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.

[@mkay8502]

Really glad you showed the comparison to using a wood chisel. It's all I've got on hand and I was going to attempt this task with it. I'll skip that literal pain and find a masonry chisel first!

[@mlmccurley78]

5 minutes--that isn't bad at all. I only have probably 3 to split so I'm glad to see this.

[@l-b284]

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.

[@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.

[@audacitytosurvive]

Thanks! That helped a lot to know what to expect

[@skaufey7778]

useful

[@MrMonkeyfarmer1]

Thank you for this video man change the title to splitting cement block

[@MattBurns303]

I appreciate the suggestion. I was struggling with the title... "Splitting" or "Cutting"?, "Blocks" or "Bricks"?, and now you've just added another quandary "cement" or "concrete"? I just simplified it from "Splitting/Cutting Landscaping Blocks/Bricks by Hand with a Small Sledgehammer and Masonry Chisel" to "How to Cut Concrete Landscaping Blocks by Hand" and I put all of those alternate words like "cement" and "splitting" and "bricks" as tags so people searching will find the video.

[@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.

[@MattBurns303]

I dont know but would imagine anything using power tools would be faster. I think if you were using a blade though you'd want something that would go all the way through, or at least almost all the way. Part of that chisel method is that it creates fractures down through the block. I don't think a shallow saw cut would accomplish that.

[@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 😉