Remove a wall between a kitchen and dining room for more space.
One way to give yourself a bigger kitchen is to remove a wall between your kitchen and dining room. Not only will you have more room, but you'll also be able to interact with your guests while you're cooking if you are having a house party. The most important part about removing one of these walls is careful planning. Depending on the wall type, you may need a professional to remove it, or it might be a project that you can take on yourself.
Instructions
1. Determine if the wall between the kitchen and the dining room that you want to remove is load bearing or not. A professional builder or certified handyman can help you out with this process. Load -bearing walls need to be removed by professionals, which can be quite expensive. The average DIYer can remove a non-load-bearing wall between a kitchen and dining room, providing that the local codes allow for homeowner's to do this type of work. Check the building codes in your area to be sure before starting construction. Some municipalities will not allow DIYers to reroute water or gas pipes.
2. Move any appliances or furniture away from the wall to be removed. Place dust cloths and hang up plastic sheets over any surfaces that you wish to keep free of dust and debris.
3. Cut off the electricity to any circuits on the wall that you want to remove at the main switch. Remove the faceplates on the sockets and test the wires with a voltmeter to ensure that the electricity has been cut. Unscrew the plugs from the sockets, loosen the wires on the sides and discard.
4. Put on safety equipment, including goggles, gloves and long-sleeved shirts, before beginning work.
5. Remove any cabinets or countertops on the kitchen side of the load-bearing wall. Look underneath the countertop to see how it is fastened on top of the cabinets. Remove any screws or support brackets. Use a pry bar or crowbar to lift up on the countertop and remove it. Use a jigsaw on laminate and wooden countertops to make the job easier by breaking up the countertop. Remove any drawers from the cabinets. Pry the cabinets away from the wall or dismantle them with a screwdriver.
6. Using a hammer or sledgehammer, break down all the drywall on both sides of the wall. Wear the proper safety equipment and start knocking away. Clear as much as possible until just the wooden wall studs are exposed.
7. Remove any electrical wires by pushing them up into the attic or splicing off the ends. Cover exposed wires with wire nuts and electrical tape.
8. Use a reciprocating saw to saw apart the studs. Remove the top plate by pulling it away from the ceiling. You may also need to use a pry bar or crowbar to help remove the plate.
9. Use the wrench to remove any anchor bolts holding the base stud of the wall in place. Pry the base up and out of the way with the pry bar.
10. Use the shop vac to clean up any debris. Fill in holes in the floor and ceiling with patching compound.
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