How to Remove a Mantel From a Brick Wall

Kneel down in front of the firebox opening and look at the inside edge of the mantel for a thin piece of wood trim. Insert a pry bar between the trim and the underlying brick and pry the trim up. Work your way around the inside perimeter of the fireplace mantel to detach all of the trim.

Look at the top of the horizontal mantel portion where it meets the brick wall. Locate the screws inserted there and remove them using the power drill. These screws are also typically covered in wood putty.

Grasp the mantel and lift it up to detach it from the brick wall. If the mantel does not detach easily, pry it from the wall gently using a pry bar and working your way around the edge.

Walk to the side of one of the mantel legs and look for screws that hold it to the brick wall. Remove each screw using a power drill, then repeat the process on the other leg of the mantel. The screw heads are often covered with wood putty. To locate them, look for small depressions or scrape along the mantel gently using a utility knife or putty knife.

Grasp each leg and pull it away from the brick wall. Again, use the pry bar if the legs do not easily detach.

Examine the brick wall surface for one horizontal and two vertical wooden boards, called cleats. Remove the screws from the center of these boards using a power drill and pull the cleats away from the wall.

Scoop up 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of premixed sanded mortar from its tub using a plastic putty knife. Press the mortar into each of the holes in the brick wall to fill them in.