How to Cut Concrete Landscaping Blocks by Hand

This demonstrates how to quickly split or cut a cement/concrete landscaping block with a small sledgehammer and a masonry chisel. The second half of the video shows why just any old ordinary wood chisel that you have in the garage probably won't do.

0:00 Sledge and Masonry Chisel
3:57 Why not to Use a Wood Chisel

[RichardsMovies]

My man is doing a mind meld with the concrete brick—approved.

[l-b]

Thanks for this video. I'm building a greenhouse with a floor below the frost line, so need to put in an inexpensive retaining wall. The concrete retaining bricks come with a line on one side, so you answered my question if there needs to be a scored line all the way around. Looks like a better result with the scoring.

[Kamikaze-Hamster]

I have 39 years experience working for masonry manufacturers and have split blocks and pavers many many times over those years for our displays or when I was out actually landscaping with our blocks. The way he's doing it here is spot on to how I would do it. You want to create a "perforation" or weakness so it splits in the right spot, nice and straight. So doing it on all 4 sides or at the very least on top and bottom is going to give good results. It can take a few minutes with an old block as they tend to get harder and harder as they cure over months and years. But on a fresh blocks around 1 month old, using this method would work in around 30+ seconds per block for that size. Also when we split them at the factory, our splitting machine has a hard blade under the blocks as support, another hard blade above them which comes down with face, pincering the block and splitting it in one quick movement. The key is hard support directly under the bolster blade so the force is all concentrated cleanly directly under the cutting blade. When doing by hand like this, the same principle applies. Don't do it on a soft bed like sand underneath. Do it on a block of wood or flat concrete block etc but ensure there are no lumps or deviations that may apply force in the wrong spot. I have to admit I did laugh when he was marking it out obviously out of alignment or with his straight edge moving as he marked and also saying he was detail oriented at the same time. I am going to put that down to being on camera :)

[KMDoc]

Thank you. I have a smaller masonry tool I was using to cut flagstone walkways. I feel confident I can use the same tool to cut the block like I did with the flagstone.

[starlingwarrior]

Thanks! That helped a lot to know what to expect

[TheVadox]

2 minutes in and he tells us he is an engineer. You know an engineer cause they will always tell you they are one 😂

[homeycheese]

Where'd you get those blocks? They look nicer than the home depot retaining wall blocks

[proejo]

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't it be a lot faster to use a diamond tipped masonry blade on an oscillating power tool to score the stone much quicker (and deeper), then give it a good pop with the hammer and chisel? Your method works, but that took you five minutes and a considerable amount of effort, not to mention the edges weren't really clean.

*Note: I have not tried what I'm suggesting. I'm just looking for a faster, cleaner way and asking if you tried donething like this.

[TheOldPCTech]

Slow and steady taps along your cut line on one side of the block, are typically all you need to do to split a block.

Regardless of how you cut, remember to use the right tool for the job: Always use a carbide chisel in this case. It's harder and stronger than the block or stone you want to cut 😉