Redoing a Short Brick Wall

[Glemon]

We have a 3' high brick wall, open on one end, around our patio. It was originally built as the perimeter of an attached greenhouse I have removed. The top was of the wall was built to take the railing or base plate for the greenhouse structure, with a soldier row and an angled row on top of that on the outside of the wall.

I want to modify it to a regular brick wall. The wall is two bricks thick.

The plan is to knock off the angled row and soldier row on the outside and replace with straight brick. This means going three rows up with new brick on the outside only.

I guess I will find out when I start, but would I be better off just taking the three top row of bricks off on both sides, more bricklaying, but the demo will probably go a lot faster.

Also, I have done tile and concrete, but never laid brick. Any tips or thoughts on how to proceed appreciated.

The old wall is very solid, but lots of scale and
what not on the brick, so if take it apart it won't look the same.

I have plenty of new brick from the garage build I did a couple years ago. Just to be clear goal is to make the left side look like the right side then cap it with stone or concrete.

 

[Jinks]

There's probably metal ties between the two courses, so cutting away the top of the outer wall may be more problem than just knocking down the whole thing & replacing it.

 

[Glemon]

Thanks-- hadn't thought of that, guess there is only one way to find out.

 

[txvwnut]

The issue with demoing just one part of the wall could weaken the rest of it due to vibrations and movement related to how you do the demo. If you take your time and cut each mortar joint then gently tap the bricks out you might be safe. If your plans was to try and break the bricks free then you’ll most likely jeopardize the integrity of the whole wall.

 

[Glemon]

Yeah, I know a pro would probably just knock it down, but since I am neither good nor fast at laying brick I am trying to minimize the rebuilding part. I was going to use a hammer chisel, but the more I look at it the more I wonder if I am going to end up knocking it all down once I start.