How to Break Apart Large Rocks
Breaking apart a rock can expedite the removal process, saving you hours of labor as well as the cost of renting heavy machinery. It does, however, require plenty of labor and you'll need to employ a fair amount of caution. If you're not careful when breaking apart a large rock, you can injure yourself or break some of the tools you're using. If you do decide to do it on your own, you should find it a simple process that saves you a lot of time. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Draw a chalk line along the large rock to illustrate where you would like to split the rock. The surface of the rock may be porous and uneven, so it is fine if the line is not perfectly straight. Use a color of chalk that contrasts greatly with the color of the rock, making it easily visible.
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Don a pair of goggles and gloves to protect your hands and eyes. Stone chips pose a hazard as you work.
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Hammer metal stone splitting wedges into the rock along the chalk line. Hammer them in at an even rate. For example, if you start out with five wedges, strike the wedges one hit at a time so that all the wedges imbed into the rock at the same rate. This will ensure a straight, even split.
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Add more stone splitting wedges to the chalk line if the first few stone splitting wedges do not break the rock. With larger rocks, it can take several attempts to split it into smaller pieces.
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Step back quickly when the rock splits. Don't let the stone separate only to crush your foot. Approach the rock again once it completely settles and use the same stone wedge technique to break the stone sides into even smaller pieces.
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