How to Cut and Remove Brick: 5 Methods

Learn which tools work best for cutting brick

By
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender
Lee Wallender

Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 11/22/23
Reviewed by
Deane Biermeier
Deane Biermeier
Reviewed by Deane Biermeier
Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce's Home Improvement Review Board.
Learn more about The Spruce's Review Board
Cutting brick wal

Dan70 / Getty Images

In This Article
Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Total Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $10 to $15

Learning how to cut brick does not have to be difficult. Excising a single brick while leaving the surrounding bricks intact and in good shape can be tricky but it is required when repairing or replacing bricks in a fireplace, or wall, or when one needs to be removed to make space for vents, pipes, or outlets. Knowing how to cut bricks to size is also a skill needed for projects, such as building brick patios, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, pathways, or walls. With determination and only a few basic tools, you can cut and remove an installed brick or cut single bricks to specified sizes with flawless results.

5 Methods of Cutting Bricks

The best tools to cut into most types of brick include circular saws, angle grinders, reciprocating saws, multi-tools, and chisels. The popular choice of cutting and removing a single brick from a wall manually with a masonry chisel is the first method shown below.

Each tool has its pros and cons:

  • Circular saw: A circular saw fitted with a masonry or diamond blade will cut both brick and mortar, producing clean lines but also creating a great amount of debris and noise. Using a circular saw to cut through brick offers cutting depths but it will also cause significant wear and tear on the tool, even with the correct blade.
  • Angle grinder: An angle grinder with a masonry wheel also will cut through both the brick and the mortar when removing a brick and allow for tighter angles when cutting bricks. However, debris blowback is significant and can cause a mess if used indoors. An angle grinder does not provide the cutting depth that a circular saw offers.
  • Reciprocating saw: A reciprocating saw with a masonry cutting blade can cut relatively straight lines when the saw is held firmly. But while reciprocating saws allow for plunge cuts in materials like drywall, they don't work as well for masonry walls. It's best to use a reciprocating saw with the correct blade to cut through brick when in a wall to remove it rather than using it to cut a single brick down to size.
  • Multi-tool: A high-quality multi-tool equipped with a masonry attachment does allow for plunge cuts and can be a good way to get the cut started. Use a multi-tool to easily cut through mortar when removing a brick.
  • Masonry chisel: Cutting brick out of a wall by hand with a masonry chisel (also called a brick chisel) and a drill takes patience but it offers finer control of the process. Using a masonry chisel is also a great way to cut bricks in half or at an angle.

Manually Cutting Installed Brick

The secret to removing a complete brick from a brick wall or brick fireplace is to cut the surrounding mortar. Dried and set mortar is softer than brick and it cuts away predictably. Once the mortar is removed, the entire brick is extracted quite easily. However, if your goal is to remove only a portion of the brick, you must remove the mortar as well as sever the brick in a clean line, all without causing the brick to crumble into little pieces.

Make sure to use a genuine masonry chisel. Neither a wood chisel nor a cold chisel (designed for metal) is appropriate for this job. Using either runs the risk of shattering the tool and potentially sending metal fragments flying. This tool is typically a heavier chisel with a more blunt cutting edge designed for breaking mortar, stone, and brick. A masonry chisel can be used to cut brick without any power tools by hammering the back of the chisel into the brick.

Safety Considerations

When manually cutting out a brick or into a brick, take safety precautions by wearing safety glasses, hearing protection, and thick gloves. Drilling or cutting into brick produces a lot of dust, so also wear a dust mask. Be patient and go slowly. 

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Narrow masonry chisel
  • Hammer
  • Drill
  • 1/4-inch masonry drill bit
  • Safety glasses
  • Hearing protection
  • Thick work gloves
  • Dust mask
  • Carpenter's pencil, chalk, or lumber crayon
  • Shop vacuum
  • Wire brush

Instructions

How to Cut and Remove Brick

  1. Drill Holes in the Brick

    Sculptors often cut large sections of stone by drilling holes in lines and placing explosive charges in the holes. The simultaneous explosion of all of the charges creates a cutting plane. Manually cutting a portion of a brick works in much the same way. Rather than explosive charges, the force of the hammer and chisel blows break the brick along the line of drilled holes.

    • Begin by drawing a line across the surface of the brick where you want to cut, using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon.
    • Draw another line about 1/4 inch from the first line in the portion of the brick you'll be removing. You will be drilling into this second line, preserving the first line as a reference.
    • Drill a series of holes along this second line, spaced no more than 1/4 inch apart. Unless you are using a hammer drill, you will need to push hard on the drill and even wiggle it around just a bit, but take care not to break off the drill bit. 
    • Frequently vacuum out the holes to remove brick dust.

    Tip

    Excessive pressure can quickly dull your masonry bit. The trick is to take your time on this operation. Bricks resist drilling, so take frequent breaks to let the bit cool down.

    Drilling the Center of a Brick
    Lee Wallender

  2. Cut out the Brick With a Chisel

    Ideally, the drilled holes will have penetrated through the entire thickness of the brick. But you can still complete the removal even if some of the holes don't fully penetrate the full thickness.

