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Opening up space inside your home by removing interior walls can make your home seem larger and provide you with more options when arranging furniture. A half-wall provides more open space than a wall that runs from your floor to your ceiling, but it's still a physical barrier which can impede your remodeling plans. Removing the half-wall is a fairly easy, albeit messy, project.
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1
Turn off the electricity to any outlets or light switches inside the wall at your home's main electrical box. Test the circuit with a voltage tester. If you get a reading, return to the electrical box and turn off the correct circuit.
2
Remove the light switch or outlet from the half wall by disconnecting it from the electrical cable, using a screwdriver. Ensure that the circuit is dead before removing the switch or outlet.
3
Remove any objects on top of the half-wall, or near the wall, including furniture and pictures hanging on the walls near the half-wall. Cover the floor around the half-wall with a tarp to protect the floor and make cleanup easier.
4
Pry the baseboard molding off of the half-wall, using a pry bar.
5
Locate the studs inside the half-wall, using a stud finder. Mark their location on the wall.
6
Knock holes in the sides of the half-wall, using a sledgehammer. Place the holes between the studs.
7
Remove the drywall from the framing of the half-wall. Grab the larger pieces and pull them off the wall by hand. Use a pry bar to remove the pieces attached to the framing.
8
Cut through the studs (except the end stud attached to the wall from which the half-wall extends), using a reciprocating saw. Make the cuts a few inches above the floor.
9
Remove the studs still attached to the bottom plate by knocking them off with a hammer. Cut the nails that extend from the bottom plate, using the reciprocating saw.
10
Cut through the end stud attached to the wall, using the reciprocating saw. Cut downward at a 45-degree angle.
11
Pry the end stud off of the wall with the pry bar. Remove the bottom section first.
12
Pry the bottom plate off of the floor. Cut through any nails that extend from the floor, using the reciprocating saw.
Things You Will Need
- Voltage tester
- Screwdriver
- Tarp
- Pry bar
- Stud finder
- Sledgehammer
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- Reciprocating saw
Warning
- Wear safety goggles and gloves when removing the half-wall. Wear safety goggles when using the saw.
References (2)
About the Author
Carson Barrett began writing professionally in 2009. He has been published on various websites. Barrett is currently attending Bucks County Community College, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in sports management.
Photo Credits
- Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
Cite this Article
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Barrett, Carson. 'Taking Out Half-Walls.' Home Guides | SF Gate, http://homeguides.sfgate.com/taking-out-halfwalls-32830.html. Accessed 08 October 2019.
Barrett, Carson. (n.d.). Taking Out Half-Walls. Home Guides | SF Gate. Retrieved from http://homeguides.sfgate.com/taking-out-halfwalls-32830.html
Barrett, Carson. 'Taking Out Half-Walls' accessed October 08, 2019. http://homeguides.sfgate.com/taking-out-halfwalls-32830.html
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