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debbie5_gw

what to do with all the busted up concrete??

debbie5
19 years ago

This really DOES have something to do with gardening...in a roundabout way. LOL.

While digging a flower bed that is next to our stone driveway, we discovered that an old, broken up concrete driveway is **underneath ** all the gravel. The previous owners put the gravel down, as I guess ripping up an entire 150 foot long, broken driveway would be a nightmare.I now have a 5 foot square by 2 feet high pile of concrete chunks that we pulled out of the soil, that I need to get rid of. The trash guys won't take it, and the fine folks (**rolling eyes**) at the Schenect@dy city trash dep't had no suggestions on how a private citizen can get rid of bowling ball sized chunks of concrete (seeing as I don't have a construction waste permit for the dump). I thought of sneaking in a piece a week into the regular trash, but...like I have the time & energy/patience to do that. Grr. No, double Grr.

Any ideas on how I can get rid of this stuff?? Hubby is threatening to load it up in the car and just dump it in a ditch somwewhere...the thought of which makes me nuts.

Any ideas??


TIA

d.

Comments (12)

  • penny1947
    19 years ago

    I have seen people use pieces set down in the soil to make a garden path or a walk way to an entrance way. I also have to big concrete pads that a previous owner used for something. Right now they aren't in the way but when we do our deck they will have to be removed. I was considering breaking it up and using it as stepping stones to the deck.

    Penny

  • mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
    19 years ago

    Ask around if anybody has a use for clean fill. Around here, I know a lot of people who'd take it. A bigger problem is going to figure out how to move it, though it doesn't really sound like that big a pile.

  • susanzone5 (NY)
    19 years ago

    My local newspaper gives you an ad for free if what you're offering is free. I listed free fill. A guy came with his truck and took some.

    What was left, I hired a 'man with truck' who cleans up basements, etc and hauls it away. Cost me some money, but I wanted it out of there.

  • DigginDanny
    18 years ago

    Lay out the concrete chunks...cover with top soil and voila! you have a nice raised berm in which to plant.

  • Carol_from_ny
    18 years ago

    Any chance you can arrange them in a manner to create a water feature in your yard?
    Otherwise I'd be looking for some one needing clean fill.

  • jlui
    18 years ago

    A lot of the communities in the Rochester area have what they call a "drop off", usually one in Spring and one in Fall. Basically, the town (or whatever) will take whatever you can't get your regular garbage collector to take with a few exceptions (paint cans, etc). I'd check with your town (or towns nearby where you have friends!) . . We're looking at the same problem from the cement-ish stuff that used to be under our tiled shower floor before we did the demolition. It's amazing how that stuff chunks up into huge piles!

    Jen

  • bhrost
    18 years ago

    The ideal thing would be to make lemonade from lemons and use these concrete chunks in some creative garden feature.

    If that's not possible there are probably places in your area that accept so-called clean fill - the problem is finding them. Where I live, the gravel yard that I purchase gravel and stones from for my garden has a section where you can drop off clean fill. I don't know if every or even many gravel yards have similar policies, but since these are fairly common establishments (there's always a need for gravel in construction and the like pretty much everywhere in the USA) you might want to inquire of some in your locality.

  • jim_w_ny
    18 years ago

    Good question. I have some 10' x 10' chunks that a helpful neighbor with his bugger moved off a place I want to build an arbor. (Too uneven and broken to build on) and at the moment they are barely noticeable on some of my spare acres. The vegetation will soon cover the pile but I'll always know they're there and someday the crunch will come. Breaking them into smaller movable pieces is surely a big need to being more creative. How about dynamite! Can't you see big chunks flying through the air into my house!

  • debbie5
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Last Spring, hubby & me tried arranging them to border a flower bed, but mowing and weed whacking around them was impossible due to the uneven edges...by Fall we had a mass of weeds all over.

    We are either gonna dump them in a ditch somewhere or throw them in the city school dumpster, neither of which feel like the "right" choice. C'est la vie. I have no other way to dispose of them.

    5

  • lblack61
    18 years ago

    Post it on Freecyle, is one thing you might do. It's amazing what someone else has use for that another person doesn't.

  • debbie5
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Maybe I can put it on the mayor's lawn....??

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