Questions tagged [demolition]
The demolition tag has no usage guidance.
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2answers
100 views
Is it load bearing? Weird attic config
thanks for taking a sec to read. I just bought a small house in which the ceiling joists in the Attic seem to change from east to west to north to south. I am wanting to remove part of a wall in which ...
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4answers
113 views
Demolishing large concrete patio slabs
My new (1950s) house has large -- e.g., one is 3.5 feet by 8.5 feet by 5 inches -- concrete slabs in our back yard. I'd like to remove them but don't know which tool(s) to use. Could this be done ...
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1answer
29 views
What to consider before removing a drop ceiling?
My basement has a drop ceiling in a semi-finished part of it and we've removed many of the panels in the process of updating the house's wiring. With most of the panels off and clear view of how ...
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1answer
55 views
Temporarily relocating an electrical panel while rebuilding a room
The room where our main power supply comes into the house is actually an old converted porch.
Several inches of the wooden frame, including the sill plate and band board, are buried below grade and ...
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0answers
43 views
Remove cast iron wood stove
New homeowner here and we would like to remove a cast iron wood stove and the brick structure with minimal damage to the hardwood floor below (see picture below). Two options:
1) Hire someone. We ...
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1answer
50 views
How to remove shower handle?
I have this handle attached to the shower wall (as a kit):
I frankly cannot figure out how to remove the while plastic piece and the metal piece outside of it in order to pull the large round cover.
...
0
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1answer
29 views
Remove and replace kitchen window with just caulking outside
I have an old kitchen window and like to replace it with modern double pane glass. Here is the look from inside:
Here is from outside:
Do I just remove the caulking from the outside (red box)? Then ...
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2answers
36 views
Removing fibreboard plinth from concrete floor
A previous owner of our property fixed a fibreboard plinth to the concrete floor under our kitchen worktop to raise the height of the dishwasher there; I'd like to remove that plinth to fit a taller ...
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2answers
137 views
How do I determine if a wall can be removed?
I don't know much of anything about load bearing walls so I can't really decide how necessary this wall is.
So the space for my fridge is 35" almost exactly. Less if you count the trim on the floor. ...
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0answers
30 views
How to remove tile with mesh embedded in cement bed?
I am doing a bathroom remodel on a late '60s house. The bathroom tile is set on a roughly 1.5" cement bed with embedded wire mesh. I have removed a small portion with a rotary hammer with a pointed ...
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1answer
42 views
how to remove gypsum board cemented to brick wall?
Renovating a semi-detached house. On the shared wall, the builder mortared gypsum board to the cinder-block (first and second floor, each 8' tall x 30' long).
Tools I have considered:
Belt sanders ...
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1answer
26 views
How to remove countertop from cabinets while sacrificing it to maximize the chance to reuse cabinets
I have a row of "base" cabinets in the living room that I'd like to remove, but I would like to use several of them elsewhere.
I don't care about the top (which is some kind of stone and already ...
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0answers
418 views
How can I replace a load-bearing header and jack studs without disturbing siding?
My broad question is what tools/technique to use to remove (in order to replace) load-bearing studs and headers on an existing wall with lap siding nailed into said studs. Any videos or tips are ...
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1answer
67 views
Detaching large ceramic tile without breaking it
Do I have any chance of lifting the tiles you see in the pictures without breaking them?
You can tell from the picture what I tried and how it went!
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2answers
40 views
Painted Wall Demolition [closed]
Today, as I was walking through campus, I saw a cart full of wall debris. It must be some demolition going on in a building. I noticed one side of the pieces were of a different color. The pieces were ...
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0answers
53 views
90's house remodel - remove half walls
We are looking at a house and the overall layout has a lot of the half walls we are looking to get rid of. The posts going up are the only thing I think are going to be load bearing. But I am not ...
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2answers
135 views
What is the best way to remove rubble (from a demolition) from dirt and grass?
We demo'ed a cinder block neighbor fence and now there are small pieces of debris/rubble from the job in our yards. What tools and techniques should I used to remove the debris?
