Ironwood Builders Tough. Plaster direct to brick is a difficult demolition. You may get lucky and some moisture from a long time back has gotten behind the plaster and softened the bond to the brick. Unfortunately, I've also demolished areas where the plasterer use a mortar bed to get started and the bond was even tougher. Only way to do it, is to chisel it off. A brick chisel and small sledge hammer, skim over the brick, not into it, maybe an air chisel with a compressor going long and late..same idea though. Careful at the outside corners, you don't want to chip them off. Then sand blasting with walnut shells to remove the final amount of plaster. Grind out the loose mortar and tuck-point the joints with new. Clean it up and you have a restored brick wall! Best of luck!
Linda I've only been involved in removing the easy kind of plaster - old moisture damage and the plaster just falls off. I do like Ironwood's info about sand blasting with walnut shells.
When I remove plaster, I often try to crack the plaster with hairline cracks over a large surface then pull the plaster off as a large piece. I take a hammer and tap it just hard enough to crack then keep moving. But, if there is a really good bond, you'll probably be stuck with the chisel method.
When I remove plaster, I often try to crack the plaster with hairline cracks over a large surface then pull the plaster off as a large piece. I take a hammer and tap it just hard enough to crack then keep moving. But, if there is a really good bond, you'll probably be stuck with the chisel method.