Share
Hi everyone, I have a concrete staircase that was part of the original construction of our mid 1960's brick veneer home in Sydney. It is sturdy but suffering from concrete cancer.
I would like to demolish it but unsure what the best approach is. I assume the concrete is anchored into the wall somehow (perhaps with reo bar), no clear evidence of that.
I have a 16kg jack hammer and a smaller Ozito demolition hammer drill.
How do I approach the demo safely, minimising the risk of damage to the house and myself?
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @reecel. It's fantastic to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about removing a staircase.
Given that the concrete staircase is part of the original construction and likely tied into the brick veneer wall with reinforcing steel, I’d strongly recommend erring on the side of caution here. If you’re unsure about how it’s connected to the structure, it’s best not to attempt demolition yourself. Concrete stairs on older homes are often integrated with the footing or brickwork, and breaking into them without understanding how they’re supported can easily cause structural damage or loosen parts of the wall.
A 16kg jackhammer is powerful enough to cause vibration damage to nearby brickwork, especially if the concrete is reinforced and you’re striking close to the house. There’s also the risk of injuring yourself if a large section gives way unexpectedly. The safest approach is to have a structural engineer or experienced demolition contractor inspect it first. They can tell you how the stairs are attached and the safest method for removal. They might also recommend cutting it away in controlled sections rather than hammering it out, which greatly reduces the risk to the house.
It’s great that you’re keen to tackle things yourself, but in this case, bringing in a professional for the assessment and initial demolition work would be the wisest move.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