Some are the size of ...
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2answers
80 views
How to safely and neatly demo a block wall?
My neighbor and I have a cinder block wall between us. The wall is leaning towards her side of the property. She has planter beds next to the wall.
What tools and technique would I use to neatly demo ...
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2answers
97 views
This wall can be demolished, right?
Seems obvious to me that there is no load bearing on this wall since the wall stops at this point, but would love a second opinion.
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0answers
54 views
Restoring brick fireplace and wood trim in historic home
My wife and I just started renovating a historic home (built sometime between about 1880 and 1905). The home has quite a bit of old (possibly original) brick and wood details.
As a first step in the ...
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2answers
420 views
Recessed beam where joists meet in center of room
First. I am getting a contractor. I like to have a good idea what I am dealing with so I can understand what 1,2,3 contractors with estimates propose to me.
Ranch house with Cape Cod roof sitting on ...
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1answer
157 views
Concrete porch demolition
I'd like to demolish concrete porch.
I’d like to demolish:
- the concrete stairs (it’s about 3’x3’x3’)
- the slab (about 3’x5’x5", all cracked with rusty rebars)
- the 2 brick columns
- the metal ...
0
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1answer
57 views
Move a shed vs. Demolish and install a new shed [closed]
We are remodeling and our current wooden shed needs to be moved to a new spot. One option is to hire folks to relocated the shed and the alternative is to demolish the current shed, dispose it and ...
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1answer
584 views
Best tool for removing small area of thinset?
I need to do a temporary fix for a sinking toilet. I'm trying to find the right tool to remove a small area of tile, adhesive, and thinset. The layers of flooring are:
old floor
1/4" plywood
cement ...
2
votes
1answer
106 views
Drainage solution for pool area
I have a pool area which was filled with dirt. Side wall are intact but there were three large holes done at the bottom. During heavy rain season i see there is a water logging in the pool area as ...
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2answers
62 views
Removing Sile Stone Countertop
I am in the process of having some counters replaced. Any suggestions on how to remove the Sile Stone without damaging the cabinet? Trying to determine if the extra cost of demolition is worth it.
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1answer
591 views
How do I go about removing a garage with asbestos wall panels?
I have a 1904 house and it has a shed that was put in some time in the 1950s. It's a wonky structure made of wooden beams and thin sheets of asbestos panels make up the walls. We want to tear it down ...
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4answers
936 views
Is it safe to use old wood lath from demolition as firewood?
I removed two room's worth of walls and ceiling horsehair plaster and wood lath from a home built in 1890. Would the plaster or paint used in those days cause the wood to release any toxins when ...
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1answer
83 views
Demolishing a shed floor made of plywood. Can I use circular saw?
I just tore down my backyard shed. All that is left is the base/floor, which is plywood. Basically, I want it in small pieces so I can bag it for disposal.
I have a low power Li-ion reciprocating saw ...
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2answers
369 views
Demolition of 1.5"+ tile/concrete floor on second story
I began demolition of a bathroom today and ran into an unusual (for me) flooring issue. The floor is tiled and it's set on a 1.5" thick bed of mortar. The mortar was spread directly onto the 2x8 ...
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2answers
661 views
Remove hard amber glue from tile and bathtub?
I'm not sure what kind of glue this is. It's an amber color and it's very rigid, like hard plastic.
I've tried Goo Gone, which didn't do anything.
I was able to chip away at it with a putty knife, ...
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votes
3answers
5k views
What is the 2-inch layer of masonry under my bathroom tile?
My house is 1 story, but I have a basement so all the floors on the main level are "upstairs" and have a wooden subfloor. I ripped out the vanity in a bathroom I'm working on and starting taking out ...
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3answers
7k views
what mil thick plastic to hang for dust management
I'm planning a chimney demo and planning to hang plastic from floor to ceiling to section where I'm working from the rest of the house. What millimeter thick plastic would be best? I want something ...
