Liner over large rock in center of pond yes/no

[drbballwater]

I’ve encountered a large rock in the center of my excavation and am unsure of my options. I haven’t even full exposed it yet (if I do) but so far it looks to be 300lbs+ already based on a similar but smaller rock I already removed - beyond moving it solo by hand at this point.

Is leaving it in place an option provided I underlayment the heck out of it or am I just asking for problems? My yard is mini-ex inaccessible without a fence coming down. I could always recruit some extra hands if it’s not much bigger if I expose it but just curious if leaving it is possible.

 

[TheFishGuy]

looks doable to me, if it isn't to much bigger just get another person ( w/ gloves of course ) and pull it outa there, but I am sure many others will have better opinions than me on that matter

 

[mrsclem]

Pizza and beer rock removal party!

 

[addy1]

Nice looking rock! See if it stops, dig out a some more dirt. See if it can be moved with a good digging bar.

 

[poconojoe]

My uncle used to say..."many hands make light work". Get a few friends to help out. It won't take long and you can make a party out of it.

I moved a pretty big one by myself. Once I dug around it I used a big pinch bar as a lever to pry it out. I used cobble stones and bricks as a fulcrum. As I lifted it, I threw rocks under it to keep it suspended. Then I had to get it out of the excavation. I used the lever method again and as I raised it up, I threw bricks under it until I was able to get it high enough to roll it out.

 

[Mmathis]

Wow, that’s an interesting rock! If you can’t move it (or work around it), would it be possible to excavate more off to one or the other side, make the hole bigger, reshape the hole, then fill back in?

 

[jgrandmont]

Umm... dynamite? Seriously, I think I might try to enlarge the hole, then reposition the boulder to move it out of the way. Would still probably require multiple people, but at least you wouldn't have to lift it out of the hole.

 

[poconojoe]

Hey, I wonder...this is kind of out there...
if you have access to a hammer drill, aka rotary hammer, maybe you can drill a series of holes in a straight line. Then pound wedges or a cold chisel into it which may (or hopefully) split the rock.
That was my plan "B" for the big rock I had, but I was eventually able to move it. But I have the tools...Hilti, various chisels, hammers, etc

 

[drbballwater]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I’ve come to the conclusion the first order of business is to get at it today and expose it all and find out if this is a tip of the iceberg situation or something manageable. Then I can decide on dynamite, beer-bribes, hammer drills, or the Batman signal.

 

[drbballwater]

Got it dislodged, time to call in some favors! My guess is 500-600 lbs.

 

[poconojoe]

Got it dislodged, time to call in some favors! My guess is 500-600 lbs.

Nice!
Can you roll it?
Like said previously, I rolled mine up to the side wall of the excavation and levered it up with my pinch bar with bricks and cobblestones as a fulcrum. I kept tossing rocks under it to build it up. Then when it was near the top, I rolled it out.
I think that's how the Egyptians built the pyramids!

 

[addy1]

Then when it was near the top, I rolled it out.

Keep toes fingers hands out of the way! Nice rock! It will be a good feature rock near your pond!

 

[drbballwater]

Egyptians, exactly what I was thinking!

 

[TheFishGuy]

Egyptians, exactly what I was thinking!

yup just go be like the egyptians, y'now, standard stuff

 

[EricV]

Some options: 1) Roll it out as others have said 2) Use a pot lifter to lift it out. You could get four people lifting it that way. 3) Put your liner halfway in and roll it onto the liner. Instant base for an island in the pond.