beyond stripping topsoil is how you wear diggers and buckets out prematurely.
If it is well compacted a toothed digging bucket is required.
The width will depend on the size of the machine and how compacted the ground is. Most hire companies will supply 3 widths as standard.
If going for the hand method then an electric breaker will work through it fine but don't use a point, you will be there forever.
The hire companies will supply either a tarmac cutter or a clay spade. Whilst the tarmac cutter is meant for tarmac it will work on this material. But depending on how much soil is in the mix then a clay spade is literally a spade attachment and you can dig some serious material out with one.

 

[8ob]

Small digger with a rooting or ripper tine attachment will do that, rip it up then swap to a bucket.

Bob
550 × 550

 

[julianf]

Sorry, I should have said -

It's in some old barn with a very low roof. It's got to be something that can be carried in rather than driven in.

Pick axe might do it but you would probably die first.

Plan is to have one person digging at it with some sort of power tool and the other person wheeling it a very short way out into a tractor bucket for onward travel.


....but, yeah, no headroom for a digger : (

 

[8ob]

Sorry, I should have said -

It's in some old barn with a very low roof. It's got to be something that can be carried in rather than driven in.

Pick axe might do it but you would probably die first.

Plan is to have one person digging at it with some sort of power tool and the other person wheeling it a very short way out into a tractor bucket for onward travel.


....but, yeah, no headroom for a digger : (

There is a landrover parked there, you can get a machine with no cab, just take the rop off.

Bob

 

[julianf]

There is a landrover parked there, you can get a machine with no cab, just take the rop off.

Bob

You overlooked me saying in my first post that it wasn't that building, but that was just an example of the surface.

I can stand where it is, but, if I jumped hard in the wrong place, I'm pretty sure id hit my head.

I know nothing of diggers - maybe that would fit one, I don't know?

 

[julianf]

Ps.

It's not my building, else I'd just go out there and measure.

My enthusiasm is because, when it's done, a bunch of machines are going there, and then won't take up space here.

 

[colnerov]

If it's compacted stone already and depending on the weight of the machines going in there, can you just concrete over it?

 

[Beanwood]

How about start close to a doorway where a digger CAN reach? As above, once it’s started it should (might ) peel away without too much trouble by getting a pick under it?
But if you are going to use it for machines then you need to put some stone back down??