0
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1answer
101 views
Board on top of computer desk drawers blocking 2 cam locks because incorrectly installed upside down. Smashing and removing board cause instability?
I am disassembling a computer desk for a move.
I think that removing the cam locks would remove the top of the desk.
The problem is that there's a board on top of the drawers that is blocking 2 cam ...
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1answer
507 views
How to remove the top foot of inground pool wall?
I have decided to fill in my inground pool next spring, and am doing some upfront planning. My understanding of the "anatomy" of an inground pool wall is this:
So as you can see, the concrete patio ...
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3answers
3k views
How to rip out inground pool's steel walls?
Planning a major house project for next spring. My wife and I decided to fill in our inground pool. Previous owners built it, but not sure when (could be anywhere from late 1970s to early 2000s, ...
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1answer
279 views
Is this wall load bearing? See photos
I'm looking to tear down the wall between my kitchen and dining room, and I'm wondering if it's load bearing. If so, it's a 9' section that I want to remove. Would two 2x10s with 1/2" plywood ...
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5answers
4k views
Removing lower section of an old chimney?
I know that removing an old unused chimney from a house is done from the top down.
I'm just wondering if it's even thinkable to remove a mid-section from the chimney, while reinforcing under the ...
0
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1answer
339 views
Can concrete demo material be used as fill behind same project?
I am demolishing the old outdoor steps at the rear of my house, built circa 1955. I have discovered that they are not constructed on the ground surface, but sit upon a concrete block structure about 4 ...
0
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2answers
591 views
Should I move this support post in my basement?
I am trying to create a new bedroom in the basement. The first problem I hit is that there is this short concrete "wall" with a post coming out of it. Actually, the post is 3 2x4's joined together. ...
14
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3answers
9k views
How can I speed up the removal of stubborn tile?
I am trying to remove tile from the bathroom floor. It was installed in the 70s, and the pieces are tiny, 1 in x 1 in. I've been hammering away but they're not coming up very easily. Is there a ...
0
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1answer
597 views
Remove interior concrete chimney
I have an old chimney from a long-gone oil furnace. It does not go through the roof, just cut flat at the floor of the attic.
I was hoping I could remove it brick by brick, starting from the top ...
0
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2answers
679 views
Expanding closet opening to its fullest
I have a closet in my kitchen that currently acts as our pantry.
It looks like any standard closet with two sliding doors and shelves on the interior.
It has a header above it for two sliding doors ...
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votes
4answers
4k views
Should drywall used on a ceiling be of a different weight/grade than drywall used on walls?
Should drywall used in a ceiling be of a different weight/grade than drywall used in walls?
We are demoing a closet this weekend, and will need to repair the remaining drywall in a few places.
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2answers
20k views
Typical general purpose sledge hammer weight?
What is the typical head weight (or weight range) for a general-purpose sledge hammer?
Background: I've been shopping around online and have seen everything from a small 2 lb hammer to weights up to ...
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3answers
9k views
How would one extract a brick chimney embedded in the middle of a house?
I have a no-longer-in-use brick chimney running from basement to attic (roof was closed over it), left over from earlier heating systems. The space alongside it is being used for plumbing and ...
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1answer
416 views
How should I demolish the brick wainscoting on my house's exterior wall?
The front of my house has brick veneer wainscoting on the bottom 1/3 of it. It's ugly brick, and it's in the way of my continuous insulation retrofit project due to how it projects 4" beyond the ...
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1answer
2k views
How can I remove a stone fireplace that is attached to drywall?
I wish to remove a fireplace and the mantle above it. Can I just pry it off portions at a time or is there a better way?
1
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1answer
4k views
How to remove a concrete-filled, steel bollard
I have a set of permanent, steel bollards set into a small concrete slab that I need to remove, in order make room to build a small structure. The steel is 1/4" thick, and the bollards themselves are ...
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2answers
5k views
How can I remove a parking block from my garage?
So, builders have this thing, for some reason, of installing cement parking blocks a few feet in front of the hot water heater in the garage. I've lived at plenty of places without those and managed ...
