Hi Folks any thoughts on this? I have to replace two concrete posts that have cracked at their base (you cannot see the crack in this pic)Both existing posts are right up against the concrete side. I will be replacing with 4" wood post and has to go in the same position the panels they will be supporting are 6' panels which will be 7' 3" off the ground so the posts need to go about 3' into the ground! Its getting the old concrete out of the ground thats worrying me as well as lifting the paving without breaking it. The drain is on a house extension that would have gone in after the post. Will it affect removal? How long would it take you to do?
The drain shouldn't be a problem, put a plastic bag into it before you start, stopping rubbish falling into it, the paving obviously need to come up at the point of the post, the post only needs to go in the ground 2'. How are the panels fixed to the posts at the mo??, if they are slotted into the posts you will not be able to fit 2 4" wooden posts in the same place.
Those old fixings are usually quite substantial and if they are still strong enough would lead to quite a business digging them out. If they are fitted with those long lengths of concrete sections they could be holding back compacted soil and debris which is likely to spill out. So be prepared for something major once you get started on it.
If your lucky you could make the concrete work against its self, you need to use a kango type breaker with a chisel tip, place this between the post and the concrete keeping it online with the post as much as possible, with any luck the concrete will pop off that side after a while, do this on all 4 sides and post out, fingers crossed.
Actually I now have another Idea, If I hack out around 6" deep of concrete and stick the posts in the 6" holes giving me about 2' below the panels, I could then get some massive concrete bolts with substantial washers/ plates and bolt them to the side of that concrete wall? what do you think?
Do you think you could drill into the concrete wall deep enough to give a good firm fixing for the new post, bearing in mind it will be, what, 6' out of the ground.
I think that concrete is fairly substantial from what I have seen,(it has a drive way on top of it on that side) and am thinking of using some big rawl bolts and possibly galvanised bars on the outside to give them more support. Anything to avoid digging those posts up!
if the crack is relatively new, then that indicates a lot of stress form the driveway on t'other side. which may well have occurred if the driveway was given a heavy rolling or pounding. it would be risky to attempt a dig out now without considering that some of the driveway would collapse into your garden.
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