Every now and then you may have to cut a brick to fit.
There are a number of ways to cut bricks.
•Use a brick trowel, plenty of practice is needed to get it right, even then the cuts arent accurate.
•Use a brick hammer. A good brick hammer will cost $30 to $60.
The cuts from a brick hammer are fairly rough until you get the hang of the brick hammer, some types of bricks will only cut successfully with a brick hammer.
•Use a hammer and a brick bolster. A good 3" brick bolster will cost around $20.
The cuts are fairly consistent and with practice the cuts will barely be seen as being actual cuts when laid.
The bolster must be held squarely to the brick to achieve a square cut.
Measure the gap, pic 1. The cut size will be the gap measurement, minus 20mm for the two mortar joints.
Mark the bricks, pics 2 and 3.
Use your fingers as a stop on the rule, pic 2, this way you will get consistent length cuts.
Cut the brick with a hammer and bolster, Pic 4
I always buy the small 3" bolster, you can mark out and cut the bricks while still in the pack, the 4" one is just too wide to do this.
•Use a brick splitter. Cost $600.
Very effective if you have a number of repeat cuts to do, costly to buy if you only have a few bricks to cut.
•Use an angle grinder with the appropriate blade.
Grinder can cost $200, plus diamond blade for $30.
Effective, but noisy and dusty, also an element of risk with a spinning blade
•Get a professional brick cutter to cut them for you.
Very effective.
They are cut wet, so with some types of bricks you cant lay them straight away after cutting.
There is a minimum cost involved when you use a professional brick cutter, around AU$70 minimum, it depends on the job, so it pays to have all your cut requirements worked out in advance.
There are a number of ways to cut bricks.
•Use a brick trowel, plenty of practice is needed to get it right, even then the cuts arent accurate.
•Use a brick hammer. A good brick hammer will cost $30 to $60.
The cuts from a brick hammer are fairly rough until you get the hang of the brick hammer, some types of bricks will only cut successfully with a brick hammer.
•Use a hammer and a brick bolster. A good 3" brick bolster will cost around $20.
The cuts are fairly consistent and with practice the cuts will barely be seen as being actual cuts when laid.
The bolster must be held squarely to the brick to achieve a square cut.
Measure the gap, pic 1. The cut size will be the gap measurement, minus 20mm for the two mortar joints.
Mark the bricks, pics 2 and 3.
Use your fingers as a stop on the rule, pic 2, this way you will get consistent length cuts.
Cut the brick with a hammer and bolster, Pic 4
I always buy the small 3" bolster, you can mark out and cut the bricks while still in the pack, the 4" one is just too wide to do this.
•Use a brick splitter. Cost $600.
Very effective if you have a number of repeat cuts to do, costly to buy if you only have a few bricks to cut.
•Use an angle grinder with the appropriate blade.
Grinder can cost $200, plus diamond blade for $30.
Effective, but noisy and dusty, also an element of risk with a spinning blade
•Get a professional brick cutter to cut them for you.
Very effective.
They are cut wet, so with some types of bricks you cant lay them straight away after cutting.
There is a minimum cost involved when you use a professional brick cutter, around AU$70 minimum, it depends on the job, so it pays to have all your cut requirements worked out in advance.
Brickwork.net.au
Cutting Bricks
It must be noted, that not all types of bricks can be cut with a hammer or bolster, many of them just shatter into pieces when trying to cut them.
It is mainly wire cut bricks that do this.
It is mainly wire cut bricks that do this.
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When cutting bricks, the back of the brick must be shorter than the face of the brick, otherwise you will have trouble getting the cut brick to fit.
It sound obvious, but a cut brick that is not cut square really stands out from the crowd when laid.
It sound obvious, but a cut brick that is not cut square really stands out from the crowd when laid.
AAA Brick Cutting.
Dave 0402949636
Melbourne Northern areas.
Dave 0402949636
Melbourne Northern areas.
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Acid washing
Apprentices
Arch Building
Basic Tool Kit.
Bits and Pieces
Bricks
Brickwork Bonds
Brickwork Cracks
Brickwork Faults
Brick Piers
Buttering
Cavity Flashing
Chimneys
Concrete
Contractors
Cutting Bricks
Dampcourse
Fancy Brickwork
Finishing
Footings
Glossary
Health
Laying
Mortar
Older Methods
Pictures
Pizza Oven
Plans
Plumb-level
References
Replacing a brick
Repointing
Retaining Wall
Safety
Setting out
Spreading the bed
Stone Work
Tables
Trowel of Mortar
Wall Ties
Ventilation
GuestBook
Forum
Set out your job so you do not need to cut bricks at all.