Wrecking/pry bar recommendations

[Phatsub]

My wife and I desided to tear down a one-room "mother-in-law house" that is planted right outside our back door in order to expand our back patio space.
Among other issues such as scrap disposal, I don't have any demolition tools and was wondering what would be a good all-around bar for tearing down this structure.

I don't have a truck (regretably) so I'll probably end up renting a dumpster from my local refuse pickup company, but that's another issue alltogether.

 

[Kevin54]

Long "spud bar", long "crow bar" / "Wrecking bar" and a sledge. Spud bar is great for taking stuff loose overhead. You can knock sheeting boards and rafters loose like nothing. A sledge takes it down at the knees, and the crowbar takes it apart after it's all down.

 

[BrianAltenhofel]

If any of the wood is good, keep it and reuse it for something else. My garage is built out of lumber from a house that was torn down on the property.

 

[wrigh003]

I have two wrecking bars. One is a $3 Harbor Freight / pawn shop / discount tools special. It ***** bigtime. Flexes like crazy when you go to pry a board out. I don't really remember where it came from- it may have been left at the house by the previous owner. The other is a blue "SUPERBAR" brand one. It was probably $12-15 at Lowes Depot, and was completely worth it. I used both of those a lot tearing out a bathroom I was redoing, enough to appreciate the difference. A good wrecking bar / pry bar and a decent hammer will get you far.

A sawzall or other reciprocating saw is a great thing to have, too, when you want to make absolutely certain ________ comes apart.

 

[Phatsub]

Would a 24" Fatmax do the whole job, or will I need more than one tool?

 

[Phatsub]

I plan on breaking out the sawzall for sure. And the hammer.
I plan to save as much good lumber a I can, I want to do it neatly.

 

[64merc]

I have a blue wrecking bar that is probably about 18" or so that has served me well around the house. I think if I was in your shoes I would go for a longer bar if possible. What I like on mine is that it has a 90 degree offset, meaning that when you are using one edge to pry with, the other end is sideways (to use as a handle for leverage).

This one is not the one I have but you can get an idea of what I'm talking about:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...Id=10053&productId=100038172&N=10000003+90401

 

[Phatsub]

I have a blue wrecking bar that is probably about 18" or so that has served me well around the house. I think if I was in your shoes I would go for a longer bar if possible. What I like on mine is that it has a 90 degree offset, meaning that when you are using one edge to pry with the other end in sideways (to use as a handle for leverage).

This one is not the one I have but you can get an idea of what I'm talking about:

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...Id=10053&productId=100038172&N=10000003+90401

I DO like the looks of that one. I think it would work just fine. The price is right also.

 

[crowldawg]

Do they make a 36" fat max .That would be a good start .Depending on how much you are goingto use a bar.I find I use a wide variety of bars during demolition

 

[Phatsub]

Do they make a 36" fat max .That would be a good start .Depending on how much you are goingto use a bar.I find I use a wide variety of bars during demolition

Yes they do! $18.

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...3&productId=100007699&N=10000003+90048+502400

 

[Danglerb]

Harbor Freight all the way for me on this one.

Claw framing hammer, a short handle 3 lb or so sledge, a long handle 12 lb sledge. 12" long flat pry bar, 18" J shaped pry bar, and the monster 60" digging tool.

How should it be demolished? I am thinking gut the interior, take everything useful out, then weaken a couple walls and pull it down, then break it up.

 

[Phatsub]

It's been stripped of all light fixures and outlets. No room to pull it down as it sits about 3 feet from my back door and is right next to a fence on one side and grass on the other. I figured I should start at the roof and work my way down.

 

[nissan_crawler]

x2 on the digging bar.

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItemList.do

Grab one of these, too.
http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/itemdisplay/displayItemList.do

 

[hamburglar]

I'm going to tell you something you already know (adult men just *hate* that, I don't know why...)...wear safety glasses when you are doing something like prying out a nail. I'm always amazed at how fast those suckers can get going and they just love eyes.

 

[Phatsub]

I'm going to tell you something you already know (adult men just *hate* that, I don't know why...)...wear safety glasses when you are doing something like prying out a nail. I'm always amazed at how fast those suckers can get going and they just love eyes.

I agree, eye protection and probably head protection as well. A hard hat is something else I've never had a need for.

 

[Danglerb]

Some monster gloves with padded palms, hitting stuff puts vibration into the tool and your arms can hurt the next day. Some serious shoes too.

 

[Stuey]

For more fun, Stanley FUBAR III.

 

[Phatsub]

I was wondering if that Fubar would be overkill.

 

[Stuey]

I was wondering if that Fubar would be overkill.

Of course it would be overkill, but it would make the process so much more enjoyable. After the job, you'd be left with a nice neighbor/pubk kids beat-down tool.

Then again, you could always just go for a small sledge and/or a wrecking bar together for about 1/4 the price of a FUBAR III. You can always get a cheap wrecking bar at the hardware store and go for something else if it fails to satisfy you.