Kitchen cabinet removal is a necessary aspect of any kitchen makeover. The good news is that cabinets that are affixed to the wall may normally be removed without causing harm, allowing you to reuse the cabinets. Remove all of your plates, pots, and pans from the cabinets to begin preparing the space. After that, switch off the water and the electricity in your kitchen. Disassemble the cabinets and separate them from the walls one at a time after removing the trim. Without employing a professional, you may simply remove these cabinets with a little patience. Let’s answer the question “How To Remove Lower Kitchen Cabinets Without Damage?” in this post!
Getting Ready for Demolition
Remove everything from your cabinets
Before you begin the project, remove any plates, cutlery, pots, and pans from your cabinets. If they aren’t stored securely, they may break during the removal procedure. They’ll also add weight to the cabinets, making them much more difficult to remove:
- Don’t just toss these objects in the corner. So they don’t get in the way, move them to a separate room.
- If you’re undertaking a lot of work in your house, cover these objects with a sheet. This keeps dust and dirt from accumulating on your valuables.
Turn off the sink’s water supply
Because base cabinets are frequently attached to the countertop, you’ll have to take it out. Pulling out the sink is the first step in removing the countertop, so turn off the water supply to avoid flooding.
- Look for a shut-off valve under the sink. On the side of the pipe running to your sink, there is a metal knob. To cut off the water supply, crank this knob clockwise until it stops.
- Always make sure the water is turned off. Make sure there is no water flowing out of your kitchen sink by turning it on. If water continues to flow from the sink, turn the valve further farther.
Turn off the power in the room
You’ll be working around electrical outlets and may need to move some wires out of the way when removing the countertops. Turn off the power to this location to keep yourself safe. Go to your house’s breaker box. Open it up and look for the circuit breaker that controls the electricity in your kitchen. The breakers should be labeled if they were put correctly. To turn off the electricity to your kitchen, flip the fuse to the “Off” position.
- Breaker boxes are often found in the basement or in the laundry room.
- Cut off the main breaker to turn off the energy for the entire house if the breaker for your kitchen isn’t labeled and you don’t need power in the rest of your house. On the top of the service panel, there is a double-wide breaker.
- If your kitchen is older, you can find concealed wiring and outlets while doing this. Cover any wires you come find with rubber plugs. These may be found at a local hardware shop.
If you’re retaining the countertops, make sure they’re covered
Make sure your countertop is protected if you plan on keeping it and utilizing it with your new cabinets. Cover it with a heavy sheet to keep dust and debris off of it. Also, if you drop a tool, place a flat piece of wood on top of the blanket to protect the counter from dents.
- There’s no reason to safeguard your countertop if you’re not going to reuse it. While you’re working, let it grow dirty and ruined.
Cabinet trim and molding should be removed
Decorative trim and molding are normally held in place with staples or tiny nails and should be easy to remove. To remove them, use a crowbar or the claw of a hammer. Place the blade between the cabinet and the trim. If the space is limited, tap the crowbar with a hammer a few times to push it into the crack. Then pry on the trim until it comes off.
- Look for trim on the wall and base cabinets. This can wrap around corners and be difficult to see.
- Because trim and molding can’t be reused, don’t be concerned about destroying them. When you pry them off, they may shatter.
- If you want to repurpose the cabinets, be cautious when peeling off the trim. The wood might be dented or scratched.
- To avoid splinters or staples, handle the trim with gloves.
Taking Down the Wall Cabinets
Support the wall cabinet you’re working on using support bricks
These keep the cabinet from tumbling to the ground if your grip slips when removing it. The distance between the countertop and the bottom of the cabinet should be measured. Then cut four pieces of timber to that length, one for each corner of the cabinet you’re taking out.
- Use timber that is thick enough to hold the weight of the cabinets for the lumber size. 2 in. x 4 in. (5.1 cm x 10.2 cm) or 4 in. x 4 in. (10 cm x 10 cm) blocks should be enough.
- Because these supports are readily removed, you may transfer them from cabinet to cabinet as needed.
- The purpose of these supports is to hold the cabinet in place while you regain your grasp. They aren’t strong enough to support the weight of the full cabinet.
Remove the doors from the cabinet
The hinges on the doors secure the doors to the cabinet with screws. Locate the hinges by opening the door. Then remove all of the screws that hold the door to the cabinet with a screwdriver or drill. The door will then simply come off.
- When removing the last screw, keep your grip on the door. It might harm your countertop or land on your foot if it falls.
- There’s no need to be delicate if you’re not planning on reusing the cabinets. Most cabinet doors will just snap off if you open them too much and force them. If you’re getting rid of the cabinets anyhow, this solution will save you time.
- Save the door hinges and screws you remove if you want to reuse the cabinets. To keep the pieces together, place them in a plastic bag or container.
- If you’re going to use a power drill, be sure you have goggles and gloves on.
Remove the shelves from the room
When dismantling the cabinet, these shelves will get in the way, so remove them completely before you begin. The systems for fastening shelves in various cabinets vary. Most of the time, the shelves are placed on top of cabinet wall outlets. Simply pull the shelves off the supports and guide them out of the cabinet in this scenario.
- Find all the support screws holding the shelf down if the shelves are fastened in place. Remove all of the screws using your screwdriver or drill. When removing the final screw, make sure you hold on to the shelf so it doesn’t fall out.
