Another happy customer in Jackosnville Florida!
Frank Wilbanks
2430 Wattle Tree R W
Jacksonville FL. 32246
Concrete is great stuff, and it deserves its title as King of Building Materials, but some homebuilders (and remodelers) can use it to excess. If you’d like to look out your backdoor and see wildflowers and herbs instead of a sweltering gray slab, you’ll be glad to know that while this is a backbreaking job, it’s not skilled work.
Project Scope
Remove of a concrete pad including the landscape timbers and deliver, spread and track in clean fill dirt.
How Concrete Breaks
Concrete is strong, but it’s also brittle. You can hammer all day at the center of a slab—where the concrete is evenly supported—with no appreciable effect. But if you hammer at the edge of the slab, where the ground underneath can shift or be displaced a little, the concrete will break. This is because you’re essentially bending the concrete, which is it’s main weakness. If you want to break up a large piece of concrete for removal, pry up one end and set it down on some rubble or a scrap of timber, then strike the piece in the center.
Options for Removing Concrete
The following are the three main methods for homeowners, from easiest to hardest. Talk to your trash removal company and local dumps to learn about options for getting rid of the concrete rubble and gravel subbase.
If You Need to Cut the Concrete
If you want keep some of the slab intact (perhaps to create an “island” planting bed or to protect surrounding structures), you can rent a walk-behind concrete wet saw (with a diamond blade) like the pros use to cut through slab. Make the cuts before demolishing the rest of the slab, and follow the manufacturer’s and rental company’s instructions carefully. As mentioned, you can also hire out this work.
Prepping the Ground for Plants
Most plants need at least 6 to 12 inches of healthy soil for growth, plus 1 to 2 inches of mulch (if applicable). Dig your planting area to the appropriate depth, then fill it with the recommended blend of soil for your area and planting goals. The best resource for specific recommendations is a local extension service (or a master gardener or landscaper, if you happen to know one).