    • Break out the brick lightly between the holes with a masonry chisel and hammer, completing the cut line.
    • Slightly angle the chisel toward the waste brick (the portion of the brick to be removed) so that you do not risk damaging the portion of the brick that will remain.
    • Hammer blows to the chisel will usually sever the brick all the way through its thickness.
    Cutting Out Brick Dividers
    Lee Wallender

  3. Chip the Mortar to Free the Brick

    Work on the mortar. Once you have chiseled through the brick, you still need to loosen the surrounding mortar. Mortar is usually crumbly, so it should loosen by drilling random holes into it or by chipping it out with the chisel. Be patient and lightly chip away, or use your chisel as a lever to pry the brick.

    Tip

    Alternatively, use a small pry bar to pull out loosened mortar.

    Freeing Up the Brick
    Lee Wallender

  4. Remove the Brick by Hand

    Pull out the loosened brick. With all of the obstructions gone, you should be able to remove the brick by hand. Some wiggling may be necessary. 

    Taking Out Brick Chunks By Hand
    Lee Wallender

  5. Smooth the Edges of the Hole

    • Use your chisel to smooth out the rough faces of the hole to an acceptable point.
    • After about 10 minutes of careful chipping, you should have a hole with reasonably clean sides.
    • Brush the edges lightly with a wire brush.
    Area After Brick Is Removed
    Lee Wallender

Cutting Bricks for Other Projects

Bricks are easy to cut shorter or in half with the use of the right tools. Power tools offer a fast and less labor-intensive option while using a masonry chisel allows for more controlled cuts.

Warning

Always wear safety gloves and eyewear when cutting into brick to protect yourself from flying fragments of brick. Always use a face mask to avoid breathing in dust.

Circular Saw

  • Use a masonry or diamond blade on a circular saw to cut accurate, clean lines in brick.
  • Mark the line where you want to cut using a straightedge on all sides of the brick. Mark the lines using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon.
  • Before cutting, put the brick on a piece of material to keep it steady, such as a piece of old carpeting with backing or a scratchy mat.
  • Begin cutting slowly on the lines on all sides of the brick.
  • Tap the brick gently on hard ground if you feel you've cut through enough to break it apart. If it does not easily break apart, continue cutting until it does come apart.

Angle Grinder

  • Securely attach a diamond or mason disc/blade to the angle grinder for cutting brick.
  • Mark the lines where you want to cut using a straightedge on all sides of the brick. Mark the lines using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon.
  • Slowly create nicks on the marked lines with the angle grinder. Rotate the brick to nick all the lines. This will create a lot of dust.
  • Go back over the nicked lines to slowly make the full cuts. Once you get to the last nicked line, the brick will usually break apart with clean lines.

Reciprocating Saw

  • Use only a specific carbide blade designed for cutting brick with a reciprocating saw. Use a shorter blade for more control.
  • Mark your lines where you'd like the cut. Use a straightedge and mark it using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon. (You don't need to mark all sides when using this tool.)
  • Place the brick onto a sawhorse or workshop table and vise for stabilization when cutting. Reciprocating saws are known to cause materials to vibrate. You will also need room for the saw to move when you come to the bottom of your cut.

Multi-tool

  • Use a masonry or diamond blade to cut brick with a multi-tool.
  • Mark the line where you want to cut using a straightedge on all sides of the brick. Mark the lines using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon.
  • As you would with a reciprocating saw, you need to place the brick onto a sawhorse or workshop table and vise for stabilization when cutting. A multi-tool can cause the brick to vibrate. This tool also causes a great amount of dust.
  • Follow the lines on all sides of the brick and go slowly to create the full cuts.

Masonry Chisel

  • Mark the line where you want to cut using a straightedge on all sides of the brick. Mark the lines using a pencil, chalk, or wax lumber crayon.
  • Put the brick on a surface that will help to deaden the hammer, such as a tray of sand.
  • Put the chisel blade on the marked line and lightly tap the handle of the chisel with a hammer to begin scoring the line to be cut. The scored line should be visible and have the same depth of about 1/16 of an inch on all four sides of the brick. Do not skip the scoring step or the brick can prematurely break apart at the wrong spot.
  • To cut the brick, put the blade of the chisel back on the scored line at a small angle and tap the chisel a little harder this time with the hammer. The brick should break apart right on the scored lines. This method creates smooth edges to hand-cut brick.
FAQ
  • What is the best tool to cut brick?

    A masonry brick saw is the top tool masons use to cut brick. This saw may be cost-prohibitive and unnecessary for DIYers because you may already have a tool in your workshop for the job. For a large project, a circular saw with a concrete/masonry blade offers clean, accurate cuts. For a small project, a hammer and chisel are fine for cutting a couple of bricks.

  • Can you cut brick with a grinder?

    Angle grinders are particularly useful if you do a lot of work with metal or masonry, including concrete, brick, or stone. You just need the right blade or attachment. 

  • Do you need a wet saw to cut brick?

    You do not need a wet saw to cut brick but it is a good and sometimes costly option. Bricks can contain silica (minerals) and the water can cut down on the fine silica dust created when cutting the material. You will need to make sure that the blade is large enough to cut through a brick, which is obviously much larger than a piece of tile.