If you’re experienced in do-it-yourself home renovations and want to cut costs on your kitchen remodeling project, removing old cabinets yourself can offer significant savings. All that’s required are some basic tools and a dumpster rental to collect the waste. Follow the step-by-step guide below to learn how to prepare your kitchen for an updated, fresh look.

How to Remove Old Kitchen Cabinets

1. Gather Tools & Book a Dumpster Rental

Gather a crowbar, hammer, screwdriver, tape measure, adjustable wrench, and utility and putty knives. A drill and a reciprocating saw might also make the work easier. Make sure you have a stepladder to safely reach higher work areas. Wear safety gloves and goggles, and collect a few tarps and two-by-four beams to use as supplementary supports. 

Prior to beginning the tear-down process, rent a dumpster. Cabinets are too bulky for ordinary trash cans, so putting these items in a roll-off bin will facilitate rapid cleanup. The rental company will also pick up the container and haul away the waste at the end of the project.

2. Prepare the Area

Protect your belongings from damage and minimize obstructions and distractions by emptying cabinets and clearing off countertops. Shut off the electricity and water in the kitchen, and cover the floors and counters with tarps to simply the cleanup process.

3. Remove Fixtures, Trim, & Seals

Moving parts, like doors and hinges, might get in the way as you work. Remove these before taking out shelving and drawers. 

Once these sections are gone, you can use a utility knife to cut away caulk around where the cabinets are mounted to the wall. Hammer a crowbar behind trim and molding to pry pieces loose. Place these materials in the dumpster to keep the workplace clear for the final step.

4. Remove the Cabinets

Measure the space between the countertops and bottoms of the upper cabinets, and cut four lengths of two-by-fours to fit beneath each corner of the cupboards for support. You should also remove any screws attaching the cabinets to one another and the wall. Loosen adhesives binding the shelving to the mounts using a hammer and crowbar. Carefully lift the sections up and away from the wall while checking for missed hardware connectors.

If you're tearing out floor-level cabinets, take out the kitchen sink before getting rid of the countertops and pipes. Once these are removed, follow the same procedure used on the overhead features.

Before you begin your kitchen remodeling project, turn to Bin There Dump That - Cincinnati South to book a dumpster rental. This company serves customers throughout Cincinnati, OH, and northern Kentucky. They offer roll-off dumpsters in various sizes to meet each client's waste disposal needs. They’ll drop off the rented bin on the scheduled day and pick it up promptly once you’ve finished. If you need help determining the container size you need, call (513) 732-2467 to talk to a friendly team member. Visit the website to request a quote.