Eastern Power Equipment 

285 Route 9  PO Box 97  Barrington, NH 03825

Phone 603/664-7776  | Toll Free 866/664-7776 | Fax 603/664-7420  | email chuck@easternpowerequipment.com

Expedite Rough Demolition Jobs

What goes up must come down - eventually!
Demolition work may seem rougher and less exciting than new construction. Let your area A.R.A.-affiliated rental professional put you in touch with the best equipment to handle the job quickly and efficiently. Although you may know a great deal about equipment, discuss your project with your equipment-rental expert, who has specific knowledge about the equipment for rent and will recommend the right size and type equipment and accessories to use in a given situation.

Jackhammers
Two-handled, heavy and medium-duty jackhammers are used for projects like breaking up a concrete roadway, or tearing up a bridge deck. Smaller chipping hammers also are common for demo jobs. Air, hydraulics or electricity can power either type hammer, depending on how it's to be used and on available on-site power.

"Vertical" jobs refer to floors, slabs and decks - that is, the hammer is used in an upright position on a horizontal surface. These hammers are less limited by weight, so they're larger. Vertical hammers deliver more blows per minute at a greater force than horizontal hammers, and they're better for larger areas.

"Horizontal" jobs include busting concrete block walls and overhead surfaces on which smaller, hand-held hammers are used.

Compressors
When you rent an air-powered hammer, you'll also need a compressor. The 185-cfm compressor is the size most specified for demolition work. This unit is basically rated as a two-tool machine.

If you have more hammers and operators than that, then you must size the compressor accordingly. Your A.R.A.-affiliated rental professional can help you determine the best choice.

Pavement Breakers and Rivet Busters
These items are frequently rented for big jobs, such as tearing up a bridge, deck, road resurfacing and tearing down a building.

Sixty and 90-pound hammers are the most common. A 75-cfm compressor will run a 90-pound pavement breaker. If your need is a rivet buster or chipping hammer, a 45-cfm compressor will handle the job, and it will easily fit in the back of a pickup truck.

Bits
Bits, or points, are typically supplied with the rental machine and range from moil points for hard surfaces to chisel points of 1 inch or smaller, which leaves a clean edge. The bits are easily changed in the field. Have several on hand in case of breakage, stuck bits and the final surface desired.

Electric Chipping and Breaking Hammers
This equipment is growing in popularity because it doesn't require a separate energy source, like a compressor or hydraulic pump. One line of electric/air hammers has become popular with both contractors and do-it-yourselfers because they can be plugged into available 15-amp power. These are ideal for working in basements or for remodeling work, and are lightweight and easy to handle.

Two different-sized hammers, based on the weight of the tool, are commonly used for horizontal work, like concrete block walls and overhead surfaces:

For vertical work, a 60-pound breaker/hammer producing 30-to-40 foot pounds is often a favorite.

Saws
Saws - pneumatic, hydraulic and gasoline engine-powered, and either hand-held for wall and overhead work or walk-behind for floors - are very useful for demolition work. Blades may be diamond-tipped, which are preferred for demolition work, or abrasive-style, and can be used dry or with water for cooling and dust minimization.

For indoor work, or in tight quarters, lighter, air-powered saws are often preferred. These saws typically require at least 100 psi.

Your choice of saw depends on what material will be cut and how deep, along with how many feet of lineal cuts have to be made. These variables will help you and your area A.R.A.-affiliated rental professional determine size and type of blade, and which size saw will be best for the job.

Up to 3,000 feet of cutting can be handled with a horizontal saw, which can also be used as a vertical saw when placed in a dolly. When doing more than 3,000-feet of vertical cutting, a walk-behind is more efficient.

Some gasoline-engine or hydraulically powered, diamond blade, water-cooled saws are rated by blade depth.

Hydraulic saws offer high-torque cutting, are quieter and have less vibration, but they must be tethered to a hydraulic pump.

Hydraulic is preferred for use in enclosed areas where fumes from a gasoline engine may become a problem. In open areas, a gasoline-engine saw is ideal because it is more portable.

Skid-Steer Loaders
Today, skid-steer loaders often replace the traditional "headache ball" that used to be so common. This is because of increased speed and versatility.

A multitude of high-tech attachments are task-specific and allow one skilled operator to replace many laborers. Beyond the traditional bucket and pallet forks, you can mount a hydraulic breaker, shears to cut steel, heavy-duty grapple bucket and more. These can be easily attached and switched on site so that the skid-steer is constantly in use doing different jobs.

Skid-steers are also compact and able to get into tight spaces. They can be lifted to different floors so the building can come down one level at a time.

Typical models most used for demolition range from a 44-horsepower machine with 1,425 pounds of lift capacity to an 80-horsepower model with a lift capacity of 2,350 pounds.

But size is not the only element to consider. For demolition work, it's essential that the right tires be mounted on the skid-steer. A non-pneumatic or solid tire best handles the hazards on demolition and recycling sites.

Hydraulic Excavators
For larger jobs such as roads, bridges and big buildings, hydraulic excavators fitted with a breaker, shear or grapple bucket are preferred because they can get a lot of work done in a short time.

The excavator is an all-around demolition workhorse. Try coupling it with a wheel loader for placing debris in dump trucks.

Protective Gear
Demolition is dirty, dusty, dangerous work. Your area A.R.A.-affiliated rental professional can equip you with the right protective gear. Products available include: