How to Remove Drywall Around a Shower Stall
Moisture problems in bathrooms often lead to mold or water damage in the drywall around shower stalls and bathtubs. Sometime the damage is so bad that the best solution is to install new drywall. But first you need to completely remove the old drywall. While the process for removing drywall in bathrooms is straightforward, there are some precautionary steps you should take to ensure that you do not damage the porcelain surface of your shower stall. Take your time and work carefully to avoid dropping tools or large pieces of debris that can damage your shower stall. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Plastic drop cloths or tarps
- Utility knife
- Claw hammer
- Screw gun or screwdriver
Instructions
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Cover the shower stall and any nearby bathroom fixtures to protect them from falling debris. Tape pieces of cardboard to the sides of the shower stall, place several layers of cardboard on the floor of the shower and cover everything with a plastic drop cloth or tarp.
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Remove any fixtures you can. For example, if the shower head has a ring covering the pipe that emerges from the wall, remove or pull back the ring so that it will not be damaged as you remove the drywall.
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Use a utility knife to score the drywall along the edges of the shower stall. Make a clean edge so the new drywall will be flush with the shower stall.
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Use a hammer to make a hole in the drywall. Reach your hand into the hole and pull away a piece of the drywall. Repeat this process until all the drywall has been removed.
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Use the claw of the hammer to remove all the drywall nails. If there are screws, remove them with a screw gun or screwdriver. Hammer any nails or screws you can't remove to bury them into the wood studs. When you are done, the studs should be free of protuberances and ready for the new drywall.
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Tips & Warnings
Pick up dropped nails or screws immediately; otherwise you may step on them and unknowingly gouge your shower stall.
Use disposable, plastic drop cloths so you can simply roll them up and throw them away when it's time to clean up.
