A sledgehammer is a hammer longer and heavier than a standard claw hammer. Also known as a maul, sledge, or demolition hammer, it is designed to displace a large amount of force over a small area. It also usually has a wooden handle and can weigh up to 20 pounds (9.1 kg).^[1]

Due to its sheer size compared to smaller-sized hammers, a sledgehammer requires a great amount of strength to wield and two hands are typically required to swing it with full force for maximum impact.

Sledgehammers have been used in construction for a long time. They were employed to drive spikes in the building of railroads during the 1800s. Today the sledgehammer is used for driving rebar—the steel reinforcement used in concrete and masonry. Sledgehammers are also deployed in breaking up concrete and in other demolition work. They may also be used for splitting up large logs in combination with a small axe.

[edit] References

1. ↑ What is a Sledgehammer? Wisegeek. 30-03-2009.