How to Remove Kitchen Cabinets | DIY Megastore

How to Remove Kitchen Cabinets

If you’re working on a kitchen renovation, you’ll likely need to decide what to do with old cabinets. They’re crucial components in any kitchen, but like anything in your home, they have a finite lifespan, and will eventually need to be replaced. This can be tricky without the right tools and equipment and can prove problematic if the right steps are not followed.

We’ve put together this guide to help you remove cabinets safely and efficiently. We will cover all the major aspects of kitchen cabinet removal, including the tools you will need, and the steps you will need to take to remove them from your kitchen space. This will enable you to replace the cabinets with a new set or remodel your kitchen as you see fit.

Materials and Tools

In order to remove kitchen cabinets, you will need a selection of tools. These can be easily found throughout the home or purchased, with the majority of items you’ll need simple household tools. You will need the following items:

Screwdriver
Drill
Crowbar
Safety goggles and gloves
Blanket or sheet
Hammer
Masking tape

We recommend you locate all of these items before starting your project. This will help to ensure the task is carried out quickly and efficiently.

Prep the Kitchen

First, ensure that your kitchen is clean and clear. Remove any appliances from your countertop, such as microwaves, toasters, kettles, or any similar object. Cover countertops with a blanket or protective sheeting to prevent any damage that may occur while you’re working on removing the cabinets.

If you have any furniture in your kitchen, remove this too, taking it out of the room before you start on the project. There shouldn’t be any furniture present in the kitchen while you work – you will need plenty of space to move your cabinet units once you have detached them from the wall.

Finally, for safety, turn off the electricity in your kitchen. The entire circuit should be deactivated if possible. While not crucial, it will allow you to safely remove your cabinets without worrying about live wires and outlets.

Step-By-Step Guide on Removing Kitchen Cabinets

Now that you have the appropriate tools and have cleared the kitchen ready for work, you can begin to follow our quick and easy step-by-step removal process.

Start by using masking tape to mark out each door and cabinet that you intend to remove. For an easier removal process, try labelling them with letters or numbers. This will help to make reinstallation easier, though it is not necessary if you are replacing the cabinets altogether.
Remove all drawers from the cabinets. You may need to unhook them from the rails on each side of the hole within the cabinet unit itself.
Unscrew all hinges to loosen the doors before removing them. Remember that cabinet doors can be heavier than they first appear! Be ready to catch the weight once they no longer have screws bolting them down.
If there are any plumbing or electrical connections – particularly lights inside your cabinets, or pipes running to a sink nearby – all of these will need to be safely disconnected.
Remove the screws bolting the cabinet to the wall. You will also need to remove the screws by attaching the cabinets together. Ensure that all are removed before trying to manoeuvre your cabinet.
Try to move the cabinets gently away from the wall/each other. If they don’t move, you may need to try prying them apart with a crowbar. Bear in mind that this may damage the cabinets, and you will then be unable to reuse them. This won’t be a problem if you are uninstalling them to make way for new units.
Move the cabinets away from the wall one by one and inspect them for damage.
If you are removing the cabinets altogether you can now transfer them out of the kitchen.

Can I Remove Kitchen Cabinets Without Damaging Them?

While it is impossible to return your kitchen cabinets to the exact condition they were in when they were first purchased, it is more than possible to remove them without damaging them beyond repair. Most kitchen cabinets are designed to be removed and reinstalled, as this can be an important part of maintenance.

There are some situations where this will be more difficult, however. Older models aren’t usually removed as easily, and don’t tend to possess the components that allow for cleaner reinstallation. Your cabinets may also be too worn to be reused – most cabinets have a lifespan of 15 – 20 years, though many can last longer without issue. Nevertheless, if your cabinets are approaching this age, you may want to consider replacing them anyway.

If you want to reuse your cabinets, the trick is to take great care when removing screws and manoeuvring the cabinets away from your wall.

Can I Remove Kitchen Cabinets Without Damaging the Wall?

If your cabinets were bolted to the wall in some way – and most are – there will be noticeable marks where the screws were once inserted. However, you have multiple options when it comes to dealing with this. These screw holes serve as excellent reinstallation points for a new set of cabinets. Better yet, if you’re simply performing some maintenance on your cabinets/the kitchen and wish to reinstall your current units, this will be even simpler (though you require the aid of fresh wall plugs).

If the holes are no longer needed, you can easily fill them in. We recommend using a plaster filler. These are used in similar ways to caulk and applied via the same methods. Use a caulk gun or opt for a tube with a spreader to apply the filler over the holes. Once set, simply paint over the holes in the same colour as your kitchen walls. If you have wallpaper in your kitchen, you can also cover up the filler marks with some new strips.

However, it is not possible to leave your wall completely undamaged after removing your cabinets. Wall support is crucial when installing them in the first place, so there is no way to avoid having to drill and screw into your wall.

And that concludes our guide to removing kitchen cabinets. We hope you’ve learned a thing or two and are more confident in your ability to remove a kitchen cabinet safely and efficiently. It can be a challenge, but with the right tools and know-how it should be simple and straightforward.

If you need to know more about cabinets, we have a selection of guides regarding these useful kitchen utilities. Learn how to install a new set of kitchen cabinets, or instead, read up on our top tips for buying the ideal set for you with our informative buyer’s guide.

Meanwhile, if you have another question about cabinets or kitchen DIY in general, do not hesitate to get in touch with our excellent customer services team. With plenty of DIY know-how and knowledge on all our products, they’ll be happy to point you in the right direction or answer any queries you may have on your next DIY project.

What's Next?

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