How to Remove Drywall
TIME REQUIRED: 2-6 hours
Sheet rock or plaster consists of panels and is a basic construction material for walls and ceilings. In the event of wall damage, appliance installation or a home renovation project, your drywall may need removal. Safe, efficient sheet rock or plaster removal calls for safety and caution. We will explain how to demo and remove your sheet rock or plaster, whether in small sections or large rooms.
Step 1
You must turn Off all Utilities if needed to
One of the most important things to keep in mind during drywall removal is to avoid cutting into plumbing, air vents and electrical wiring.
Use a stud finder to locate any obstacles behind the wall, such as pipes and electrical wiring..etc. Use tape to mark these area's and avoid cutting or tearing into them threw out your demo.
Remove covers such as electrical outs or vents to avoid damage to them.
Step 2
Prepare the room you are going to renovate
[Rent a dumpster if you need to]
Avoid the spread of dust, In a big project that involves renovating and removing all the sheet rock or wall board.
Relocate small pieces of furniture outside the room and cover larger furniture with sheets or plastic tarps.
Close all vents or seal with tape to keep dust out of the HVAC system if you have one in your home.
Tape and seal off all doors so the dust does not spread to other rooms.
Always make sure you wear safety glasses,heavy work gloves and a dust mask and keep a few of those handy as well.
Step 3
Demo the Trim/molding
[Possibility you will be needing to rent a dumpster for this project depending on this projects volume]
Use a utility knife to cut the top portion of where the molding meets the drywall.
Then use a pry bar or other Crow bars to remove trim or baseboards that are covering the sheet rock,plaster or wallboard.
Step 4
Make Holes in the sheet rock or plaster
Use a utility knife to cut through the joints at a wall corner or ceiling. Make it easier to demo at those area's.
Loosen the drywall along the floor with a pry bar, if possible,
Use the claw of a hammer to do this.
Step 5
Demo the panels of sheet rock
Sometimes you may need to remove a relatively small section of drywall to repair water damage or install a built-in air conditioner or other appliance.
First, measure the section if drywall you need to remove and mark the dimensions with a pencil.
Make the initial cut with a reciprocating or oscillating saw with a circular blade. Only cut deep enough to cut through the drywall and paneling.
Carefully cut the rest of the hole.
If the damaged panels doesn't fall out quickly or easily, pry it loose with a drywall knife or crow bar tools and dispose of it.
Step 6
Dispose of the sheet rock/drywall material
Using your hands or a prying tool, pull the drywall down in chunks. After the initial piece is freed, the subsequent ones should come easily with a little tug. Continue until you've pulled all of the desired sheet rock off the wall.
If you can, put sheet rock or plaster chunks directly into those black heavy-duty garbage bags or load it into the dumpster if you had to rent one.
Once all of the sheet rock is renovated, pull out those sheet rock nails or screws that are in bedded in the studs or beams.
Vacuum the room as soon as possible to avoid major dust from this demo project.
Note: Again make sure you always wear protective eye ware,pack of dust masks as well as heavy work gloves when doing this kind of project or renovation.
That's it we hope this will help you complete your project
