How to demolish a bathroom shower? | DIY bathroom bathtub to shower conversion


How to demolish a bathroom shower?

If you’re considering remodeling your bathroom shower, you’ll have to start with demolishing the existing stuff. I’ve recently remodeled my bathroom shower and I recoded how I demolished the bathroom shower. If you want to follow my procedure, make sure you read this article till the end. 

Also, if you’re remodeling your bathroom, you might want to check out my other videos from my bathroom remodeling series

Before we start, I want you to get these items so you don’t get interrupted in between.

Tools you’ll need

Step 1: Get rid of all extra accessories from your shower area

How to demolish a bathroom shower?

Before you start demolishing your bathroom shower area, remove all the accessories. 

How to demolish a bathroom shower?
Accessories removed 

Step 2: Cover the bathtub with a rag

Since all the tiles and debris are going to fall on the bathtub, you’d want to prevent it if you want to use it later on. 

How to demolish a bathroom shower?
Cover the bathtub with a rug

Even if you’re considering getting rid of your bathtub, covering it with a rag will make it easier to clean later on. 

Step 3: How to remove shower wall tiles

While you can start removing the tiles from any corner of the bathtub shower area, I started from around the window because it was easier.

How to remove shower tile?

The way to remove tiles, when you start, is by hammering a flat head screwdriver or a chisel of some sort into the sides of the tiles. 

How to remove shower tile?

Later on, you can use a ply bar to make it faster and easier.

 Use a ply bar after the initial opening
Use a ply bar after the initial opening

I wanted to protect my window sill and I think you should too. For this, make sure you don’t hit the sill with the hammer or damage it in any other way.

How to remove shower tile?
Make sure you don’t hit the sill with the hammer or damage it in any other way

Step 4: Cut along the edges of the shower area

To prevent the demolition from damaging your drywalls and paint, you’ll have to cut the tiles on the border of the shower area from the wall.

how to remove shower wall tile with cement board
Cut the tiles on the border of the shower area from the wall

You can do that by pressing a knife or cutter around the edges. 

how to remove shower wall tile with cement board
Cut along the edges of the shower area

Step 5: Start removing the tiles from the borders of the shower area

Start removing the tiles from the borders of the shower area
Start removing the tiles from the borders of the shower area

Now you can remove the tiles from the borders of the shower area. Make sure you’re wearing glasses while you’re hammering the tiles. 

how to remove shower wall tile with cement board
Remove the tiles around the window

However, first, try to gently remove the tiles that are right at the borders to prevent the damage from reaching either the drywall or the paint. 

how to demolish shower walls
Use hammer

Step 6: Break the rest of the tiles with the board

how to demolish shower walls
Pullout the big pieces of cardboard with the tiles

Once the bordering tiles are removed, you can now break the rest of the tiles with a hammer. 

Remove piece by piece
Remove piece by piece

While hammering the tiles, you’ll notice the cement board breaking. Don’t worry about it, it’s good to remove it as a whole piece. 

how to demolish shower walls
Go from wall to wall

Start and finish one side of the wall first and then move on to the next side. 

how to demolish shower walls
Remove whole pieces

Step 7: Remove the screws from the wall frame

Once all the tiles and the panels are removed, drill through and remove the screws in the wall frame. 

how to demo a shower
drill through and remove the screws in the wall frame

Also, make sure to remove the nails with a ply bar. 

how to demo a shower
Remove the nails with a ply bar

Step 8: Fold the rug and take it out

how to demolish a bathroom
Debris accumulated in the rug

By now all the tiles and debris should have accumulated in the rug.

Fold the rug with the debris in it and take it out
Fold the rug with the debris in it and take it out

If some of it has fallen outside, pick it up and throw it on a dustbin.

how to demolish a bathroom
Collect the remaining rubble in a dustin

Step 9: How to Remove a Bathtub

how to remove a bathtub?
Take out the bathtub

Once all the tiles have been removed and the debris removed, now it’s time to take out the bathtub.

how to remove a bathtub?
Bathtub removed

Related bathroom remodel article: How to Replace a Copper pipe with CPVC Pipe in a Shower?

Final Words

That’s it. I hope you didn’t come across any hurdles while following this process but in case you did, let me know in the comment section below.

Also, In case you find text guides hard to understand, I have a video on this process that might be easier for you to understand.

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Andy

Dad, Engineer, DIYer, Creator

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