Knocking a house down with my JD 4310

[mscheer772]

I'm going to attempt knocking down a one story wood frame house on blocks. I then plan on burning the debris pile. Any suggetions on tools or equiopment I should use to make the job go smooth? Any other suggestions would help.

 

[Stef]

You should take some pics of that. It could be interesting . I'm sorry I have no advice to give you. I've never tried that... yet!

 

[MrJimi]

I'm going to attempt knocking down a one story wood frame house on blocks. I then plan on burning the debris pile. Any suggetions on tools or equiopment I should use to make the job go smooth? Any other suggestions would help.

I have a good suggestion!
Flat proof tires
Jim

 

[dholly]

Best tool might be the telephone. DIY demolition sounds like fun BUT, I'm guessing after all is said and done you'll wished you hadn't. Why not donate the structure to the volunteer FD (tax deduction) and let the guys practice some live drills? Be a shame to hurt your 4310 or burn down the good barn...

 

[RonMar]

Yep, burn first then cleanup. If you are rural(why would you have a tractor if you wern't your local volunteer FD might do it. The 2 departments I have been on did them. Good live training exercise. As for cleanup afterward, may I reccomend one of the long magnet bars hung by chains down near the ground in front of the front tires to get the nails before they find the tires.

 

[EddieWalker]

Are you doing it by hand or with a tractor?

By hand, be sure to start at the top and work your way down. Kind of the oposite of builidng it.

If your usuing a tractor, it really depends on what you have or can get. Tracks would be better over tires and a trackhoe would be the best choice possible. Especially if you had a thumb on it for clean up.

I took down an old barn with my backhoe once. It got a little scarey a few times, but mostly, it's all about planning ahead of time where you want the roof to fall and making sure your not in any danger. In my situation, I took out the corners first, then slowly worked my way around until it had colapsed all around the edges. Then I pulled out the debri and the rest of it fell in on itself.

The scary part was when I pulled one place and another place reacted. It's all connected, so what you do at one place can have an effect on another place.

Eddie

 

[Dex]

Due to EPA laws not all areas and states are allowed to burn structures for training any longer. They can train in them and destroy them up to the point of burning. Check with your local FD and they can get you the answers. If they can let them go for it. It takes the demo off you plate and allows your local the fire department real life training that some of thier members might not have been exposed to. Not to mention if you have any emergencies in the future they now know where you live!!

 

[goaliedad]

I agree- if they can use it let the FD have at it. Also, I think burning a pile is going to be alot harder than burning the structure standing. Whatever you decide- take lots of pic's, and be safe

 

[leeinmemphis]

I don't know if that is such a good idea. I did the same thing about six weeks ago. I took a trackhoe and d4 and knocked it down on itself and pushed it into a pile. Then I lit the fire(had fire permit) and the fire got so HOT that it had fence posts and a treeline about 75' or so behind it start to catch fire just from the heat of the blaze. I had to go and cut down a few trees to keep the woods from catching fire and managed to get second and third degree burns on my arm. In retrospect I would have definitely let a VFD burn it down or found someone with more experience. I literally had no idea the house would burn that hot/fast/big. You may want to reconsider.

this is a pic of how my arm looks 6 weeks after the fire:

I am still facing possible skin grafts and surgery. One big recommendation is that if you are going to burn it down then do have plenty of help there the day you burn it. For some reason all of my buddies disappear when there is serious work to be done and I did this by myself(very dumb act when looking back).

I have since taken down two old barns that were falling down and burned them but they weren't as big a project as the house was. Just make sure you are very very very careful. You definitely do not want to injuries/pain that I have had to live through the last six weeks. It has been some of the most painful experiences I have ever had and I have broken bones in the past. To me the burn was much much worse.

 

[mudcat]

ouch