- If you wish to reuse the cabinets, you’ll need the plugs and screws you remove here. Store all of the pieces in a plastic bag or container to keep track of them.
Remove the screws that connect the cabinets
- After they’ve been installed, cabinets are occasionally bolted together. Check the interior of the cabinets for one or more screws in the sides. The cabinets are held together by these. If any of these screws are visible, remove them before attempting to extract the cabinets from the wall.
- Cabinet screws are frequently found near the door hinge, so search there first. However, because installers do not always follow instructions, screws may be found in unexpected places. To find any leftover screws, use a flashlight and feel about with your hand.
Remove the cabinet from the wall by unscrewing it
Through the rear, drywall screws should be used to secure the cabinet to the wall. Inside the cabinet, look for a row of screws that runs across the top. This is the most popular location for cabinets to be installed. Remove each screw with either your power drill in reverse or your screwdriver. When removing screws with a screwdriver, remember to turn them counterclockwise.
- Look in the bottom of the cabinet as well, as more screws can often be found there.
- If you’re working with a partner, have them hold the cabinet as you unscrew it to keep it from falling to the ground.
Move the cabinet away from the wall by lifting it off the wall
The cabinets should simply fall off the wall once all of the screws have been removed. Take a firm grip on the cabinet and begin moving it towards you. Place it somewhere out of the way once you’ve pulled it out.
- Because you’ll be holding the cabinet’s whole weight when it falls off the wall, be prepared for a quick drop. Make sure you’re not hurting yourself or dropping the cabinet by bracing yourself.
Carry out the identical steps for each wall cabinet
If you have many wall cabinets, make sure you follow the same methods for each one. Each cabinet should be removed one by one and placed in a secure location where no one will trip over it.
- As you remove additional cabinets, you may be tempted to work quicker or less cautiously. Refrain from succumbing to this desire, as one false action might result in damage.
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Taking Out the Base Cabinets
Remove the drawers from the cabinet
Instead of shelves, base cabinets generally contain drawers. Before removing the drawers, make sure they’re empty. Drawers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Free-rolling drawers should be simple to remove. Pull the drawer out all the way until it comes to a halt, then raise it up. This should dislodge the cabinet from its socket, allowing you to fully remove the drawer.
- Unscrew the brackets or push a release tab on the side of drawers that employ a different mechanism.
- If you want to reuse the cabinets and drawers, save any brackets or support components you remove.
- Remove the old drawers from the way so you don’t trip over them while working.
Remove the sink from the kitchen
Base cabinet removal necessitates more destruction than wall cabinet removal. The kitchen sink must be removed first. Begin by disconnecting all of the pipes that lead to the sink. Remove the sink from the countertop by cutting through the caulking. Finally, move it out of the way by lifting it out.
- Before working on the sink, double-check that the water is turned off. If the water is turned on, any error might result in a flood.
- If the sink has rough edges, use gloves to avoid being cut.
- If you’re getting a new sink, don’t be concerned about it being damaged. If you’re going to reuse the sink, take care not to harm it when removing it.
Remove the countertop by lifting it up
Remove any base cabinets that are attached to the countertop before continuing. See if there are any screws bored through the top of the base cabinets. The cabinets and the counter are connected by these screws. Remove each one to make room on the counter. After that, observe if the countertop lifts easily. If it feels stuck, you may have overlooked a screw.
- A coating of caulk may be used to join a kitchen counter to the wall. If your counter has this, use a razor blade to cut through the caulk and liberate it. To avoid cutting yourself, use gloves.
- If you wish to reuse your countertop, be cautious. Carry it out of the room with care, being careful not to knock it into anything.
Remove any screws that are holding the cabinets together
Although base cabinets are less commonly connected together than wall cabinets, it is nevertheless conceivable. Check the interior of the cabinets along the sides for any screws that connect the cabinets. If you notice them, get rid of them.
- You may have missed a screw if you try to pull the cabinets out later and they look stuck together. Stop what you’re doing and take another look. You’ll rip a hole in the wood if you take the cabinets out while they’re still attached.
Remove the screws that keep the cabinet attached to the wall
Look below the base cabinet for the row of screws that hold it to the wall. Remove each and every one of these screws.
- In the rear of your cabinets, screws might be tough to see. If you have to, stick your head inside and use a flashlight to find them all. You won’t be able to remove the cabinets if even one is missing.
Remove the cabinet from the wall by sliding it away
Work the cabinet out of its current position now that it’s free. Pull the cabinet away from the wall as firmly as you can since there may still be caulking keeping it in place. When the cabinet is free of the wall, drag it to a new spot.
- It’s possible that you’ll have to move the base cabinets out of the way. They may have to be pulled out of a container on the floor.
- You could have overlooked a screw in the wall if the cabinet won’t budge. Stop working and double-check your work, removing any screws you may have overlooked.
Carry out the identical steps for each base cabinet
It’s possible that you’ll have to remove multiple base cabinets. To carefully remove each one, follow these procedures, and remember to store the loose cabinets in a secure location where no one will trip over them.
- As you progress, continue to work attentively. Keep your gloves and goggles on and tighten your grip on the cabinets so they don’t fall on your foot.
Conclusion
What happens now that your cabinets are gone? Will you replace them with something more contemporary and streamlined, or is this just the first step in a broader kitchen remodel? Regardless matter the next step, removing your cabinets was a major endeavor and a significant step toward the kitchen of your dreams, one that you should be proud of. See more useful articles at my website blog2success.net.
