Hi Guys, I need to remove a chimney breast at my daughters house, but it's keyed into the adjacent wall which is supporting, so don't want
to do anything that would cause damage to that perpendicular wall.
We've already removed all the chimney down to the height of the lounge using SDS chisels, but now we're down to the supporting wall,
continuing that way isn't an option as each second layer has a half brick keyed into the support wall & cutting it with a chisel is going to
disturb the brickwork we need to protect.
I've seen masonry saws which have what I assume are tungsten edged teeth, but how hard is it to cut brick? We'll have 2 x 8ft high cuts to
make, which sounds like hard work
I've seen a few powered alternatives, but not only do they look fairly lethal in some cases, I would imagine they'd create horrendous dust
& also wouldn't give a flush cut to the wall
I'd thought of possibly a 5" angle grinder with a masonry blade, but again, it's going to make loads of dust, plus, you'd need to
get both sides & cut at an angle to finish up with anything remotely like flush
Any ideas welcome, or any experience of just how hard work is a masonry hand saw?
Thanks in advance, Russ
Never used a masonary saw, only an old wood saw for cutting insulation blocks.
I expect a lot will depend on the type of brick. Some are soft, some VERY hard.
However, whenevr I have done a chimny (probably 3 or 4 times) I have always just wacked the bricks to break them.
If concerned, use teh sds to drill some holes in each brick first. In fact, to create a doorway I chain drilled the opening. Much less dust than a
grinder.
"I have always just wacked the bricks to break them"
Hmmm, not really happy to do that. In the section above which we've already taken down the supporting wall for the most part stops at the upper
floor, but there was a part above there which was being removed anyway, so we weren't worried about that & there was no way we'd have
got the bricks away with the SDS without damaging the structure of the wall behind, maybe the mortar is somewhat dry or brittle or possibly as the
weight had already been removed from above so that section was no longer structural it was ready to come apart, but I really don't want to risk
damaging a wall that I know is structural
I recently hired a Hilti dch300 power saw and a Hilti industrial extraction unit. Used that two cut two door openings in very hard brick.
Surprisingly little dust released Into the house. I had to buy a blade…. Probbaly still have it somewhere
I'm not a bricklayer, haven't dismantled a chimney or used a brick saw.
Thoughts:
If you cut through the bricks and leave a half brick will you not expose the internal "frog" (hollow) section of the brick to the weather?
That will then need pointing.
Would a builder/bricklayer work through removing the whole brick and replacing with a half brick with the "frog" facing inward. That way
your left with a smooth brick wall finish and regular pointing?
I recently bricked up a window - not just to save energy - but it all helps.
I had to cut the existing bricks
I had a diamond blade in my grinder and an SDS drill.
The grinder made a lot of dust
Chain drilling the bricks and then using the SDS chisel was hard work.
Then I found that I had a TCT tipped blade for a reciprocating saw, that was a dream, easy and simple to use, cut the bricks with minimum fuss and no
hammering. As it is a slower action any dust is not flung about the place. Easy to Vacuum up on the go.
looks like this
blade
I guess it depends on how easy it is to get a saw in there, are they frogged bricks, do you need to remove the whole brick?
HTH
[Edited on 19/12/22 by HowardB]
6mm drill to weaken them, then just chisel out. No need to mess about.
I have a 9" Makita electric angle grinder which I have used for several masonary cutting jobs. Great outside but creates horendous dust, I have
used it inside and the other female occupant wasn't happy at all! A petrol masonary saw would create the same problem.
I think, until the launch of the reciprocating saw, this was the only method. I haven't used a saw but it certainly sounds like a good option.
quote:
Originally posted by HowardB
I recently bricked up a window - not just to save energy - but it all helps.
I had to cut the existing bricks
I had a diamond blade in my grinder and an SDS drill.
The grinder made a lot of dust
Chain drilling the bricks and then using the SDS chisel was hard work.
