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Discussion Forum

Bathtub Removal

dsmith | Posted in General Discussion on November 12, 2003 07:36am
Will be remodeling a bathroom soon and need to remove a 20 year old Kohler whirlpool bathtub that was built into the room and is too large for the door.
 
How do I reduce the tub to smaller pieces?  Can it be broken up with a sledge hammer?  Are there any other suggestions other than a cutting torch?
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  1. kaorisdad | Nov 12, 2003 08:12pm | #1

    If it's cast iron a big sledge will work.  It'll shatter with impact, but it's kind of hard work.

  2. homebaseboston | Nov 12, 2003 08:36pm | #2

    are you sure you can't just tip it on its side and slide it out?  must be a very narrow door.  if it's cast iron, you can use a sledge, but it's no fun.  wear your ear and eye protection.  i know guys who prefer to burn through a few sawzall blades rather than bang it apart but it's your call.  good luck.

    brian

    _____________________________
    HomeBase
    ________  Kitchen & Bath Builders, LLC

    Brian Roberts, Manager

    1. JohnSprung | Nov 13, 2003 03:45am | #5

      I agree, it's always better to get things out in one piece if at all possible.  Tubs can be re-enameled and sold or donated to someone who'll get many more years of use from them.

      -- J.S.

      1. User avater
        NickNukeEm | Nov 13, 2003 05:16am | #6

        You better have a few friends, a couple of cases of brew, and a good strong dolly if that sucker is CI.  They are heavy, and too often embedded in the bad tile job that has to go with it.  Not a lot of call for the old stuff around here, and the recycle guy will take it for free, one piece or a hundred.

        I never met a tool I didn't like!

        1. noitall | Nov 13, 2003 05:41am | #7

          Taking cast down stairs. ... Now there is fun..... Flip a coin and see who get to go to the bottom. Thats the place for the looser. Question is even if you get $100 bucks for it was it worth all that pain and lost paint off the wall. ( not to mention the back)

          1. CAGIV | Nov 13, 2003 08:41am | #8

            and the cost to the environment because of one more tub in the landfill????

            sorry, not being serious, I'm in an enviornmental sustainability class, I am the anti-chirst to most in the class...  your comment just brought to mind what I would expect to hear if I made a similar comment in class.

  3. OneofmanyBobs | Nov 12, 2003 09:06pm | #3

    Cast iron shatters easily enough once you get it cracked.  That takes a lot of pounding.  Quite helpful to take a right-angle grinder and a metal cut-off wheel to score it in a couple places, then start whacking.  Wear hearing protectors and goggles.  Its quite loud and the enamel and bits of iron fly everywhere.  For a fiberglass tub, use a sawzall.  For steel, a few whacks with a sledge will crumple it.

  4. Mugsy | Nov 12, 2003 11:29pm | #4

    If you're gonna go the route of busting it up and it is indeeed cast iron, cover it with a heavy balnket or similar.  That way, the pieces won't go flying. I like the suggestion of scoring it first and then whacking it in that area.

  5. dsmith | Nov 13, 2003 07:56pm | #9
    Thanks for all the input.
     
    House has changed since it took 6 of us to get the tub in place.  It is one of those Kohler, cast iron, steeping tubs and weighs about 450 pounds.  To get it out, it has to go through a rather small pocket door, across 50 feet of white carpet, two additional doors and 50 feet of redwood decking.  This is why I wanted smaller pieces.
     
    Will score it and try the sledge hammer after I see if it will cut with my Sawzall.
     
    Thanks again.
    1. User avater
      NickNukeEm | Nov 14, 2003 07:05am | #10

      C-4.  Don't forget ear plugs.

      I never met a tool I didn't like!

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