Can anyone tell me the best method to remove one section of concrete
from a sidewalk? I have one row of 4' x 4' of concrete blocks and one
is pretty bad. I thought of patching it, but I'd rather just remove it
and repour that section. I rented a cut-off saw, but I couldn't get
the damn thing started and was so mad that I took it back the next day
for a refund. Now I am wondering if I could buy masonary blades and
use them on an old circular saw and use that, but they are only 7"
blades (depth of cut is 2 3/8"). At that depth the cut wouldn't go all
the way throught the 4" slab. Could I cut the 2 3/8" and then just use
a sledge and hope the break happens along the control joints? Is there
another method?

I've broken up concrete before with a sledge and pick-axe, but I am
afraid of trying to remove this middle section because I don't want to
repair more than just one section if I don't have to.

The cut-off saw cost me $89 ($50 for the saw and the rest for two
throwaway blades). And I'm guessing that a contractor would charge me
$300, plus they remove/recyle the concrete.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

On 9 Sep 2006 09:41:54 -0700, "
wrote:

Can anyone tell me the best method to remove one section of concrete
from a sidewalk? I have one row of 4' x 4' of concrete blocks and one
is pretty bad. I thought of patching it, but I'd rather just remove it
and repour that section. I rented a cut-off saw, but I couldn't get
the damn thing started and was so mad that I took it back the next day
for a refund. Now I am wondering if I could buy masonary blades and
use them on an old circular saw and use that, but they are only 7"
blades (depth of cut is 2 3/8"). At that depth the cut wouldn't go all
the way throught the 4" slab. Could I cut the 2 3/8" and then just use
a sledge and hope the break happens along the control joints? Is there
another method?

I've broken up concrete before with a sledge and pick-axe, but I am
afraid of trying to remove this middle section because I don't want to
repair more than just one section if I don't have to.

The cut-off saw cost me $89 ($50 for the saw and the rest for two
throwaway blades). And I'm guessing that a contractor would charge me
$300, plus they remove/recyle the concrete.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

The cutoff saw is the safe way; saw all the way through and break up
the piece. Cutting halfway through makes it pretty likely it will
break on the joint, but it's not certain. Usually it just chips out on
the bottom leaving a clean line on top, but I've had it go both ways.

$300 sounds high, but around here (NE Ohio) I'd have trouble getting
someone to even do such a small job.

If you diy, you might want to drill a few holes in the edges of the
old slabs and insert short pieces of rebar that stick out into the new
slab to tie the parts together.

Keep in mind it's not going to match...

Good luck,

Paul

Paul Franklin wrote:
On 9 Sep 2006 09:41:54 -0700, "
wrote:

Can anyone tell me the best method to remove one section of concrete
from a sidewalk? I have one row of 4' x 4' of concrete blocks and
one is pretty bad. I thought of patching it, but I'd rather just
remove it and repour that section. I rented a cut-off saw, but I
couldn't get the damn thing started and was so mad that I took it
back the next day for a refund. Now I am wondering if I could buy
masonary blades and use them on an old circular saw and use that,
but they are only 7" blades (depth of cut is 2 3/8"). At that depth
the cut wouldn't go all the way throught the 4" slab. Could I cut
the 2 3/8" and then just use a sledge and hope the break happens
along the control joints? Is there another method?

I've broken up concrete before with a sledge and pick-axe, but I am
afraid of trying to remove this middle section because I don't want
to repair more than just one section if I don't have to.

The cut-off saw cost me $89 ($50 for the saw and the rest for two
throwaway blades). And I'm guessing that a contractor would charge
me $300, plus they remove/recyle the concrete.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

The cutoff saw is the safe way; saw all the way through and break up
the piece. Cutting halfway through makes it pretty likely it will
break on the joint, but it's not certain. Usually it just chips out on
the bottom leaving a clean line on top, but I've had it go both ways.

$300 sounds high, but around here (NE Ohio) I'd have trouble getting
someone to even do such a small job.

If you diy, you might want to drill a few holes in the edges of the
old slabs and insert short pieces of rebar that stick out into the new
slab to tie the parts together.

Keep in mind it's not going to match...

Good luck,

Paul

I will add that not only is not going to match, but it is likely that
the rest of the walk, which is likely the same age and have been subject to
the same conditions, is likely to need replacement soon.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

I had a couple sections replaced over 10 years ago when the sewer
authority replaced the main in front of my home and accidently damaged
the last section of my sidewalk.

sewer folks paid for one I paid for another, it was badly cracjed they
ALL look great today. color didnt match initially but over ther years
its much less noticeable.home built in 1950...

it was well worth the little it cost at the time.

our old home had one bad section that was replaced when I was a kid
near 50 today.
just drove by there last week the entire sidewalk is fine.

so sectional replacements do work.

wrote in message
oups.com...

