how to remove layer of concrete from driveway

[cyberknight]

Couple of years ago i tried to skim a layer of concrete on top of the old driveway which never bonded properly , i admit it i made a c$ck up and now its very patchy .
What would be the easiest way to remove the newer concrete to try and get back to the original flattish driveway ?

 

[gbb]

Years ago you'd use a scarifying machine, a bit like a commercial buffer but it has tungsten comb wheels. This won't take off any depth but will (or should) remove the surface and any loose material. Gives you a good key for what goes on top.

Perhaps a rental place will have something....and advice

 

[Marchrider]

what is the original driveway ? as in what type of surface/material did you lay concrete onto

 

[iandg]

A breaker?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb811drh-16-4kg-hex-shank-electric-concrete-breaker-230v/326VV

 

[mustang1]

A kango (which is a type of breaker as iandg says above) perhaps?

Oh yeah, and ear plugs, sound reducers or something similar.

 

[Emanresu]

Aliexpress always seem to have what you need.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007582514383.html

 

[cyberknight]

what is the original driveway ? as in what type of surface/material did you lay concrete onto

it was concrete

I am thinking of goign to a hire shop rather than buying outright for a one off job , father in law said something with a round head to break up the surface layer but i have googled and it it not something that comes up with an obvious search .I have found something called a scrabbler but most are air powered .

 

[Marchrider]

so you have a ? ¼" skim over existing concrete, (a bit like a render on a wall) and some of it has 'blown' come loose ?
as above by @iandg some sort of breaker, but use a flat head chisel and tackle it at a slight angle from the side, have you tried with just a club hammer and a cold chisel ? how did that go, how much have you to do, we need some photos

also - do you have an SDS drill ? folk often don't know they have a rotary stop, and that with a suitable chisel may do the job - better than club hammer and bolster but not as good as a proper breaker

SDS drills are 2 or 4kg
proper hand held breakers will be 8 or 16kg
(thats the whack not the physical weight) and sometimes more powerful is not better, need right tool for the job, you could probably dig up your entire drive and knock down your house with a 16kg one if you got over excited

 

[Sterlo]

Aliexpress always seem to have what you need.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007582514383.html

Do you get free delivery?

 

[cyberknight]

so you have a ? ¼" skim over existing concrete, (a bit like a render on a wall) and some of it has 'blown' come loose ?
as above by @iandg some sort of breaker, but use a flat head chisel and tackle it at a slight angle from the side, have you tried with just a club hammer and a cold chisel ? how did that go, how much have you to do, we need some photos

also - do you have an SDS drill ? folk often don't know they have a rotary stop, and that with a suitable chisel may do the job - better than bolster and chisel but not as good as a proper breaker

SDS drills are 2 or 4kg
proper hand held breakers will be 8 or 16kg
(thats the whack not the physical weight) and sometimes more powerful is not better, need right tool for the job, you could probably dig up your entire drive and knock down your house with a 16kg one if you got over excited

thats pretty much what i have , maybe 2 layers of it .
I only have a bog standard diy drill so nothing fancy

 

[Marchrider]

its a horrible job to do - I doubt it will all come up like it had never been there, some will just fall away, other bits will come off OK and some will be so well bonded you will end up with a small mound or a hollow
good luck

 

[gbb]

A breaker?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb811drh-16-4kg-hex-shank-electric-concrete-breaker-230v/326VV

There may have been spec changes but we brought one of those ar work when they were in offer maybe 4 years ago, just £50. We figured at that price, if it lasted a year , it was worth it.
We used it quite regularly and it was still going 3 years later...and still might be

 

[gbb]

This was kind of machine we used to use (the tungsten wheels in this are a different arrangement but the same principle applies)

View: https://youtu.be/ad8kWnJpA88?si=XRESGuqclYmUHypf


Two benefits...it grinds away loose material plus is gives a good clean key got any new material going on top

 

[simongt]

A kango (which is a type of breaker as iandg says above) perhaps?

Used one of these years ago. A very useful but noisy bit of kit - !

 

[Moodyman]

These three tools should be sufficient. Hit it from the side (as if scraping wallpaper) like the poster above said.

These will give you better control than any machine.