Replies

1. 
   ProBozo | Mar 18, 2003 04:03pm | #1

   Have you tried an area yet.  Only place I've done this was a 1920's storefront.  Three waps with a hammer, and a 2x3' chunck would fall off to bare brick.  Couple of hours, and it was done and cleaned up.  Guess that was my lucky day.

1. 
   jackplane | Mar 18, 2003 04:25pm | #2

    I'll try that.It's a late 1800's house and the brickwork is a little wavy and uneven, which means a clean shot to take off a huge chunk may not be possible.So, it's probably bit by bit.

2. 
   CloudHidden | Apr 18, 2003 04:09pm | #6

   I did similar to you. Worked best if I hit at a 45 degree angle. Could often loosen a big chunk with the right pattern of hits. Wide-blade (4" or so) chisel would also cut in between the plaster and the brick. Then brush, sweep, or muriatic acid as appropriate. Some bricks were real soft and I lost the face off a couple, but easy enough to replace. Lost more when repointing than when cleaning the plaster.

2. 
   UncleDunc | Mar 18, 2003 09:45pm | #3

   I would look at renting a pneumatic needle scaler. Here's a picture, just to give you an idea. You can also get them in a pistol grip configuration.

   http://www.mytoolstore.com/ir/ir125.html

1. 
   jackplane | Mar 18, 2003 10:18pm | #4

   Thanks, I'll look into it.

1. 
   rick047 | Apr 18, 2003 03:57pm | #5

   I am looking at a similar project on a 105 yr old bldg. Am very interested in your experience/results. What did you do and how did it work?

   Thanks

   Rick

1. 
   jackplane | Apr 18, 2003 05:47pm | #7

    I haven't used the scaler yet.I was going to simply keep the walls very wet,and hand -scrape them :this might be best as silicosis (plaster dust) is a new major health concern at OSHA.

1. 
   rick047 | Apr 18, 2003 05:57pm | #8

   I'm about to talk myself out of it. I know it will be faster to furr out and I'm mixed about the value/desirability of the exposed brick. My bricks are very soft and the consensus of opinions is that I will degrade/deface/destroy during plaster removal and that there will be continual/residual brick dust. Hope you update as you progress.

   Rick

2. 
   CloudHidden | Apr 18, 2003 07:24pm | #9

   I had soft bricks, too, but used a silicone sealer over them (if I remember from 20 years ago) and didn't have a dust problem. I personally liked the brick look and found it worth the effort. It was being done a lot in that inner-city historic area where I lived.

3. 
   rick047 | Apr 18, 2003 07:31pm | #10

   Doesn't that sealer prohibit forever the future application of plaster? I was told that it did.

   Rick

4. 
   CloudHidden | Apr 18, 2003 07:45pm | #11

   Dunno. Wasn't my intent to ever re-plaster. I had the place for 20-some years and liked the walls that way. If a subsequent owner ever didn't like the brick, they'd likely furr and sheetrock, be/c that's how _most_ people handled rehab there.