Have you noticed a cracked or damaged brick in your home’s exterior or fireplace? You may be wondering if it is possible to remove this single brick, or if you will need to reconstruct the entire surface. Luckily, there are a number of ways that bricks can be removed from a wall. Read on to learn more about your options for removing a single brick!

Brick Removal Options

Drilling a series of holes in the soft clay of the brick will make it easier to chisel the brick out in pieces. However, the mortar will remain left behind, and this material is much harder to remove. A specialty masonry saw can cut through the brick and mortar. However this option is only suitable for a large number of bricks. 

How To Remove A Single Brick

Granted the rest of the brick is in good shape, there is no structural danger when removing a single brick. But it will require patience and time, and can be messy. Be sure to wear safety glasses and a particle mask to protect against flying debris. Specialty tools you will need include a true masonry chisel, a masonry bit designed for drilling concrete, and a mason’s or ball-peen hammer.

To remove the brick, start by knocking or prying loose mortar from the joint around the brick with a screwdriver or something similar. You will then drill a series of closely spaced holes in the surrounding mortar, being sure to fully drill through the mortar joint. This is the part that will require the most patience, as the speed will be slow and the drill bits will become worn. 

After drilling your holes, use your chisel and hammer to strike along the mortar and crack the joints. You should feel the brick loosen once all the joints have been cracked. You can then carefully extract the brick from the opening using your screwdriver and chisel. Once removed, you can also go through and scrape out the remaining mortar inside the opening.

Notice more than just one damaged brick? Call in the professionals! Our qualified team will be more than happy to help you.