Furniture removal can be pretty tedious, which is why it is always advisable to leave the task to professionals. Several steps lead to the safe removal and disposal of old furniture like your old bathtub. Each of these steps is critical to the safe and efficient removal of the item. Therefore, it is best to hire professionals to make sure the process happens without any hiccups.
There are two ways to go about getting rid of your old bathtub. The first is the DIY approach. It will require a lot of energy and little expertise from you. This approach is stressful and tedious, but if you are up for the task, go for it. The second is hiring professionals to remove your bathtubs for you. It costs a few dollars but saves you from the stress of removal and disposal.
The following are the steps to follow to get rid of your old bathtub by yourself:
1. Get Your Tools Ready
The first step of removing your old bathtub is to get all the necessary tools, materials, and safety gear. A furniture removal is nearly impossible without having the right tools. Therefore, it is better to hire professionals like JiffyJunks for the job.
However, with the right tools, you are good to go. Materials needed include a wrench, Allen wrench, screwdriver, prybar, jigsaw, putty knife or utility knife, drywall saw or any other suitable saw, plastic sheets, etc. Moreover, for your safety, you should have the following: safety glasses, face masks, shoes, and work gloves.
2. Shut Off The Water Supply
Still one of the initial prep works before the actual removal of your old tub. Here is where you shut off the water supply to your bathroom and drain the water. If your bathroom does not have a separate cut-off valve, you will need to shut off the water supply to the whole house. Therefore, to relieve any remaining water in the connection, open the lowest valve. Your work environment needs to be dry to make the work smooth and easy. Therefore, if otherwise, let the bathroom dry off completely before starting.
3. Detach Your Bathtub From The Pipes
Now is the time to remove the hardware attached to your tub. It is a pretty straightforward process if you follow instructions. Most bathtubs comprise just two hardware components: Faucet and Drains. To remove the faucet, scrape away any caulk around it and the wall with your putty knife. Moreover, check for a screw around that attaches the faucet to the wall and use an Allen wrench to remove it. If there is none, use both hands to turn the faucet anticlockwise till it detaches.
If the faucet comes with a handle, locate the screw and remove it from the wall. Once you have done this, the next thing is to remove the drain. First, remove the drain cover with a screwdriver or Allen wrench. If there are no screws, you might need to turn it counterclockwise. Now, remove the inner drain itself. Often, the screws are around the overflow drain cover to disconnect the drain from the drain pipes.
4. Create An Access To The Water Pipes
It is time to take down the wall or tile surrounding the bathtub. Use a small measuring instrument to measure about 10 inches from the top of the tub to note the part of the wall to remove. If it is a wooden wall, it is an easy process. However, if your wall is made of tiles and concretes, it might take a little bit more effort to achieve what you are trying to do. Once you finish scoring the tile grout, pry it off with the putty knife. Performing this step very well will expose the bathtub. Therefore, you will be able to see the bathtub well detached from the surrounding wall.
5. Unscrew The Bathtub
After prying out the wall of your bathroom, the next step is to remove every screw. There is often a pipe underneath the bathtub. You can only get access to it under it. You might have to remove the ceiling beneath the tub or dig a bit in your bathroom.
The pipe is easy to remove. Once you sight it, all you need to do is turn it counterclockwise till you can detach it from the tub. Moreover, locate any screw that might be securing the bathtub to the floor or wall of your bathroom. Use a screwdriver to remove such.
6. Time For The Furniture Removal: Remove The Tub From Its Position
You will need a friend for this step. It is where you remove the tub from its position in your bathroom. There are different ways to remove it from its position, but whichever method you decide to go with, ensure you get it out. An effective way is to get two 1-by-4 planks which you will use to remove the tub. One of you will lift the front edge of the bathtub while the other slides the 1-by-4 plank underneath. Do the same for the second plank on the other side. Then, slide the bathtub over the planks underneath. This approach makes the whole process fast and stress-free. Finally, remove every screw attached to the wall and clean the floor of your bathroom.
7. Find A Disposable Site For The Tub
Here is the step where you carry the bathtub out of your house. Bathtubs can be heavy. Therefore, you might need some hands to assist you in carrying it, or you might use the service of disposal companies like JiffyJunk, who will help you dispose of your bathtub appropriately. However, another approach is to dismantle or cut the tub into smaller pieces. You can use a jigsaw to cut the tub into probably two to four pieces, or until you feel confident, you can carry each piece.
8. And Finally, Clean Up After The Furniture Removal
It is time to pick up each piece or the whole of your bathtub and dispose of them. Most bathtubs are not biodegradable. Therefore, you have to be careful of how you dispose of them. For example, you should never dispose of a bathtub in a landfill because it will not biodegrade. Like other furniture removal processes, it is advisable to hire professionals skilled in the various ways of safely disposing of your old furniture.
Parting Words On Bathtub Furniture Removal
Having a bathtub is awesome, better yet to upgrade to a new watery piece of heaven. But, be aware of the difficulties that it can bring. Moving those massive pieces of joy is no easy task. Moreover, to avoid any serious injuries and major headaches, hiring a team of professionals is the way to go. So go out there and finally finish that desired washroom renovation of your dreams!
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