I had a couple sections replaced over 10 years ago when the sewer
authority replaced the main in front of my home and accidently damaged
the last section of my sidewalk.

sewer folks paid for one I paid for another, it was badly cracjed they
ALL look great today. color didnt match initially but over ther years
its much less noticeable.home built in 1950...

it was well worth the little it cost at the time.

our old home had one bad section that was replaced when I was a kid
near 50 today.
just drove by there last week the entire sidewalk is fine.

so sectional replacements do work.

On properly laid sidewalks. yes. Just driving around as they finish up
street repair season around here, and seeing how thin ,edge to edge, a lot
of the curb'n'sidewalk patches they are putting in look, not so sure about
the future. I almost never see staked steel forms any more- just hammer out
the busted parts, puddle some stiff crete in there, and trowel by eye to
match the neighboring sections. Walking around the old parts of town, the
original slabs usually look better than the patches.

aem sends...

I realize it will look different, but the remainder of the walk
looks fine now. Patch jobs always look ugly to me so I want to avoid
it. I would love to do the whole walk, but I never finished concrete
before so I am a little tenative about busting up a 25-35 X 4' section.
First, what to do with the old concreate (rent a truck from home
depot and take it to a recycling center?). When I priced a few yards
of concrete to be delivered a few years ago it was fairly cheap, about
$100. However, the whole idea of laying that much concreate, as well
as the truck driver is watching you work is intimidating.

It doesn't look that difficult, but it could be deceiving too :-)

It's funny what you say about the old not mathing the new
sections. I lived in a city and had a almost our entire front
sidewalk replaced and I asked the contractor if he could make it look
like the old. In the old the aggregate was visable, and in neighboring
sidewalks it looked bright white. Anyway, the old Italian guy
laughed, he said the olds stuff that I liked is after rain and erosion
wash away the top layer. That when new it looked nice and white too.
He did offer to wash off the top layer with a hose to get that look,
but he said new concrete should look white. Just a funny story to my
ignorance.


wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

I had a couple sections replaced over 10 years ago when the sewer
authority replaced the main in front of my home and accidently damaged
the last section of my sidewalk.

sewer folks paid for one I paid for another, it was badly cracjed they
ALL look great today. color didnt match initially but over ther years
its much less noticeable.home built in 1950...

it was well worth the little it cost at the time.

our old home had one bad section that was replaced when I was a kid
near 50 today.
just drove by there last week the entire sidewalk is fine.

so sectional replacements do work.

On properly laid sidewalks. yes. Just driving around as they finish up
street repair season around here, and seeing how thin ,edge to edge, a lot
of the curb'n'sidewalk patches they are putting in look, not so sure about
the future. I almost never see staked steel forms any more- just hammer out
the busted parts, puddle some stiff crete in there, and trowel by eye to
match the neighboring sections. Walking around the old parts of town, the
original slabs usually look better than the patches.

aem sends...

One way to tone down the whitness of todays mixes is to add a bit of
black color to the mix, we do this often when doing a job next to old
concrete it doesnt mach but it removes the brightness of the new
concrete so it doesnt stick out, this is what you should do for your
situation.
Redoing the entire sidewalk really could turn out badly for you. Yes it
is VERY deceiving.. to watch someone that knows what they are doing
finishing concrete it looks easy but there are many things to worry
about in a short period of time and once its hard...game over.
I grew up back east and the sidewalk story you mention is close to me.
I also really like the worn sidwalk look and although it was my fathers
bread and butter to replace all that old stuff I loved it...so much so
that I recreated the look in all the concrete at my home.
I cannot remember if you mentiond where you are but if the sidewalks
are like that (almost an exsposed look) you can recreate this in the
new section you replace. If it is meerly a color issue use the black
color and then pressure wash the old stuff and you will be pretty
close. If you want to exspose the top let me know and I will
instruct....


wrote:
I realize it will look different, but the remainder of the walk
looks fine now. Patch jobs always look ugly to me so I want to avoid
it. I would love to do the whole walk, but I never finished concrete
before so I am a little tenative about busting up a 25-35 X 4' section.
First, what to do with the old concreate (rent a truck from home
depot and take it to a recycling center?). When I priced a few yards
of concrete to be delivered a few years ago it was fairly cheap, about
$100. However, the whole idea of laying that much concreate, as well
as the truck driver is watching you work is intimidating.

