What You Need to Know About Bathroom Demolition
Bathroom demolition sounds like an easy task for a DIY-er, but it’s actually quite involved. From gathering the right tools to ensuring utility shut-off, there are several aspects to consider when tackling this project.
Begin the project by clearing the space and removing any items you wish to repurpose or donate. This will help protect surfaces from damage during the demo and speed up the process.
Tile Removal
One of the most labor-intensive parts of a bathroom demolition is removing the old tile. Whether it is a single row or the entire room, it can be a very time-consuming process. It requires careful work to prevent damage to the underlying plumbing and electrical wiring.
Before beginning, it is important to remove all items stored within the walls, including medicine cabinets, pictures and toilet paper holders. This will help make the job much more manageable. It’s also essential to shut off the water and power supplies to the room to protect yourself and prevent unnecessary damages to pipes and wires.
It is a good idea to score the exposed drywall with a utility knife or reciprocating saw before full removal, to avoid hitting any underlying studs. This will allow you to cut the seams down and cleanly remove the remaining sections of wall. It is a good practice to use a pry bar for leverage to loosen and remove larger wall sections.
Tub/Shower Removal
If you want to replace your bathtub with a shower, or if you simply wish to remove the old tub and tile stall for a more open space, you’ll need to follow a few steps. First, you’ll need to shut off water and electricity supplies to the bathroom (as well as other parts of your home).
Then, prep the room by duct-taping plastic sheeting over all vents, registers and the shower door. If your home was built before 1978, you’ll also need to test for lead.
Next, you’ll need to grab your wrench, pliers, screwdrivers, pry bars, utility knife and either a jig or reciprocating saw. Detach fixtures like the shower head and arm, water control knobs or levers, drain covers and towel racks. Use a jigsaw to strategically cut your tub into more manageable pieces if necessary. Make sure to wear ear, eye and lung protection during this step as well. Also, set out a dumpster for the debris that you’ll need to throw away.
Electrical Connections
It’s important to remember that before bathroom demolition begins, there are likely to be electrical and water lines running into the room. This means that you should always have the power to these lines turned off before starting any work. This will ensure that you don’t get electrocuted or experience any accidental water leaks during the demolition process.
Once the electricity is shut off, you can begin removing any light fixtures, mirrors and medicine cabinets. It is also a good idea to remove any shelving or other furniture that may be in the space. This will help prevent any damage to these items during the demolition process and will make the room much easier to work with.
Finally, you should consider relocating any pictures, knick-knacks or decorations to another area of your home temporarily during the demolition process. This will protect them from dust and debris and will ensure that the bathroom isn’t cluttered during construction.
Plumbing Connections
Bathroom demolition can produce a lot of dust and debris, which can cause irritation to your eyes and lungs. This is why it’s important to wear protective gear, including goggles, a dust mask, and gloves.
Before you start tearing up fixtures, you’ll need to shut off the water and electricity. It’s a good idea to have a bucket to catch any residual water that could drain out during the demolition process. Afterwards, you can begin removing fixtures by using wrenches or pliers to disconnect plumbing lines.
Demolition is a messy job, and it can be time-consuming even for experienced DIY weekend warriors. Hiring a professional to handle the bathroom demolition will save you money in the long run, as it’s much faster and easier than doing it yourself without the proper experience. Plus, it’s less likely that you’ll damage something that needs to be fixed later on in the renovation process. For these reasons and more, it’s best to leave the demolition to the pros.
from Demolition Hobart Solutions https://ift.tt/xglLp3e
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment