Digging up stony soil

millsy

I going putting down a 3m x 2m concrete base in my garden. I thought it would be handy enough to dig up the earth by hand with a shovel but it's really stony. There's existing concrete near it so I'm thinking that when that concrete was put down the excess hardcore was compacted down in the area I'm digging, along with excess concrete, and covered with some top soil.

Anyway I'm struggling to make any progress other than the bit of top soil I removed.

I'm thinking of buying a pickaxe. Would this be the best solution? Hack away at it with the pickaxe to loosen the soil and then shovel it up? I'm trying to keep the cost down.

I was looking up pickaxes and I see there are different types that seem to be specified by weight i.e 1lb, 5lb, 7lb. The heavier ones are more expensive. Would the 1lb one be a bit ****? It's half the price of the 5lb one.

mike_2009

maybe buy or borrow an Auger and try using that to break up the ground a bit? Easier than a pickaxe (ouch thinking about the shoulders using the heavier ones!). Otherwise pickaxe may be the way to go. Can you get a mini digger into the site for an hour or two? Pricey but worth it! There are trenching machines on hire too that may help but discuss with hiring company, they probably have something better suited short of an actual digger. Your back will thank you!

millsy

I ended up buying a 5lb pickaxe. The 1lb one was a tiny yoke. Didn't even look at the 7lb ones. Cost me €35. Did the job very well. My shoulders were bate from it tbh but got the job done in a few hours yesterday morning.

tabby aspreme

Better than any gym workout

Lumen

Wouldn't bother with a pick axe.

Get a decent heavy duty crow bar, 5 or 6ft long, the sort with one chisel end and one pointy end.

Use the weight of the bar to drive the point into the ground, and then leverage to break up the soil.

For something you swing, a good mattock is better than a pick axe, but get one with a nice wide head.