It doesn't look that difficult, but it could be deceiving too :-)

It's funny what you say about the old not mathing the new
sections. I lived in a city and had a almost our entire front
sidewalk replaced and I asked the contractor if he could make it look
like the old. In the old the aggregate was visable, and in neighboring
sidewalks it looked bright white. Anyway, the old Italian guy
laughed, he said the olds stuff that I liked is after rain and erosion
wash away the top layer. That when new it looked nice and white too.
He did offer to wash off the top layer with a hose to get that look,
but he said new concrete should look white. Just a funny story to my
ignorance.


wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

I had a couple sections replaced over 10 years ago when the sewer
authority replaced the main in front of my home and accidently damaged
the last section of my sidewalk.

sewer folks paid for one I paid for another, it was badly cracjed they
ALL look great today. color didnt match initially but over ther years
its much less noticeable.home built in 1950...

it was well worth the little it cost at the time.

our old home had one bad section that was replaced when I was a kid
near 50 today.
just drove by there last week the entire sidewalk is fine.

so sectional replacements do work.

On properly laid sidewalks. yes. Just driving around as they finish up
street repair season around here, and seeing how thin ,edge to edge, a lot
of the curb'n'sidewalk patches they are putting in look, not so sure about
the future. I almost never see staked steel forms any more- just hammer out
the busted parts, puddle some stiff crete in there, and trowel by eye to
match the neighboring sections. Walking around the old parts of town, the
original slabs usually look better than the patches.

aem sends...

I lived in Philadelphia.

How would you do that? I thought that while it was still wet, shortly
after final toweling, I could take a regular hose and knock off the top
slurry. But from your reply it sounds like you have a better
technique. Do you wait until it's completely dry and then use a
pressure washer to erode the top surface?



Italian Mason wrote:
One way to tone down the whitness of todays mixes is to add a bit of
black color to the mix, we do this often when doing a job next to old
concrete it doesnt mach but it removes the brightness of the new
concrete so it doesnt stick out, this is what you should do for your
situation.
Redoing the entire sidewalk really could turn out badly for you. Yes it
is VERY deceiving.. to watch someone that knows what they are doing
finishing concrete it looks easy but there are many things to worry
about in a short period of time and once its hard...game over.
I grew up back east and the sidewalk story you mention is close to me.
I also really like the worn sidwalk look and although it was my fathers
bread and butter to replace all that old stuff I loved it...so much so
that I recreated the look in all the concrete at my home.
I cannot remember if you mentiond where you are but if the sidewalks
are like that (almost an exsposed look) you can recreate this in the
new section you replace. If it is meerly a color issue use the black
color and then pressure wash the old stuff and you will be pretty
close. If you want to exspose the top let me know and I will
instruct....


wrote:
I realize it will look different, but the remainder of the walk
looks fine now. Patch jobs always look ugly to me so I want to avoid
it. I would love to do the whole walk, but I never finished concrete
before so I am a little tenative about busting up a 25-35 X 4' section.
First, what to do with the old concreate (rent a truck from home
depot and take it to a recycling center?). When I priced a few yards
of concrete to be delivered a few years ago it was fairly cheap, about
$100. However, the whole idea of laying that much concreate, as well
as the truck driver is watching you work is intimidating.

It doesn't look that difficult, but it could be deceiving too :-)

It's funny what you say about the old not mathing the new
sections. I lived in a city and had a almost our entire front
sidewalk replaced and I asked the contractor if he could make it look
like the old. In the old the aggregate was visable, and in neighboring
sidewalks it looked bright white. Anyway, the old Italian guy
laughed, he said the olds stuff that I liked is after rain and erosion
wash away the top layer. That when new it looked nice and white too.
He did offer to wash off the top layer with a hose to get that look,
but he said new concrete should look white. Just a funny story to my
ignorance.


wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

I had a couple sections replaced over 10 years ago when the sewer
authority replaced the main in front of my home and accidently damaged
the last section of my sidewalk.

sewer folks paid for one I paid for another, it was badly cracjed they
ALL look great today. color didnt match initially but over ther years
its much less noticeable.home built in 1950...

it was well worth the little it cost at the time.

our old home had one bad section that was replaced when I was a kid
near 50 today.
just drove by there last week the entire sidewalk is fine.

so sectional replacements do work.

On properly laid sidewalks. yes. Just driving around as they finish up
street repair season around here, and seeing how thin ,edge to edge, a lot
of the curb'n'sidewalk patches they are putting in look, not so sure about
the future. I almost never see staked steel forms any more- just hammer out
the busted parts, puddle some stiff crete in there, and trowel by eye to
match the neighboring sections. Walking around the old parts of town, the
original slabs usually look better than the patches.

aem sends...