Taking down a chimney - how?

texbaylea · Apr 12, 2005

I would like suggestions toward taking down a full masonery chimney. I am planning to add on to that side of the house and change the uses of the room involved beside the chimney is in bad shape. The chimney is less than 18' tall so that is not a major factor. I cannot find anyone to hire to do this job so will have to tackle it with the help of my son.

I am open to all comments.

Vernon

bczoom · Apr 12, 2005

Vernon,

Would you by chance have a picture?
Is the chimney fully on the exterior or is the masonary also viewable from the inside of the house?
You mentioned that you're going to change the room. Is any part of that exterior wall coming out or being removed?
Do you have a basement? If so, does the chimney extend into the basement?

Brian

slowzuki · Apr 12, 2005

The reason he asks about the basements is most chimney deconstruction involves starting at the top and dropping the bricks down the flue and removing at the bottom.

I have heard of people pulling them over too as they topple quite easily. Fracture on the back side of where you want it to break and put it over. May be some additional damage from debris this way.

timb · Apr 12, 2005

Interior or exterior could make a big difference. An exterior would actually worry me more - unless you had a good scaffold setup. Interior (assuming it's accessible) seems safer.

Plus - how solid is the mortar? I just took out an old and unused 35 foot 60"x18" plaster-covered brick chimney. But I hired a local general construction crew to take it down below roof and close in / shingle the hole - and we also had full access to the full length - attic to basement - as we renovate the house.

SWMBO and I proceeded to hand-disassemble the chimney a brick at a time right down to the footer. Actually very easy but very dirty work - the mortar was completely shot - more dust than bond. However, in the occasional spot where we hit an old repair where the mortar was still solid (or the plaster had been repaired with patching cement!) - the pace definitely slowed down. Nothing fancy - cold chisels, mallets, and pry bars at that point. Use goggles and good dust masks and have at it.

If you don't have that kind of all-sides, all-floors access - there is probably some way to collapse the chimney into itself a little at a time - and withdraw the bricks from the top - but that is going to be slow slogging.

(Tractor content - the loader made quick work of hauling the bricks out to the barn. At least I got some seat time out of the project!)

texbaylea · Apr 12, 2005

Let me get some pictures but I am on a project for a non profit group right now - be a few days. Its exterior with no basement. Except for a raised hearth it is only a single brick face inside. The now exterior wall will become interior with the fireplace opening and a sliding door opening to be closed. It is and will stay load bearing. I don't know how good the mortar is but I am hoping they built it using dry brick so it won' be too hard. It is about 5' wide but a single flue - don't know how it is filled.

I bought a cheap demolition hammer from Harbor freight that I hope will help if it holds together. I also will probably get some scaffolding to work from. Yeah, the tractor will cetainly be put to work hauling off the detritus. I don't think that I could pull it down but will try - who knows, might get lucky and get part of it down.

Thanks for the thoughts. Keep them coming.

Vernon

jim_wilson · Apr 12, 2005

A couple of years ago I added a second floor onto my ranch style house. One of the jobs involved in that was taking down the chimney because 1) it had to be extended - and 2) there was a big crack right in the middle of the chimney. I found that by using a small sledge hammer and just going up the ladder I was able to start at the top and knock pieces out of it pretty quickly. I took about 8 feet down in a few hours and then stopped because the mason we hired to build the new chimney wanted to take the rest down himself for some reason. Try getting up to the top of the chimney and give a few whacks here and there with a good sized framing hammer or small sledge and you may find it comes apart pretty easily.

DannyD · Apr 12, 2005

We hzd one in our house when we bought it. It went from the living room, to the garage, FLUE that is. We simple took it out above the roof, till I could let it fall without damaging anything else. One push and it was down. Surprised me that it was mostly held up by going thru the roof of the garage. Our mortar was good, the flue liners broke but most mortar held

bczoom · Apr 13, 2005

( I don't think that I could pull it down but will try - who knows, might get lucky and get part of it down. )

Pulling could be dangerous as all the debris is heading towards you. I would propose that you put your 3130 in the living room and push instead. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

texbaylea · Apr 13, 2005

bczoom

I thought about doing that but my wife said that she did not want the soot from the diesel exhaust getting on everything. I thought that she was being a spoil sport. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

DaNag · Apr 14, 2005

( Try getting up to the top of the chimney and give a few whacks here and there with a good sized framing hammer or small sledge and you may find it comes apart pretty easily. )

Bingo...assuming it's not reinforced with rebar.

Had ours ripped out for a remodel last year. One big guy, one big sledge, one short job. He had it done before lunch.