It’s safe to say that cabinets are the first thing people notice when they step into a kitchen. Cabinets reveal the style and the condition of the kitchen, more than anything else. The good thing about this is that installing new cabinets is often all that’s needed to give a kitchen an updated look.
And this can easily be a DIY job. Ready-to-install kitchen cabinets are readily available on the market. But the first step, of course, is to remove your old cabinets.
Two Types Of Cabinet Removal
Cabinets in older homes may have to be hammered down and taken off the walls in pieces. They were likely built onsite and installed using the walls for support. To remove these you’ll need to hammer down the front of the cabinet, then the sides, top, bottom and finally the back. To avoid extensive damage to the wall, try placing a block of wood between the wall and the pry bar, and wrest the cabinet over a stud.
Cabinets in newer homes are better designed to be taken down intact. The removal of these cabinets is a fairly easy step-by-step process, that can be completed quickly with the help of just one person.
But, whether it’s a demolition job, or a seamless removal of entire units, it’s a good idea to contact a junk removal company. For a demolition job, a bin rental will safely contain all the debris as you work, and when the job is finished, the junk company will pick the bin up and dispose of the trash in an environmentally friendly way. If the removed cabinets are in working condition, the junk removal company will deliver them to a donation center where they will be offered at a discount to low-income residents.
Newer Wall Cabinets Removal Process
Firstly, of course, everything has to be removed from the cabinets, including the shelving if they are removable. Then, with your rental bin outside ready to receive any debris from this mission, you’re ready to start.
Step 1: Remove The Base Cabinets
Base cabinets are easier to remove; and once they are out of the way, you will gain more space to manoeuvre the removal of the wall cabinets.
Step 2: Remove The Ceiling Molding And Cabinet Trim
Use the flat side of a screwdriver to detach the moulding or trim from the wall, and make sure all the nails are removed from the wall.
Step 3: Remove The Cabinet Doors
Unscrew hinges and remove the doors—this will make the cabinets lighter to detach and carry. Plus, set aside, the doors will also be less likely to get damaged. Collect all the hardware in a plastic bag and tape it to the doors.
Step 4: Install A Jack To Hold The Cabinet Being Removed
You’ll need to install a cabinet jack to hold the cabinets in place while they are being removed. This is for safety as well as to make the take-down easier.
Take a measurement from the bottom of the wall cabinet to the floor, and add ½ inch. Cut a 2×4 to this measurement, and fit it snugly under the front edge of the wall cabinet. It will hold it in place once you release it from the wall.
Step 5: Remove Wall Fasteners Holding The Cabinet To The Wall
The cabinet may be screwed to the wall from inside or otherwise attached. Use a screwdriver to unscrew it, but you’ll need to use a pry bar if the cabinet is otherwise affixed to the wall.
Step 6: Pull Cabinet From Wall
You’ll need help pulling the last fastener and the cabinet from the wall. With your helper, slowly place the cabinet on the floor, and remove any remaining screws or nails from the wall.
If your wall cabinets came off the wall smoothly and damage-free, your junk removal company will pick them up and deliver them to a donation depot. And if you had to demolish them, you’ll be glad you had a trash bin to contain all the jagged and barbed debris. Now all you have to do is call the junk removal company to have them pick it up and take it away!
