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Removing a brick veneer

10916 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  jogr
Hi. New here. Living in South Louisiana and looking to elevate an old pier and beam house that has a brick veneer. I am waiting for the previous owner to tell me if there might be old wood siding behind the brick. Meanwhile, what would be the best way to knock off the brick and with what tools? I don't want to save the brick--just get it all off.
Thanks!
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In my experience looking at Louisiana homes with brick veneer (during hurricane structural evaluations), I noted that most of the time the brick was held on by thin, easily removed streel brick ties. If that is the case with your house, you can generally easily remove the brick with prybars. If I were you, I would take the brick down gently, since you can usually get some salvage value for old brick, but if you really don't care, a demolition hammer will certainly get the brick off. Just watch out you don't damage the sheathing, unless you don't want to save it either.
How do you have a brick veneer on a pier and beam house? Is there a poured footing for the brick?
Well, that is a very good question. The house appears to be on a slab until you walk around back and see an opening and a crawl space. I'm not at the house right now, but it would seem there would be a concrete footing all the way around for the brick to sit on, right? Maybe it should be called a brick "facade" since it is a pier and beam house?
Start beating on it with a sledge hammer, starting at the top.
The easiest way is to use and air hammer and chisel if you have an air compressor if not a small sledge hammer and chisel. Drive chisel into mortar lines and pry up. Less chance of causing other damage.
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The easiest way is to use and air hammer and chiselhttp://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_bDnzd...&sigr=12grt2is6&sigi=12l29hbo1&sigb=12uavo3kp if you have an air compressor if not a small sledge hammer and chisel. Drive chisel into mortar lines and pry up. Less chance of causing other damage.
Seems like that would take forever but would cause minimal damage to the brick if salvage is desired. A hand sledge might work quite effectively with little chance of unattended damage.
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