How To Demolish A Chimney

  • Written by Doityourself Staff
    on Aug 11, 2009

Demolishing a chimney can be a very tedious and dangerous job. Have a friend or neighbor help you with this project, and make sure you both take proper safety precautions.

Safety Precautions

Since a good portion of chimney demolition is above the roofline and above the ground, use scaffolding to provide a solid standing surface. It is a good idea to work in a team to provide counterbalance for each other while swinging a sledge hammer to dislodge the masonry.

Wear protective eyewear to protect your eyes from flying masonry chips and dust.

Instructions

  1. Place plastic sheeting over the ground below the chimney to protect the lawn and landscaping as the bricks begin to fall.
  2. With scaffolding in place, climb to the roof level and begin swing a 2 weight sledgehammer at the chimney to begin to dislodge the bricks and masonry.
  3. Once the bricks are dislodged and removed down to the roof line, reset the scaffolding so that you can begin working at a lower level. If it's more convenient, use a ladder. At this point you may want to use a lighter sledgehammer or a crow bar to pry the masonry loose from the side of the building.
  4. Once you have all of the bricks and masonry removed, haul away the accumulated debris with a wheelbarrow.