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Todd Dunning
Todd DunningMSUnited States
Optical materials for industrial photonics systems
Published
Jun 19, 2026

Brick Fireplace Laser Cleaned

Roger laser-cleans an 80-year-old brick fireplace with 3/8 inch of pitch tar, creosote, and soot using a Netalux at 415 mm standoff. Heavily contaminated brick required repeated passes — no chemicals, no sandblasting, no contact damage to mortar joints.

Z-Beam was great, very professional and accommodating.
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Paul StoughtonView all testimonials

What This Video Shows

An 80-year-old brick fireplace with 3/8 inch of pitch tar, creosote, and soot. Chemical and abrasive options were ruled out. Roger rented the Netalux machine and cleaned it in Belmont at 415 mm standoff, making repeated passes over the worst deposits.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this Brick Fireplace Laser Cleaned video demonstrate?

This video shows a Netalux laser removing 3/8 inch of accumulated pitch tar, creosote, and soot from an 80-year-old brick fireplace. The operator works at 415 mm standoff distance, making repeated passes over the most severely contaminated areas. Chemical treatment and sandblasting were ruled out due to surface sensitivity — laser cleaning restored the brick without contact or mortar joint damage.

How can this video help evaluate related applications?

This video provides a direct reference for deeply contaminated masonry scenarios — specifically pitch tar and creosote at residential scale. It confirms that 415 mm working distance controls both temperature and contamination spread on brick, and that thick deposits require multiple passes rather than a single slow sweep. Use it to calibrate expectations for fireplace, heritage masonry, and creosote removal jobs.

5 Google Reviews

5.0

Phillip DeákPhillip Deák
I recently spent a day with Z-Beam running a wide range of real-world laser ablation tests on antique and restoration items, and I was extremely impressed with the rig, equipment and the support provided by Todd Dunning. Todd came out and worked through multiple test scenarios with me involving antique outboard motors, vintage National Cash Registers, old scales, wood components, and other restoration pieces. The goal was not a simple demo, I wanted to thoroughly evaluate how effective the laser ablation would be across different materials, coatings, finishes, oxidation levels, and restoration situations. In essence to bypass the video hype and see if this solution would be a good fit for my line of work. What stood out most was Todd’s willingness to experiment, adjust settings, explain the process, and genuinely work through the pros and cons of each approach. We tested a broad gamut of materials and applications, and the experience gave me a much better understanding of where laser ablation excels compared to traditional media blasting methods. As someone who already owns new media blasting equipment, we both agreed that I should focus on soda and glass bead blasting. The decision had nothing to do with the quality of the Z-Beam system or the support I received. In fact, the experience increased my respect for the technology and its potential, especially for delicate or high-value restoration work. If you are considering laser ablation for antiques, restoration, industrial cleanup, or precision surface preparation, I highly recommend spending time with Todd and the Z-Beam team. Very professional, knowledgeable, patient, and genuinely interested in helping customers understand the technology before making a decision.