A bathtub is the most important place where you can take a full bath and relax after a stressful day. If your bathtub is leaking, damaged, broken, or simply looks worn out, it’s time to replace it. Whatever the cause, that old bathtub has to go. A conventional bathtub replacement may be ordered and fitted by a plumbing specialist at your local home store. However, removing the old tub and replacing it with a replacement may be time-consuming and costly, so if you want to know how to remove a bathtub by yourself, we have a step-by-step guide on replacing a bathtub below that will teach you how to remove a bathtub.
Maybe you want to upgrade to a contemporary jetted one, or maybe you just want to save space by switching to a stall shower. Of course, you’ll need the appropriate equipment to remove it by yourself, and some plumbing knowledge will come in handy when disconnecting drainage and water supply lines. However, if you follow the steps given here, removing a bathtub should be a breeze.
Important Factors while removing a bathtub
To keep your bathroom interior intact and damage-free from the removal of the bathtub, you have to keep some important factors in mind before removing a bathtub by yourself:
- Before removing a bathtub, there are several factors to consider. You’ll need to open up the three walls surrounding the current tub to remove it. The toilet, sink, and cupboard may have to be removed if the room is too tiny.
- Keep in mind that new tubs are wider than old tubs, so you’ll need to remove the base moldings, floor covering, and underlayment before installing a new tub. They’ll have to be replaced as well. When it comes down to it, when it comes to removing a bathtub, one thing leads to another.
- It is a challenging undertaking to replace an old bathtub with a new bathtub. During the removal, most of the tile on the walls will be destroyed. The project may be completed quickly if the old tub is easily accessible. The process becomes considerably more difficult if you have to access a wall to remove the old tub and install the new tub.
If you think your bathtub is in a critical position that may be too hard to remove by yourself, do not hesitate to ask for a plumber’s or a professional’s assistance.
How to remove a bathtub
Here is the step-by-step progression on how to remove a bathtub by yourself:
1. Gather the important tools that you will need during the process.
2. Before you start pulling out your bathtub, you’ll need to perform some fast prep work. Turn off the water to the bathroom at the main water shut-off valve in your home. To drain any remaining water in the pipes, turn on the faucet in your tub.
3. You need to remove your bathtub’s hardware step by step. Here’s how you will remove a tub faucet:
- Using a utility or putty knife, scrape away any caulk between your faucet and the wall.
- On the underside of your faucet, look for a screw.
- If there isn’t a screw, grasp the faucet with both hands and twist it counterclockwise until it comes loose.
- If there is a screw, remove it with an Allen wrench. Remove the faucet from the wall.
- Examine the exposed pipe for an adapter, which will appear as a piece of threaded metal at the pipe’s end.
- Remove the screw holding the adapter to the pipe using an Allen wrench to disconnect it.
Here’s how you will remove the faucet handles next:
- If your handles are lever-style, remove the screws that hold them in place using an Allen wrench. Under the lever, screws are frequently discovered.
- Remove the screws using a Phillips screwdriver for various handle types. If the screws aren’t visible, they’re most likely hidden behind a “plug” on the front of the handle, which frequently has the manufacturer’s emblem. Pry the plug off with the tip of your screwdriver to reveal the screw.
- Pull the grips off the valve stems by pushing them toward you after removing the screws. If the handles are stuck, spray them with WD-40 and wait 10 minutes before attempting again.
Next, you will have to remove the drain covers and drains:
- Using a screwdriver or Allen wrench, unscrew the drain lid.
- Remove the lid from the tub by prying it open.
- If no screws are present, pull up the lid using a screwdriver or putty knife. Whether it won’t come out when you pull it straight up, spin it counterclockwise to see if it’s threaded in.
- On the overflow drain lid, look for the screws. They’ll be under the bottom edge of the faceplate or on the face of the cover.
- Remove them with a screwdriver or an Allen wrench.
- On the other side of the wall behind your tub, look for the access panel for your bathtub’s pipes.
- Check the basement ceiling under your bathroom if there is no access panel and the bathroom is on the ground floor. You’ll have to cut through the drywall behind your tub to reach the pipes if they aren’t accessible from your basement.
- Determine the location of the main and overflow drain pipes.
- With a wrench, spin the bolts counterclockwise to disconnect both pipes.
4. You’ll need to pull off the tile around your bathtub before you can remove it. Here’s what you should do: With a utility knife, score the tile grout up to 8 inches from the tub’s rim. Then with a putty knife, pry the tile away from the wall. Continue until all of the tiles have been removed.
5. It’s time to remove the drywall now that you can see it: Using a drywall saw, cut the drywall into manageable pieces. To prevent cutting into studs, don’t plunge your saw any further than half an inch. Use a reciprocating saw instead if your walls are plaster. Pull the drywall pieces off the studs using a prybar. Carry debris to your dumpster so you can go on to the next stage with a clean, safe workspace.
6. Then you need to remove the screws that are holding in the tub. You can remove them with the help of a prybar or a screwdriver.
7. Pry the tub out next. If you can’t do it by yourself because of the heavyweight ask for assistance.
There you go! The steps are exhausting but easy once you follow through with the whole thing which mentioned Authority lifestyle. Then any confusion regarding how to remove a bathtub by yourself will be solved for you.