Then I found that I had a TCT tipped blade for a reciprocating saw, that was a dream, easy and simple to use, cut the bricks with minimum fuss and no hammering. As it is a slower action any dust is not flung about the place. Easy to Vacuum up on the go.
looks like this blade
I guess it depends on how easy it is to get a saw in there, are they frogged bricks, do you need to remove the whole brick?
HTH
[Edited on 19/12/22 by HowardB]
One further thing, with the reciprocating saw, how tight to the existing wall can you get the cut?
To clarify the situation re some previous Q's, this is an internal chimney breast, I think the bricks are frogged IIRC, but that can all be
pointed up prior to plastering, I don't see any need to remove the bricks & replace with solid
I have used a depressed centre diamond disc for this type of thing in the past, however no-one seems to make them anymore.
This appears to be the replacement disc type for this kind of job:
https://www.atsdiamondtools.co.uk/product/flush-cut-diamond-vanity-blade/
Looks like it will do the same job, you'll probably need a 9 inch disc unless you have access to both sides of the brick or want to cut off bit
by bit.
Dave
quote:
Originally posted by russbost
One further thing, with the reciprocating saw, how tight to the existing wall can you get the cut?
To clarify the situation re some previous Q's, this is an internal chimney breast, I think the bricks are frogged IIRC, but that can all be pointed up prior to plastering, I don't see any need to remove the bricks & replace with solid
If you are going to use an angle grinder, may I suggest a good mask, goggles and taping a plastic sheet to walls, ceiling and floor to totally enclose a small section where you are working. Horribly messy, but at least it won't spread everywhere.
quote:
Originally posted by SteveWalker
If you are going to use an angle grinder, may I suggest a good mask, goggles and taping a plastic sheet to walls, ceiling and floor to totally enclose a small section where you are working. Horribly messy, but at least it won't spread everywhere.
& as you
say, makes horrendous mess Reciprocating saw with a masonry blade has got to be worth a try. I did something similar removing an internal pantry block wall using my cordless
reciprocating saw and semi dense concrete blocks using some blades I had kicking around that were meant for wood with nails so not really suitable but
worked reasonably well. I got fairly flush by bending the blade slightly and the reciprocating action still cut okay as long as you dont force it but
the blades gradually straighten themselves as the cut progresses. All stayed within the thickness of the final plaster coat with maybe a bit of light
chiselling on the most sticky out bits.
I reckon with one of those masonry blades you'd be good and surprisingly little dust. If I'd been aware of them I would have tried one.
I bought a tool used that matched my existing battery system (Erbauer EXT) and since buying it I've used it for loads of things - surprising
accurate cuts. Have done major tree pruning (up to 6" thick branches) and even logged it into firewood, trimmed fence posts and even done some
more subtle joinery cuts with it. Metal blades cut steel well too and for some cuts works better than the angry grinder.
8 foot cut in blocks emptied 3 x 4AH batteries.
Some bricks are super hard though - all depends on how hot they got in the kiln! The hard ones also snap well though so maybe where the saw struggles
go for a sharp tap with hammer and bolster - if you can get to both sides have someone hold a slightly heavier hammer on the back while hitting the
front and it absorbs quite a bit of the force that would other wise go into the perpendicular wall - like a newtons cradle effect.
[Edited on 21/12/22 by Sanzomat]
[Edited on 21/12/22 by Sanzomat]
Just had another thought - A while ago I saw a specialist using chemical expansion to burst out concrete - basically holes drilled deep into a 400mm
thick concrete wall then injected with a chemical mix that expands on setting. The chemical reaction/expansion split the concrete beautifully and
completely cleanly other than the dust from drilling the holes.
On a domestic scale with bricks I wonder if expansion bolts would do something similar. Drill 16mm holes for M10 expansion bolts, maybe just one in
each tie brick, insert a series of bolts and progressively tighten them and there should be enough expansion force to snap the bricks. Seems like a
nice engineering solution??
Trust me when I say the 6mm drill bit is by far the easiest way. Far quicker and less messy than other ways. Drill in one hand, vacuum in the other, you don't even need to cover the carpet. 3 holes per brick and the sds chisel will knock them off cleanly. I do this weekly.