How to remove drywall

TIME REQUIRED: 2-6 hours

Gypsum or plaster consists of panels and is a basic building material for walls and ceilings. In the event of wall damage, appliance installation, or a home renovation project, the drywall may need to be removed. Safe and efficient plaster or cast removal demands safety and caution. We’ll walk you through how to test and remove your cast or plaster, whether it’s small sections or large rooms.

Step 1

You must turn off all utilities if necessary to

One of the most important things to keep in mind during drywall removal is to avoid cutting into plumbing, vents, and electrical wiring.

Use a stud finder to locate any obstacles behind the wall, such as pipes and electrical wiring, etc. Use masking tape to mark these areas and avoid cutting or ripping them and discarded your demo.

Remove covers, such as electrical outlets or vents, to avoid damaging them.

Step 2

Prepare the room you are going to reform

[Rent a dumpster if you need to]

Prevent the spread of dust, on a large project that involves renovating and removing all of the drywall or wallboard.

Relocate small furniture out of the room and cover larger furniture with sheets or plastic sheeting.

Close all vents or seal them with tape to prevent dust from entering the HVAC system, if you have one in your home.

Tape and seal all doors so dust doesn’t spread to other rooms.

Always be sure to wear safety glasses, heavy work gloves, and a dust mask and have a few of those on hand as well.

Step 3

Trim/Trim Demonstration

[Possibility you will be needing to rent a dumpster for this project depending on this projects volume]

Use a utility knife to cut off the top where the trim meets the drywall.

Then use a pry bar or other pry bars to remove the trim or baseboards that cover the sheetrock, plaster, or drywall.

Step 4

Make holes in the drywall or plaster

Use a utility knife to cut the joints in a corner of the wall or ceiling. Facilitate demonstration in those areas.

Loosen the drywall along the floor with a pry bar, if possible,

Use the claw of a hammer to do this.

step 5

Drywall Demonstration

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 of 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. Just cut deep enough to get through the drywall and paneling.

Carefully cut out the rest of the hole.

If damaged panels do not fall off quickly or easily, pry them aside with a drywall knife or pry tools and discard.

Step 6

Dispose of gypsum/drywall material

Using your hands or a pry tool, pull the drywall down in pieces. After releasing the initial piece, the following pieces should come out easily with a little tug. Continue until you have removed all of the desired drywall from the wall.

If you can, put pieces of drywall or plaster directly into those heavy-duty black garbage bags or load it into the dumpster if you had to rent one.

Once all of the drywall has been refinished, remove any drywall nails or screws that are in the studs or joists.

Vacuum the room as soon as possible to avoid a lot of dust from this demo project.

Note: Again, be sure to always wear protective eyewear, a pack of dust masks, and heavy-duty gloves when doing this type of project or renovation.

That’s it, we hope this helps you to complete your project.