Ripping Out a Brick Fireplace

Although a brick fireplace can add a cozy, intimate feel to your family room, den or other living space, it can also contribute to drafts and increase your home heating expenses. You can replace a brick fireplace with drywall and install a ventless fireplace, which can help prevent heat loss in your home. However, you'll need to remove the fireplace before installing drywall. Ripping out a brick fireplace is a straightforward task. You can complete this project with only basic masonry tools.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2-inch cold chisel
• 16-ounce hammer

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Place the blade of a 1/2-inch cold chisel on the mortar below the top course of fireplace bricks at one end. Drive the chisel blade into the mortar with a 16-ounce hammer. Continue this process along the mortar line.

   • 2

     Break the mortar between the bricks that make up the top course with the chisel and hammer. Pull out the top course of bricks.

   • 3

     Break the mortar below and between the next course of bricks. Continue this process until you've removed all of the bricks.