Tell me more ×
Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

I have a retaining wall, sorta. It acts as a divider between homes rather than retain anything. Built the same way as one, with 6x6 boards, spikes, all that jazz. No deadmen, of course.

I need to take it apart and down while keeping the boards intact (I am going to reuse them in furniture).

I tried just putting a bar between two and prying them apart but after a lot of work I got them separated by about 1/4". There's too many to do that way.

Update:

I'll try the sawzall approach this weekend and come back. Thanks for the suggestions!

share|improve this question
2  
Hi Matthew - it looks like your question got cut off - could you complete it? Also, adding some pictures is usually helpful. – Steven Sep 29 '12 at 22:44
If the boards are older pressure treated timbers they may contain chromium and or arsenic. This would make them unsuitable for furniture. – mikes Sep 30 '12 at 1:09
How old would they need to be or what surefire way could I use to see if they have chromium or arsenic? – Matthew Bonig Oct 12 '12 at 22:59
Plenty of outdoor furniture (picnic tables, etc) was made with the old arsenic-laced PT lumber, and such use was within the guidelines established by the EPA. – kreemoweet Oct 13 '12 at 2:35
This furniture is for outdoor use only, does that mean I'm safer in case it is laced? – Matthew Bonig Oct 15 '12 at 20:43

2 Answers

up vote 3 down vote accepted

If you have access to a sawz-all also called a Tiger saw or reciprocating saw you can cut the spikes. Pry the timbers one at a time to get a little separation. Using the longest metal cutting saw blades you can get in the 14 tooth per inch range saw thru the spike. The longer blade will allow you to cut the spike if it is on the far side of the timber. Depending on what type of spike was used you may be looking at using several packs of blades. The process may get tougher near the bottom if they anchored the timbers to the ground with rebar.

share|improve this answer
You can probably rent a Sawz-all at a rental center. – TomG Sep 30 '12 at 0:53
This worked perfect. A little marring against the wood cause my aim sucked but otherwise was a snap. Thanks! – Matthew Bonig Oct 16 '12 at 16:34
up vote 2 down vote

I just finished a similar project -- removing the top layer from about 40 running feet of retaining wall built with 6x8 timbers. I used a long crowbar (about 36") and a one pound sledge to drive the claw part of the crowbar under the top of the spike, then use the leverage of the crowbar to pull it out. It may only move a small amount at a time; add boards under the crowbar to raise it as the spike comes out. The large spikes typically used for retaining walls are quite tough to pull out -- if you can get space between the timbers, you might want to consider the Sawz-All approach suggested by Mikes.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.