Cutting bricks - how easy / time consuming is it ?

[maxdavie]

Hello, 

 

Planning a grand design!

We have some intricate brickwork and will need a very good bricky or perhaps a proper craftsperson. 

 

Anyway, to my question. To anyone who has experience laying bricks, how time consuming is it to cut a brick? I've tried before with an angle grinder and it took absolutely ages for one! But, then I don't really know what I'm doing. 

Can anyone suggest how long it might take a qualified bricklayer to cut a brick to a bespoke size? And, if possible, is there any trick of the trade to make it quicker? Tools / techniques etc? Just curious. 

 

Thanks! This will help me weigh up how much bespoke brick sizing to design out if possible. 

 

 

[nod]

Hire a brick saw 

They are worth there weight in gold 

[maxdavie]

How long does it take to cut a brick in half? 

 

[saveasteading]

A bricklayer hits it with the side of the trowel. 5 seconds.

But a bit approximate for your project by the sounds of it.

let the bricklayer decide how it's best done.

trowel? chisel? hydraulic? brick saw? 

 

[Conor]

How many bricks and what size? What type of brick? Down the middle, across? Will the cuts be on a face? Lots of variables. Photos would help

[Blooda]

Where are you ?

 

We used

 

Albion Brick Cutting

 

for some cuts we needed.  Dropped them off and picked them up later for a bit of ca£h.  But our site was close enough.

 

 

[maxdavie]

thanks for ref'! 

 

This project is near Winchester. 

 

Lots of bricks! It'll mainly be cutting the 215mm dim down to bespoke sizes. They will be posh handmade heritage bricks from York Handmade Brick. 

 

 

[Conor]

What do you mean by bespoke? What bond are you going for? 

[Dave Jones]

1 hour ago, saveasteading said:

A bricklayer hits it with the side of the trowel. 5 seconds.

But a bit approximate for your project by the sounds of it.

let the bricklayer decide how it's best done.

trowel? chisel? hydraulic? brick saw? 

 

yeah thats not half. A true half needs 2 cuts per brick.

 

There are companies who will cut bricks for flemish bond etc, if you need more than 2 packs like we did its cheaper top buy an electric wet table saw.

 

we bought a 110v redband table saw. amazing bit of kit, must have put 4000 bricks through it.

Edited May 9 by Dave Jones

[saveasteading]

The hidden cost of poor brick cutting is scattered along the way. or less usually in the skip.

Especially with expensive bricks. 

You might have the most expensive hardcore ever.

See if you can make it so that both ends of the brick can be used.

The ends  that are not wasted will be worth more than the cost of the fancy saw, plus the bricks will retain their full strength.