Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

A diamond saw blade which is very expensive for the good ones. Call a mason
who does repair work.


wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

Lag down a brace and mount the post to that. Don't drive to put a post
through the concrete.

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.


The answer is yes, no, definitely, and maybe. Scoring will definitely help
fracturing, but if there is wire or rebar in there, then that will have to
be cut, either with an OA torch, or hand grinder. And if there is metal in
there, it can eat a couple of expensive blades in a millisecond.

If you do have the luck of having no metal in there, just score the lines
where you want it to fracture, try to go deep, even if you go through the
concrete, and hit the concrete far away from the lines. If it DOES break
off, you don't want any hammer dimples in the lines .

HTH

Steve

On Aug 5, 10:01 pm, wrote:
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

Yes & Yes.

How many posts? How thick is the slab? Any rebar or wire?

How good do you want this to look?

Saw cuts can easily be made by a commercial concrete cutter (even
through rebar) but the cuts will extend into the "good" part of the
slab.

Consider a triangular cut instead of a square cut....fewer saw kerfs
into the good concrete

Maybe you could have the slab cored large enough to set the posts
through it?

There are lots of ways to do this..... all depends on how much time &
money you're willing to spend and what your desired end product is.



If the slab is thick enough you could just core a 2.5" hole & grout in
pipe with an angle welded to it. Chamfer one corner of the post & lag
into the post through the angle legs (both directions). Now you've
got a permanent, moment resisting post base. Much longer lasting than
a post in concrete but not the pretty thing.

cheers
Bob

"Noozer" wrote in message
news:kvyti.32664$_d2.9434@pd7urf3no...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

Lag down a brace and mount the post to that. Don't drive to put a post
through the concrete.


And watch as the lags rust out, and you have to do it again soon.

Do it once, do it right.

Steve

On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:01:05 -0700, wrote:

Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

That's exactly why god made electric jack hammers, available at all
rental places.

On Aug 6, 6:38 am, valvejob wrote:
On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:01:05 -0700, wrote:
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

That's exactly why god made electric jack hammers, available at all
rental places.

I don't see how a jack hammer is going to give him a clean, decent
looking opening for a fence post at the edge of a slab.

Personally, I'd go with the advice to drill holes and use bolts. Once
you cut notches into the edge of a concrete pad, leaving square inside
corners, I think you leave it open to developing cracks and
deteriorating. Plus, drilling holes sounds a lot easier.

On Aug 6, 7:48 am, wrote:
On Aug 6, 6:38 am, valvejob wrote:





On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:01:05 -0700, wrote:
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

That's exactly why god made electric jack hammers, available at all
rental places.

I don't see how a jack hammer is going to give him a clean, decent
looking opening for a fence post at the edge of a slab.

Personally, I'd go with the advice to drill holes and use bolts. Once
you cut notches into the edge of a concrete pad, leaving square inside
corners, I think you leave it open to developing cracks and
deteriorating. Plus, drilling holes sounds a lot easier.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Using lag bolts and surface mounting the post to the concrete is no
comparison to actually burying the post in the ground as far as
strength goes. If you are using square posts, say for like a pvc
fence, then rent a demolition hammer/chisel tool and notch out a
square outline on the concrete surface, then chisel out the middle.
You should only have to go down 4 inches.
If you are using round posts, you can do the same with the chisel
hammer or rent a core drill.
I've seen posts that were lagged to the concrete that were ripped out
when someone put excessive force against it.

wrote:
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

You can rent a concrete hole saw for a day. They come in various diameters.

One use is to cut a hole up to ten inches in diameter for installing an
in-foundation safe.

If you go this route, I'd put in a 2" metal post, then, if necessary, bolt
the 4x4" wooden post to it.

"SteveB" wrote in message
...

"Noozer" wrote in message
news:kvyti.32664$_d2.9434@pd7urf3no...

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

Lag down a brace and mount the post to that. Don't drive to put a post
through the concrete.


