Concrete shower base removal

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, BEngo said:

The OP said there was water oozing out from under the concrete so I guess any steel/concrete bond is not that strong.

 

N

 

 

Or, the hull is rotten, and there is canal seepage.

Edited December 22, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[blackrose]

The closest thing I've done to this was breaking up concrete slab ballast to get it out of a hatch in the floor that I'd just cut.

 

I used a cold chisel and lump hammer. If that can break up 2" thick slabs of concrete I don't see why you'd need to buy or hire anything more powerful?

 

Eye protection is imperative, leather gloves and one of those plastic hand protectors on the cold chisel is a good idea too. You do need to whack it pretty hard but once you get the hang of it it's fine.

 

I was worried about the baseplate but soon realised there was no way 10mm thick steel could be affected.

12 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

Or, the hull is rotten, and there is canal seepage.

 

I thought the OP said the boat was on hard standing? In which case it would be seeping out.

 

 

What kind of installation is that concrete shower base anyway? I don't really understand what the idea was. Is the concrete the actual shower tray? Sounds a bit Brian Clough on the feet!

Edited December 22, 2023 by blackrose

[magnetman]

Maybe the concrete was poured in to help deal with a thin part of the baseplate caused by a previous more conventional shower installation.

 

I think the Boat might have a 1/4 inch base plate as these were common until the mid to late 80s. 

 

A shower leaking for 15 yars could cause quite bad corrosion and it might be easier to concrete the section than to do partial overplating on the base. 

 

I get the idea its an old Boat about 1980 or something. 

 

 

[Kendorr]

Wish me luck, tomorrow is the day.

I've got the SDS drill ready, along with the ear defenders, goggles and dust mask, I'll add a pic tomorrow to show how it went. Thanks again for all the advice.

 

On 22/12/2023 at 13:13, magnetman said:

I get the idea its an old Boat about 1980 or something.

The info I have is that it was built by Delph Marine in 1985.

 

[Peugeot 106]

18 minutes ago, Kendorr said:

Wish me luck, tomorrow is the day.

I've got the SDS drill ready, along with the ear defenders, goggles and dust mask, I'll add a pic tomorrow to show how it went. Thanks again for all the advice.

 

The info I have is that it was built by Delph Marine in 1985.

 

Good luck

[truckcab79]

Post some pics of progress.   As per my earlier post don’t be surprised if the SDS just tickles it especially if it’s a lightweight one.  If it does it’s time for the big boys toys.  

[Kendorr]

11 minutes ago, truckcab79 said:

SDS just tickles it especially if it’s a lightweight one

Titan 1500W TTB279SDS - Never used one, so we shall see how we get on.

[truckcab79]

9 minutes ago, Kendorr said:

Titan 1500W TTB279SDS - Never used one, so we shall see how we get on.

See how you get on. If it’s new (think you said you were borrowing one mind), then they do a bigger one. Makes a big difference if you can swap it for the 7.7kg one.  

[Kendorr]

3 minutes ago, truckcab79 said:

If it’s new (think you said you were borrowing one mind)

Mate bought it 2 years ago to drill bolts into his garage base for extra security, so it is 'as new' - we shall see what tomorrow brings 🙂

 

[truckcab79]

47 minutes ago, Kendorr said:

Mate bought it 2 years ago to drill bolts into his garage base for extra security, so it is 'as new' - we shall see what tomorrow brings 🙂

 

Ah no. I meant if it was new not too late to change it for the bigger one. See how you get on.  Even the bigger one is too small to properly break concrete if it’s any thickness. Work from the edges and you might be able to chip away at it and if it’s thin it might be fine.  Go easy near the steel. I know it’s not as thick but my labourer knackered a perfectly decent mixer by using one of mine to clean some hardened concrete and manage to put half a dozen holes straight through the mixer bowl. 
 

Nothing to lose. 👍

Edited December 27, 2023 by truckcab79

[Kendorr]

Here we are then, just over an hour hitting with a small sledge hammer and a bolster chisel and it was all out, never even took the drill out of it's box.

 

I cleaned a bit in the middle and used my thickness tester on it, showed 4.7mm, the metal does look in remarkably good condition.

 

Also, when cleaning up I've noticed a gap between the bottom step and the inside bulkhead, so any water which drains down the step comes into the boat, hence all the water inside. I'll be sealing this next time I go and drilling a 25mm hole to give drainage into the engine bilge.

 

Thanks again for all the advice, I'm going to have a rest now.

[truckcab79]

Nice work.  Doesn’t look like it was too thick in the end?  Bet your ears are ringing. 😂

Edited December 28, 2023 by truckcab79

[Kendorr]

14 minutes ago, truckcab79 said:

Bet your ears are ringing

Pardon?

 

🙂

 

The base was about 2 inch and the upstands about 5 inch. Glad it's out!

[Peugeot 106]

I hope everything you do next year goes as well. Normally if I estimate something is going to take a week……..