Periodically, we may need to remove an old set of kitchen or vanity cabinets that have been joined and installed with nails instead of screws. If this is the case with your remodeling project, you will NOT be able to save the cabinets for installation elsewhere. When you’re done pulling them out, there will just be a pile of bits and pieces.
Grab a flashlight and search your cabinets. If you don’t see any screws, then this cabinet removal method is for you.
Tools needed:
- hammer
- small one handed hammer
- pry bar
- Gloves
- protective glasses
- Razor blade
- reciprocating saw
- puzzle
- skill saw
- Assorted Screwdrivers
Steps to remove old cabinets
- Turn off the water supply to the sink faucet and the power supply to the space-saving stove, dishwasher, range hood or microwave.
- Remove the sink and all appliances. You may need another person to help you with the sink. Most old houses have cast iron sinks and they are very heavy. I’m not kidding here, DO NOT attempt to pull off a cast iron sink by yourself.
- IMPORTANT: As you try to remove the cabinets, be careful NOT to pry against the walls with too much force. They are most likely made of drywall or sheetrock and are somewhat brittle. Try to remember to just remove things from the walls, instead of praying against them.
- Cut all caulk lines everywhere they are attached to cabinets and counters against walls, floors, or ceilings.
- Put on your safety glasses and cut large sections of Formica countertop, large base cabinet bottoms, face frames and foot sections into smaller pieces. You can do the same with the bottoms of the upper cabinets that are also large. Do this with whatever saw you feel most comfortable with.
- If the backsplashes are only three-quarters of an inch (3/4″) thick, they are attached to the wall with liquid nail. Insert the putty knife between the wall and the backsplash, then push it down using the force of your hammer. Continue to do this in several places until it comes loose from the wall.
- If the splatters are thicker than three-quarters of an inch (3/4″), they are most likely stuck to the counter. You don’t need to put the putty knife behind them if they’re stuck to the top.
- With gloves on and safety glass on, you can begin the removal process by hammering the counter in an up position. Once it has started to loosen, you can use the pry bar to lift it higher. I can almost hear the screeching sound of the nails! Eventually you should get to the point where you can grab it with both hands and pull it out of the cabinet.
- Pull out all the drawers from their respective locations.
- Using the hammer and mallet, disassemble all the pieces of the cabinets. Start by tapping the finished ends, then the frames of the faces, then pry out the bottoms, and lastly the backs. The cabinets should be removed fairly quickly if you follow that pattern. Any time a part of the cabinet is difficult to remove, cut it into a smaller piece. Most of these old kitchens were made of pine wood and plywood. They were also glued on with carpenter’s glue. This can make them stubborn to separate at times.
You should always keep an eye out for rocks. Who knows, if you’re lucky, you might find an old newspaper article from the late 1950s. I retired when I discovered an old safe containing a million dollars under the base of a kitchen cabinet in Hollywood. I think the house originally belonged to Jed Clampet of the Beverly Hillbillies. Having a little fun during the project is a good thing!
The trick to make all this easier is to cut as many parts into smaller pieces before you start tearing them out. This will make it easier for the dumpster or for you to get the parts out of the house and into the trash bins.
Every time you remove old kitchen cabinets, be prepared to find things that need to be replaced or repaired. It is not uncommon for there to be water damaged areas where mold has been growing. Sometimes on the roofs there are places where there were leaks years ago. Outside of the cost of your new cabinets, set aside a little extra for unexpected repairs.
