A sledgehammer is a heavy hammer with a solid, usually square head and two flat striking faces, designed to deliver a large amount of energy in a single blow. Unlike a claw hammer it has no claw and no pein: all the weight sits in the head. The Dutch term is moker.
The practical distinction:
| Type | Head weight | Handle | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Club hammer / lump hammer | about 1 to 2 kg | short, one-handed | Chisel work, plugs, pegs, paving slabs |
| Sledgehammer | about 3 to 10 kg | long, two-handed | Demolition, driving posts, breaking through walls |
What it is used for
- Demolition: breaking through masonry, tiled finishes and light concrete
- Driving demolition chisels, cold chisels and bolsters
- Driving timber pegs, ground anchors, fence posts and setting-out profiles
- Bedding kerbs, edging and heavy paving units
- Driving a crowbar or splitting wedge when splitting timber
Swinging safely and effectively
- Heavier is not automatically faster. A hammer you cannot control misses the mark and wears you out. Choose the lightest tool that will do the job
- Let the weight do the work. Lift the hammer and guide the fall; adding force on the downswing gains little energy and costs a lot of stamina
- Always strike square to the surface. A glancing blow lets the head skid off, and that is the single most common cause of accidents
- Always wear eye protection. Striking stone, concrete or hardened steel throws off fragments. Add hearing protection and gloves
- Check the head fitting. A loose head is dangerous. Look at the wedge and check the handle for cracks; fibreglass or steel handles with a rubber sleeve need less upkeep than timber
- Never strike hardened metal. Do not hit another hammer head or hardened tooling — splinters can fly off
- Know what is behind it. Before breaking through a wall, trace electrical, water and gas services and establish whether the wall is loadbearing
For precision work where the material must not be marked, use a plastic or rubber mallet, not a sledgehammer.
Related terms
- Hammer
- Club hammer
- Chisel
- Crowbar
- Demolition
- Wedge
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