And watch as the lags rust out, and you have to do it again soon.

Do it once, do it right.

Steve
so use stainless steel concrete wedge anchors.

"SteveB" wrote in message
...

And watch as the lags rust out, and you have to do it again soon.


Stainless comes to mind... :-)

wrote in message
ups.com...
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.


Have core bits, will travel. :-)

On Aug 6, 7:55 am, Mikepier wrote:
On Aug 6, 7:48 am, wrote:





On Aug 6, 6:38 am, valvejob wrote:

On Sun, 05 Aug 2007 22:01:05 -0700, wrote:
Is there a way to score concrete that will allow me to break it with a
sledgehammer?

A concrete pad was poured years before I moved into my house and it is
right on the property line. I want to put up a fence and the post
would be on my neighbors side if I don't make room by removing enough
of the pad to allow the fence to sit on my side of the line.

Or, is there a way to cut out the concrete where the posts need to go
instead of trying to cut the length of the pad?

Hope this makes sense to all. Any advice would be appreciated.

That's exactly why god made electric jack hammers, available at all
rental places.

I don't see how a jack hammer is going to give him a clean, decent
looking opening for a fence post at the edge of a slab.

Personally, I'd go with the advice to drill holes and use bolts. Once
you cut notches into the edge of a concrete pad, leaving square inside
corners, I think you leave it open to developing cracks and
deteriorating. Plus, drilling holes sounds a lot easier.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Using lag bolts and surface mounting the post to the concrete is no
comparison to actually burying the post in the ground as far as
strength goes.

Funny then that lally columns are routinely used in a similar fashion
to hold up houses. Or the two main posts that are holding up my front
porch. They are sitting on the metal standoffs, used to prevent rot,
and placed on top of the concrete porch.


If you are using square posts, say for like a pvc
fence, then rent a demolition hammer/chisel tool and notch out a
square outline on the concrete surface, then chisel out the middle.
You should only have to go down 4 inches.
If you are using round posts, you can do the same with the chisel
hammer or rent a core drill.
I've seen posts that were lagged to the concrete that were ripped out
when someone put excessive force against it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

"Mikepier" wrote

Using lag bolts and surface mounting the post to the concrete is no
comparison to actually burying the post in the ground as far as
strength goes. If you are using square posts, say for like a pvc
fence, then rent a demolition hammer/chisel tool and notch out a
square outline on the concrete surface, then chisel out the middle.
You should only have to go down 4 inches.
If you are using round posts, you can do the same with the chisel
hammer or rent a core drill.
I've seen posts that were lagged to the concrete that were ripped out
when someone put excessive force against it.


Wow, a reasonable man in a sea of weeds. Lags are good. Stainless lags are
good. BUT, when you lag close to any edge, there's a chance of splitting.
Yes, they do work, as another poster mentioned when lagging columns to
concrete WHERE THEY WILL BE TOP LOADED AND HELD IN PLACE BY THAT LOAD. No
such circumstances with a fence that gets side loaded by wind, vines,
weather, and climbing monkeys. AND, what about the lags into the posts?
Are there going to have to be any corner brackets? How does one lag fence
posts into concrete without something to join the two?

Yes, posts can be lagged into concrete. And, depending on where they are
located in relation to the edge, can be done so reasonably strong. But you
still have to have fasteners that will weather out, particularly the ones in
the wood.

The OP asked for different opinions on how to do this. There's a hundred
ways to cook a poodle, and it all tastes like chicken. There's a lot of
ways to put up a fence, and you'll know if you chose the right way in about
five years.

I, personally, tend to overbuild. I don't like doing the same job in five
years.

Steve

wrote:


-snip-
Funny then that lally columns are routinely used in a similar fashion
to hold up houses. Or the two main posts that are holding up my front
porch. They are sitting on the metal standoffs, used to prevent rot,
and placed on top of the concrete porch.

Remove the weight that is holding the tops of those posts and see what
happens when you apply lateral force.

Jim