Removing Brick Snots (hard-to-reach)

[cwhaley]

When my garage was built (before my ownership) the builders allowed all the brick snots to fall to the bottom of the wall and become trapped between a boundary wall.

These snots trap large amounts of water and cause serious damp in the bottom few courses of bricks, as they are obviously holding large amounts of water.

I have started chiselling the mortar off the ground and it comes away with a few whacks, but of course I'm limited by the length of the chisel. I can get to both ends of the garage but at 24ft long I'll need something 12ft long minimum to get it all.

Can anybody recommend a way of doing hacking all this mortar off? I've found 6ft chisels but these are half what I need. I considered getting a scaffold tube but imagine it'd be deafening...!

 

[stuart45]

They use roofing batten with a 6 inch driven in to clean out cavities, so you might some some luck with that.

 

[jj4091]

If you have an angle grinder you could fashion a point on a scafold pole of suitable length and use that. Not sure why it would be noiseier than a hammer and chisel.

 

[cwhaley]

They use roofing batten with a 6 inch driven in to clean out cavities, so you might some some luck with that.

Thanks, hadn't thought of that. I'll try and find some kicking about with no knots in it.

If you have an angle grinder you could fashion a point on a scafold pole of suitable length and use that. Not sure why it would be noiseier than a hammer and chisel.

It's because the tube is hollow. It will produce a lot more reverberation than a solid cast length of iron. I might hammer it flat instead.

Was just trying to see if anybody else had been in the same boat!

 

[stevie888]

Best of luck trying to hammer a scaffold tube flat!

 

[noseall]

Whenever with build between properties with a narrow gap like that, we lay a strip of hessian sacking on the deck. Then drag it out, once the brickwork is complete.

 

[cwhaley]

Best of luck trying to hammer a scaffold tube flat!

Will probably just heat it up in the forge and flatten it with a lump hammer.

Whenever with build between properties with a narrow gap like that, we lay a strip of hessian sacking on the deck. Then drag it out, once the brickwork is complete.

That's forward-thinking and pride in your work. I could access it from the other side as there's only one neighbour and the wall is only 5ft high, but can't really chisel easily from above.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Fit a pressed spade end to your scaffold pole.

 

[stevie888]

Will probably just heat it up in the forge and flatten it with a lump hammer.

That's different: it'll work!

Since you have facility I'd then forge a bit of an edge and turn the end up a bit so it resembles a tile lifting chisel. I doubt you'll need a hammer. just the weight of the bar itself

 

[cdbe]

Rectangle of steel plate welded on the end - like a sort of rake. Attach a piece of rope and an assistant can take the weight from the other end.