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I need to cut a brick to a particular size to fit it in that area. I am not sure which tool I use or buy. I have asked several places, but they have expensive tools which I can't afford.

Peter Mortensen
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Sanjoy
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    A typical construction worker uses just the pointed end of the hammer - a few hits will usually cut the brick nicely in half. It requires a bit of training and you'll cut bricks without expensive tools. Of course if you need rounded shapes this method has to be repeated a few times - carefully .. a brick breaks apart rather easily – eagle275 Nov 11 '22 at 08:48
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    I've often seen a trowel used to score the brick, before cleaving it with a hammer, or sometimes just the handle end of the same trowel. – MikeB Nov 11 '22 at 09:38
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    Regardless of how you do it, make sure you wear proper eye protection. In the unlikely event that the brick shatters, any bits that happen to fly upwards and hit you in the face can do some _really_ nasty damage to your eyes. – Austin Hemmelgarn Nov 11 '22 at 12:13
  • [YouTube: How to Cut a Brick](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn-v-tdZo9A) – MonkeyZeus Nov 11 '22 at 13:27
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    Given that there are all different kinds of bricks - ones with holes, ones with frogs, etc, you need to be more specific with the question. – Tim Nov 11 '22 at 14:08
  • Clarify - you're cutting one single brick? And you have plenty of spares? Time for Science ! – Criggie Nov 12 '22 at 23:04

7 Answers7

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Standard low cost method is with a mason's chisel and a hammer.

Image from Harbor Freight tools, no endorsement implied, just an example o the type

Use it to score a shallow line on all 4 sides, then give it a solid hit on one of the wide/flat sides of the brick. Hide the imperfections of the cut face in a mortar joint. Set the brick on sand or the ground, not on a hard surface.

Ecnerwal
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    I'm really, really bad at brickwork and masonry, and even I can do this. A little practice may be needed, but a few incorrectly cut bricks are significantly cheaper than powerful saws and diamond blades. +1 – ThaRobster Nov 11 '22 at 14:04
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    Or practice multiple times using a test brick before going for the right size. – Nelson Nov 12 '22 at 07:16
  • @ThaRobster consider sneaking up on the correct size, using several cuts. – Criggie Nov 12 '22 at 23:05
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    Somewhat like cutting glass (if you have any experience of that) it's much easier to cut a brick in half, or perhaps thirds, than to shave a tiny slice off the end by the score-and-snap method. So "successively cutting it shorter" it likely to be more frustrating than just marking it where you want it cut and going for it. Little slices are where saws rule, but saws are relatively expensive. – Ecnerwal Nov 12 '22 at 23:11
  • I ended up using this tool https://sydneytools.com.au/product/stanley-16-331-275x75mm-fatmax-floor-chisel Thanks for your recommendation! – Sanjoy Nov 13 '22 at 12:28
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if you already have an angle grinder a $2 stone cutting wheel is probably the cheapest way to cut a single brick..

a diamond wheel will last longer, but cost more.

Jasen
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    if you have to buy an angle grinder you can get pretty cheap ones maybe $25 USD that will come with masonry abrasive discs that will easily cut a brick. – Fresh Codemonger Nov 11 '22 at 01:13
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    yeah, but the chisel will be cheaper – Jasen Nov 11 '22 at 01:43
  • @FreshCodemonger the cheapest ones are usually too small to go all the way through, so you have to cut form both sides lined up nicely. A bolster chisel is far quicker as well as cheaper if you want big pieces (but not so good for shaving bits off the edge, though that's more of an issue with pavers) – Chris H Nov 11 '22 at 12:10
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    I have used an angle grinder to cut thin brick, including 90 degree cutouts for electrical outlets. I trickle a little water on it, that seems to help, just don't get it on electrical bits of the grinder. – Glen Yates Nov 11 '22 at 22:08
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The usual way is with a circular saw and a diamond blade. I have done this myself for the edge of an enlarged space for an oven in a brick wall. If you are cutting loose bricks, you will need to clamp the bricks securely when cutting them.

There are other ways to split bricks with hand tools, which should be fairly easy when working with loose bricks. If you only have a few bricks to split and you have some bricks to spare (because you will probably need to practice a bit), this seems like a reasonable way to go.

manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact
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  • I'd say an angle grinder is more "usual". The torque in a circular saw is barely adequate. I tried using one for a paver walkway and gave up in short order. – isherwood Nov 11 '22 at 19:07
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    @isherwood You are probably right. My experience was with cutting bricks *in the wall*. So a wired (not battery) circular saw, with its larger blade did quite well. – manassehkatz-Moving 2 Codidact Nov 11 '22 at 19:30
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Low cost, manual cutting.

Place a L- profile under the brick where you want to cut it

Hold one side down, and hit it with hammer on the elevated side.

It might work 50/50 depending on the brick.

asinine
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I have successfully cut brick with a "tile coping saw". It's slow, and not something you want to do often, but it works.

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The "blade" is a rod covered in grit:

enter image description here

rrauenza
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I have done this with a mason's hammer, a chisel and regular hammer, and a wet saw. A wet saw is quick and gives the best edge but makes a mess (red slurry/mist spray that stains what it gets on), but wet saws are a bit pricey. I prefer the chisel and hammer over a mason's hammer because it provides a better edge and control of where it breaks (at least for my novice skill level).

If you only need one brick cut and cut cheap, a chisel and hammer is your best option.

UnhandledExcepSean
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    Mason's hammer, +1 or straight claw hammer backwards; *tink tink tink* all the way around and then go *thunk* on it. – Mazura Nov 11 '22 at 22:52
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Mark your brick. Chances are if you pull up to a job site where brick or block being layed. Someone will cut the brick for you. Pay them in beer.

Txmason
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