The Best DIY Tools for Demolition
So…. we tore apart our kitchen last month and quickly figured out that demolition really isn’t that hard, you just need the right tools, so we’ve rounded up a list of the best DIY tools for demolition.
As a backstory, a few weeks before Theo was born I was prepping some freezer meals and getting frustrated trying to work with the very little counter space we had in the kitchen. I was swearing right at my teriyaki chicken and I (mostly jokingly) said, “what’s the bet I’ll rip one of these kitchen walls down before the end of maternity leave?” and whatdyaknow, here we are a few months later with a completely gutted kitchen.
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Let’s be honest, demo sucks
It does. It’s tiring, dirty, so sweaty, can be frustrating and has caused some wild bumps and bruises over the last few weeks. But, it can also be so satisfying.
Our kitchen was bad: it had too many walls (including one randomly placed between the main kitchen cabinets and the fridge) and the laminate covering the cabinets was peeling away. My favorite part? The backsplash “tile” was plastic. PLASTIC. It was literally just a sheet designed to look like tin tile and it was duct-taped in place. Burn it to the ground. So basically, everything had to go.
We’re now left with an entirely blank slate and are about to dive into floor tiling as the first step in what I’m calling our Build Back Better kitchen, but even if we totally mess up every step I feel like it’d be better than our starting point so the pressure is low.
We’re planning to document our journey along the way putting this beast back together so make sure to follow along on Instagram and sign up to our newsletter to see if we fail spectacularly or actually pull this thing off.
Anyway, onto what you’re really here for: the best DIY tools for demolition.
The best DIY tools for demolition
First of all pick up your patience and tuck that bad boy in your back pocket because that may be the most critical tool. Taking on a big demo job isn’t easy but it does save a ton of money in a renovation and can be a really useful learning tool: I’ve always found the best way to learn about how something is put together is to take it apart.
We’ve torn out door casings or an upper cabinet here and there before but have never taken on such a big project. Previously our biggest renovation was our pantry makeover.
We learned that having the right tools is really half the job, so make sure to save yourself a few sweaty trips to Home Depot (have i mentioned we were sweaty?) and just get all this stuff then thank us later:
Work gloves
A pretty obvious one, but some heavy duty gloves will be a lifesaver when old Teddy Tetanus comes knocking in the form of 70-year-old jaggedy nails sticking out of your walls.
Ironclad General Utility Work Gloves
Wrecking bar
Our brother-in-law actually gifted a wrecking bar when we told him about our kitchen renovation and not only was it A) incredibly on-brand, but B) probably the most useful tool in our demo project. This thing is HEAVY DUTY, and can really cause some damage, especially for tearing out Sheetrock and prying up flooring.
Pry bar
Like a wrecking bar, but light. Pry bars are much better for getting in smaller spaces or to start prying up a big piece like plywood subfloor or door trim.
Hammer
Obvious, but this is helpful to hammer in the pry or wrecking bar to get them started under a surface, or to pull out nails.
Tile chisel
Alex was a real champ and knocked out the tile floor demo so quickly with this tile chisel. Again, you use a hammer to hit the end as it’s pried up under the tile and it pulls it away from the substrate.
Respirator mask
Drywall dust is no joke, you guys: wear a mask. It’s not only actually important to your lungs, but it helps muffle all your swear words as you’re bashing the shit out of your walls.
Safety googles
Another duh item, but seriously we had quite a few wood shards and nail pieces come flying out as we pried off cabinets and walls and would’ve been bankrupting ourselves in urgent care if not for safety goggles.
Ear protection
To save yourself from blaring the TV and yelling to your partner across the room in 20 years, hopefully. I don’t know about you all but the noise of the hammer or power tools just grinds my gears and wearing hearing protection really helps it be less annoying so that’s a bonus on top of its actual purpose.
BONUS: Sawzall or oscillating tool
This isn’t necessary and you can totally get away without it, but both are really helpful if you plan to remove a non-load bearing wall or really cut through any big area of material.
Note: Before you go cutting through walls, do a bit of exploratory work and make sure there’s not electrical, plumbing or some other type of hazard hidden behind the wall.
A note on safety
If you’ll be demoing an older house, make sure to test your paint for lead and walls/ceilings for asbestos before taking anything apart. Lead paint will require a few extra cleaning precautions and asbestos will require some professional help. As far as just pesky old drywall dust, a respirator and goggles make a huge difference, and just know you’ll probably be double shampooing your hair for a few days after.
If you liked this post about the best DIY tools for demolition, make sure to follow along on Instagram as we figure out how to put everything back together, and we’ll be posting the tips & tricks we learn along the way.
