Types of Demolition Methods

Demolition may sound like something that is very simple. All you have to do is destroy a building and clean it up! But what happens if the building you are trying to take down is not a house, but a skyscraper? What if it will require that the area be cleared in case debris fall or the building chooses to fall a different way than planned? Do you think it takes the same equipment to demolish a skyscraper than it does to demolish a house? Nope, and that is what makes demolition not so simple. You see, there are many different kinds of demolition methods and they are each used for specific things; this is why it is important that you hire a demolition contractor, like a demolition company in Los Angeles, CA, instead of deciding on a method alone.

  1. The first type of demolition method is demolition done by hand. This involves sledgehammers and other equipment that can be used by hand. This type of demolition can be challenging because it is a lot of manual labor; especially if you are demolishing a building that is more than one story high. This process is also done using a step by step method, where debris is cleaned at the end of each day. It is typically more costly because it takes a lot longer than if you were to hire a contractor that used machines. 
  2. The next demolition is demolition by the effect of wrecking balls and other big equipment. This is the best kind of demolition for multi-story homes and buildings because it is fast and efficient, and because it cuts back on hours worked it is cheaper than manual labor. This kind of demolition should only be done by professionals who have licenses to work the equipment because there are a lot of safety hazards involved with it.
  3. Another kind of demolition is demolition by the use of pusher arm equipment. Another word for a pusher arm equipment is an excavator. In order for the excavator to be able to fit into the area without any difficulty, attachments are put onto it alongside loaders. It is typically done on big buildings in a large area of land, and not used with houses and small buildings. The beneficial factors surrounding this method are the costs, the equipment being so mobile and flexible, and the fact that it can be done quickly. A downside to this demolition method is that if there is not enough space for the excavator, it cannot be done.
  4. The last method of demolition is the deliberate building collapsing method. If you choose to use this method, you will need an expert because they can aid you in finding the weakest parts of the buildings to attack. This will ensure a speedy and safe demolition. In these methods, explosives are placed inside of the building to bring the walls down quicker. If the building is in a very public area, like in the busy downtown area of a city, this method should not be used as it can be very dangerous if not done properly.  

Thank you to the experts at Nielsen Environmental for their contributions to the types of demolition methods available.