# Remove / Reuse Bricks



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

I want to remove some bricks in such a way that I can then reuse those bricks for another project -- presumably that would involve cutting out the mortar joint and then cleaning the brick. What would be the best way to accomplish this? FWIW, the bricks are about 30-35 years old, apparently in fine condition.


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

Hard to believe there are no brick masons on here(?)


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Maybe they were sleeping and hadn't seen this yet.


Get a Masons chisel, And break the bond between the bricks at the mortar, Then carefully clean the mortar from each brick with the chisel.

Can also use two bricks and rub / strike them together to remove most of the old mortar, careful that your fingers are not between them when striking them together.

Are the bricks in a wall now, or a planter or other construction?


ED


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> ...are the bricks in a wall now, or a planter or other construction? ED


They are in a wall now, in which I want to make some changes -- that's why I want to remove and reuse the same bricks, to match what is there now.


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Depending on the structure of the wall, sometimes you have to lose a brick or two to be able to salvage the rest. 

And depending on the changes desired you can break a few.

If you want to save all, you are going to have to carefully dig out some mortar 
with a grinder wheel, a dusty chore, and a bit dangerous.

Keep the wheel as square as possible with the mortar joint, try not to bind it , KICKBACK will break bones. It will be a slow process, but something worth having takes time anyway. 


ED


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> ...carefully dig out some mortar
> with a grinder wheel...


I've got a 4" side grinder -- would that be big enough?


----------



## de-nagorg (Feb 23, 2014)

Do you have access to both sides of the wall?

A 7.5 inch would be better, but you might get enough mortar from them if you can access from both sides, this would probably leave just a small bit in the center, but if you can grind out the mortar on several rows and then gently pry at them, or kick real hard to start them coming out, MAYBE.

ED


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

de-nagorg said:


> Do you have access to both sides of the wall? A 7.5 inch would be better...


Only have access on one side, but I can certainly get a larger grinder (always like a good excuse to buy more tools <g>). 

Thanks for the info!


----------



## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Have you tried matching the old with new? Some brick have been in production for a very long time. Also, if they are frogged/cored brick, it is probably not worth your time to try and reuse them (it isn't under any circumstance if you can find a match). Brick are cheap, cleaning 35 year old brick is hard, 100 year old brick are easy.


----------



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Used brick is actually an industry unto itself, google reclaimed brick, and you may be able to match what you have, although they can get kinda pricey.


----------



## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

It is a huge industry. We buy and sell 100's of thousands a year. Many hundreds of thousands. None of them are 35 years old or frogged/cored.


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

Not sure what "frogged/cored brick" are(?)

I did check with a couple of local sources, wasn't satisfied with the matching with new brick. Didn't think about looking into salvage, will do that. Total # I'll need probably no more than maybe 200, so cost is not really a problem.


----------



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Come to think of it, 30/35 year old brick would be considered youngsters, in the salvage industry, so would be pretty hard to come by, but you never know until you try.


----------



## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

PPBART -

Cored brick have round holes through the top and bottom of the brick. The clay brick are extruded in a long ribbon and are cut apart with a wire to expose the tops and bottoms.

"frogged" brick are cast with a lengthwise depression about 1/4" deep.

There some minor variations depending on the manufacturing/molding process.

Some brick with low initial absorption will "float" when the mason if the tops are flat and smooth. The depressions or holes take up the excess mortar as the mason levels the course of brick. The mortar in the holes or depression also increase the lateral shear strength somewhat. If you have concrete brick, they cannot have cores, but can have frogs since the masons like the frogs and they are easy to have.

Dick


----------



## Tscarborough (Mar 31, 2006)

Dick, we produce cored concrete brick as well as frogged ones, it just takes a core-puller on the block machine.


----------



## PPBART (Nov 11, 2011)

concretemasonry said:


> ...Cored brick have round holes through the top and bottom of the brick...


I'm sue these are cored.


----------



## Canarywood1 (May 5, 2012)

Also sometime called face brick!


----------

