Brick Removal To Reuse

jakejorgenson

What is the best way to remove brick from a wall to re-use it on the addition? I have a project that has a full brick wall that they want to remove a section about 22' wide and 8' tall for a new opening and would like to try and re-use the brick for the addition to make it blend in better as a wainscot of brick. I've never had to remove brick as most remodels have been with stucco, wood siding, or some other exterior. Any suggestions? Thanks.

SLSTech

Carefully??? Seriously though - start at the top --- cold chisel & a hammer to the joint, one you get it going it comes down pretty easy

Stack it off to the side, and use the chisel to break the mortar off later by the new guy, on a rainy day, etc...

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dkillianjr

Yup thats the way I've done it in the past



Dave

Warren

Try an sds drill with a chisel attachment. Quicker than the other way and less wear and tear on your wrist. Start at top, work your way down. Just insert the chisel below each brick and the vibration causes them to raise up.

forsmant

The new guys will love doing this, I know I did!

Archania

I've done this before with an air chisel (when I was younger working for someone else)... half the bricks broke when I was trying to get the mortar off. Hopefully you you don't need too many of them to put back in there.

SLSTech

you were using the wrong angle - as I recall it should be about a 15 to 25 degree angle, just like scraping a floor

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Certified Energy Efficiency Audits, Ratings, Modeling, Verifications, & Consulting
Residential, Commercial, & Industrial Infrared Thermography Scans

SC sawdaddy

Theres definitely a knack to getting them out without breaking them. It can be done but at the cost of some broken bricks for the learning curve.

You should use the cold chisel method as SLSTech described. There will be more control and less bats.