I'm about to build a brick BBQ and notice in the plans that I have to cut some bricks in half. I've been told to use a bolster to create a groove around the brick, before tapping it for a clean break. Before destroying any number of good bricks, I wonder if anyone knows whether this is the best way, or is there another? Many thanks,
Danny
=================== Your proposed method is perfectly OK although many people find a brick hammer easier. However it's probably not worth buying a brick hammer for a single job like a barbecue.
It's not a good idea to cut all the required 'half' bricks in one go. The reason for saying this is that unless your bricklaying is perfect you will need different sizes of filler bricks ('half' bricks) depending on the variations in your mortar gaps. Cut the bricks to correct size as and when you need them.
Cic.
An expert brick layer just hold the brick in one hand and hits the brick with a brick hammer in the middle to get two halves.Then trims it using the flat end of the brick hammer. The other way is to use a 4" or 100mm wide bolster chisel and a lump hammer. Place the brick on a solid base, make a grove all the way round on the brick with the bolster and hammer. Then place the chisel on the face of the brick, in the grove, and hit hard until it splits into pieces. If the bricks or of the type full of holes or slits, then the only option is an angle grinder with a suitable blade.
Buy a blade for your hacksaw that cuts brick. They are cheap and do a reasonable job with not too much effort.
I had my last one from B&Q last year. They look like a wide hacksaw blade but covered in little rough bits instead of teeth. They go through a brick nicely but you can cut a little bit into the brick and then just break it with a bolster. I used it to do some facing bricks in a prominent position. I even cut the front off several bricks to just use as a veneer to save chopping the old brick right out.
(Not much use for concrete blocks with stones in though)
HTH
Thanks Eric, just the job.
Danny
Angle grinder with a diamond blade is much easier and more accurate
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