How to Cut Into a Brick Chimney

If you own a home with a brick chimney, you may have to do some repair work on it at some point. If the bricks are old and cracked or crumbling, you may need to cut into the chimney, remove the bricks and replace them with new ones. You might have to cut into your chimney to remove a live or dead animal if one becomes trapped. It is not terribly difficult to cut into a brick chimney as long as you use the proper tools.

Marker
Safety glasses
Work gloves
Dust mask
Handheld masonry saw with 14-inch blade
Screwdriver or file (if needed)

Instructions

- 1
  Mark the bricks you wish to cut out and remove. Use a marker to draw lines in the mortar, or joint lines between the bricks. This will help you keep your place and prevent you from cutting into the wrong area or cutting out more bricks than needed.
- 2
  Put on a pair of safety glasses, work gloves and a dust mask.
- 3
  Load a 14-inch masonry saw blade into a handheld masonry saw.
- 4
  Place the edge of the saw blade above the line you marked on the chimney. Press the saw trigger and begin sawing into the mortar lines. Push the saw along in a straight line until you reach the end of the marker line. Pull the saw up and out of the joint line.
- 5
  Cut the rest of the marked lines until you have cut out the outline of the bricks. Gently pull the edges of the bricks toward you until you pull the bricks free from the chimney. If you cannot grasp the bricks, wedge a screwdriver or a file between the bricks and pull out the edge of the brick.

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